Govt guesthouse cooks get five-star training

Visitors checking into the state guesthouses might get a pleasant surprise. Instead of waiters in shabby garments, they will be welcomed by courteous and well-dressed attendants.

Quality food will be served to the guests matching the taste and flavour of the best restaurants in the city. The cutlery would also be far superior than the usual variety.

The guesthouses are situated on Mall Avenue, Mira Bai Marg and Dalibagh.

The estate department has got the cooks and waiters of the three government guesthouses – trained at Hotel Taj to prepare Continental, Chinese and Indian dishes. They have also been briefed on using utensils to serve the food.

Estate officer Brijraj Singh Yadav said VIPs, including ministers, MPs, MLAs, bureaucrats and various dignitaries as well guests of the state government, stayed in the guesthouses during their visit to the state capital. Several of them complained about the substandard food as well as impolite staff.

“We checked the food and behaviour of the staff with the guests. We found that there was a need to improve the quality of the food and behaviour of the staff. We decided to give the cooks and waiters the best training at Taj Hotel.

The waiters were taught etiquettes and given tips on how to welcome guests.

Yadav said the guesthouse managers were directed to focus on sanitation as well. Besides keeping the rooms, corridors and halls clean, they were told to maintain the garden as well, he said.