‘Budding chefs must learn the basics well’
He loves food and has been cooking for the last 25 years. Meet Executive Chef Subrata Debnath who leads the culinary team at the Taj City Centre, Gurugram.
With a rich and diverse experience spanning 25 years, 10 unique destinations across the world and several international brands, Chef Debnath is a seasoned gourmand and a food connoisseur. His culinary repertoire ranges from the authentic to the contemporary. He can rustle up anything from a
to an Italian lamb bolognaise.
Chef Debnath took time out from his Bengali Cuisine Masterclass (cooking tutorial wherein he teaches cooking buffs the nuances of the cuisine, including two of his signature dishes) to share his experiences as a chef. Edited excerpts: attitude is critical for those in the hospitality industry at large. Morning Meeting along with the rest of the leadership team. We discuss and assess revenues and expense numbers, business targets and plan for the day’s operation. Post the meeting, it’s time to check if lunch operations are in order. This includes food tasting, for buffets, key
orders and banquet events. Afternoons are reserved for meetings, menu discussions and food tastings with guests along with our Catering Sales specialists. We also have specific weekly / monthly meetings that are focused on hygiene and safety, strategic F&B operations, and budget planning. The second half of the day is also when I meet my culinary team to discuss guest feedback, operational challenges if any, key events and sign daily requisitions for perishables, groceries items etc.
I also discuss issues pertaining to food safety, analyse micro biological tests and plan for our hygiene audits at tis time.
At around 7:00 pm, I walk through the kitchens again to check if everything is in order for dinner operations and meet and entertain guests at our restaurants. The day generally finishes by around 9:00 pm. Team sizes typically are dependent on the scale of F&B operations and the hotel’s room inventory. Ours is a brigade of about 60 chefs. In addition, I also manage the kitchen stewarding team. Larger hotels also have the microbiologist reporting into the Executive Chef. And yes, one of the most important facets of an Executive Chef is to manage the entire Culinary Brigade for the hotel.
The hospitality industry is one the most vibrant and creative of them all. There is something new to learn every day! My advice to budding chefs is simple – be patient, learn the basics well, develop an eye for detail, be passionate about the craft and stay positive.