Independent Culinary & F&B Consultant at Self-Employed (2024-04 – Present)
Turnkey consultancy: concept development, kitchen setup, menu engineering, luxury banquet systems, festival & pop-up programming
- Turnkey F&B launch support — concept creation, kitchen planning advisory, SOP design, and brigade setup for new hotel and restaurant openings.
- Food festival and pop-up programming — designing and executing regional cuisine promotions, themed dining events, and culinary activations for hotels and F&B outlets across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
- Progressive Indian cuisine development — building contemporary menus rooted in forgotten regional Indian recipes and heritage culinary traditions.
- Menu engineering — costed, market-relevant menus for new openings and repositioning projects with strong emphasis on Indian regional and contemporary fusion cuisine.
- Luxury banquet advisory — large-format production planning and systems for weddings, corporate events, and outdoor catering operations.
- Staff training and culinary mentorship — structured programmes tailored to brand identity, operational scale, and market positioning.
- Vendor and procurement advisory — supplier development, quality benchmarks, and cost control frameworks for operations across India and GCC markets.
Executive Chef at The Lalit Great Eastern, Kolkata (2014-01 – 2024-12)
- Joined as part of the pre-opening leadership team; built kitchen operations, brigade, and SOPs from the ground up across all F&B outlets.
- Directed complete culinary operations for 10 years — managing a brigade of 80+ culinary professionals across restaurants, banqueting, bakery, and large-format events.
- Designed and implemented seasonal menus integrating progressive Indian cuisine concepts with contemporary international dining; drove consistent F&B revenue growth.
- Introduced regional Indian culinary revival concepts rooted in heritage recipes and culturally authentic dining experiences.
- Executed large-format weddings, corporate events, banquet festivals, and outdoor catering operations to luxury five-star standards.
- Managed food cost, procurement systems, production planning, and departmental profitability targets across all outlets.
- Led structured culinary training and development programmes for the kitchen brigade; maintained a high-performing team across a decade of operations.
Executive Chef at Hyatt Hyderabad (2012-01 – 2014-12)
166-key luxury hotel · All-day dining, Indian specialty restaurant, Lobby Lounge, Pool Bar · Two ballrooms, lawn, boardrooms · Capacity: 600 guests
- Directed culinary operations across all restaurants, banqueting, and event catering divisions.
- Led kitchen operations and culinary standards implementation during Hyatt management transition; maintained international brand standards throughout.
- Introduced new menu concepts, production systems, and presentation standards aligned with Hyatt brand expectations.
- Monitored guest satisfaction data and implemented continuous quality improvement across all outlets.
- Controlled food cost, purchasing systems, inventory, and operational budgeting; conducted culinary training and live demonstrations for kitchen teams.
Executive Sous Chef at The Claridges, Surajkund (2010-01 – 2012-12)
Luxury hotel · Large-format Grand Ballroom (17,000 sq ft) + 5 meeting spaces · Destination weddings, corporate hospitality, ODC
- Oversaw daily kitchen operations and large-scale banquet production across restaurants and event venues.
- Played an instrumental role in delivering culinary operations for the Amber Lounge — the official high-profile VIP after-party and weekend lifestyle event of the inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix — hosted at The Claridges, Surajkund.
- Successfully executed wedding carnivals, luxury banquet functions, JCB annual meets, and premium outdoor catering programs.
- Developed new menus, vendor systems, and operational improvements for banquet and restaurant production.
- Ensured HACCP compliance, food quality consistency, and luxury hospitality presentation standards throughout.
Executive Sous Chef at Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers + Four Points (Starwood / Luxury Collection) (2007-01 – 2010-12)
In-house banqueting: 2,000 guests · Outdoor catering: up to 3,000 guests · 6 meeting spaces · Brigade of 60+ culinary professionals
- Managed banquet operations, pricing structures, and luxury catering execution across government, corporate, social, and wedding segments.
- Led a culinary brigade of approximately 60 professionals across banquet and outdoor catering operations.
- Executed high-volume luxury banquets, diplomatic events, and premium outdoor hospitality programs to Starwood brand standards.
- Coordinated menu implementation, recipe systems, event logistics, and culinary production standards; maintained operational food cost and quality targets.
Banquet Chef de Cuisine → Senior Sous Chef → Sous Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa (2000-01 – 2007-12)
- Progressed through four leadership roles over seven years — Sous Chef (Italian fine dining), Senior Sous Chef (Tex-Mex & Mediterranean), and Banquet Chef de Cuisine — demonstrating consistent excellence and culinary versatility.
- Delivered luxury banquet and outdoor catering operations for up to 5,000 guests including royal weddings, diplomatic gatherings, and international hospitality events.
- Worked closely with the Royal Court of Bahrain on menu planning, protocol hospitality, and premium banquet execution for state-level functions.
- Executed Formula One hospitality for four consecutive years at Bahrain International Circuit; managed Ferrari launch events and high-profile VIP receptions.
- Organised international summit hospitality: IISS Manama Dialogue (20 countries), Supreme Council for Women Arab League (22 countries), GCC Summits, and multiple diplomatic state functions.
- Concert and entertainment hospitality for Bryan Ferry, Shaggy, and international events (1,500 pax).
- Organised annual Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinners for four consecutive years; executed Ramadan tent hospitality programmes annually.
- Part of the pre-opening team for Sharq Village & Spa, Doha (Ritz-Carlton) and reopening teams for Ritz-Carlton Bahrain and Ritz-Carlton Dubai.
- Conducted international food festivals at Ritz-Carlton Sharm El Sheikh; collaborated with Lenôtre Paris (pastry workshop) and specialist Lebanese and Egyptian chefs.
Management Trainee → Chef de Partie → Junior Sous Chef → Sous Chef at The Park Hotels (Apeejay Surendra Group) (1995-01 – 2000-12)
- Rose through four positions in five years, from Management Trainee to Sous Chef, across multiple luxury hotel properties in India.
- Played a key role in launching The Saffron at The Park Kolkata — an innovative Pan-Indian and fusion cuisine concept, developed from scratch.
- Part of the pre-opening teams for The Park Bangalore and The Park Chennai.
- Worked alongside Jiggs Kalra's culinary team during Indian food festivals and heritage cuisine promotions at The Park Kolkata.
- Industrial training completed at Oberoi Grand Kolkata and Quality Inn Kolkata.
