Carving his own niche
GETTING caught up in life’s endless pursuits can be exhausting for many. That is why old folks tend to enjoy a more leisurely approach to life when they retire.
But for a select few, retirement presents opportunities to find new skills or hone existing ones. Among them is Sunil Dutt.
In his 60s, Mr Dutt is a familiar face around Sigatoka. It’s where he grew up and watched the once idyllic cane farming locality transform into a bustling tourist town that loved rugby.
Mr Dutt grew with the town and got his first taste of formal employment in the tourism industry. At 17, he caught the eyes of one of Shangri-La Fiji’s managers.
“When I first worked in the tourism industry, it was a big change for me,” he said.
“I started in 1979 when I was 17 years old. My parents, who were farmers, were very poor and I was the only child.
He said one of his first responsibilities was “just waving the flies away from the food.”
“One day, the chef asked me about my education, and if I would like to work in the kitchen.
“So, I started as a kitchen hand, then went on to become an assistant chef and then, I received training.
“The one thing I realised earlier on was, you have to have a lot of interest when you learn something. If you are not happy, you won’t be able to carry out your work to the best of your ability.”
One of the skills he developed and feels proud of to this day is the ability to carve fruits, ice and even chocolate.
“An artist who came from Indonesia taught me how to do this (food carving). I learnt for about two months. I also indulged in ice-carving and chocolate, vegetable and fruit carving.
“I realised that if you wasted time, it would take you one or two hours, but if you managed your time well, you could take only five minutes to make a rose using any kind of knife.
“Once I learnt all these, I moved on with my career. Then I started work as a sous chef. From there, I went to Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, then to InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, and later joined the Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay.”
Soon after, COVID-19 struck and his pending retirement hit. Mr Dutt and his family opened an eatery, however, it didn’t work out so well so he had to make the painful decision to close shop.
Now, he engages in odd jobs around town and also works part-time as a fisherman. He said his struggles, though formidable, were all worth weathering.
Mr Dutt said to truly succeed in one’s line of work, one must remain focused, manage time properly and, most importantly, “love what you do”.