ECHO 2016 COLLEGE MAGAZINE
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VIEW FROM THE TOP<br />
CHEF. PAVAN KUMAR CHENNAM<br />
Executive Chef, Coutyard by Marriott & Fairfield by Marriott, Bengaluru<br />
Don’t let work ruin your personal life. Even after my long day, I<br />
still try to speak with my wife about the days happenings and<br />
love to listen to what’s going on in her life, that ways you are<br />
always connected. I keep my mobile away when I am at home. I<br />
don’t let all the whatsapp groups deter me from spending time<br />
with my loved ones. One international vacation every year is a<br />
must for us, even if it means driving down to Nepal or Bhutan<br />
away from the hustle bustle of work life<br />
Why did you decide to pursue a career with food? Can<br />
you tell us where your interest in the field began and a<br />
little bit about how your career has unfolded?<br />
Until my teens, I never had the ambition to become a chef and<br />
was focused on choosing a more conventional profession.<br />
However, when I saw my uncle, now a successful<br />
restauranteur in London, pursuing a career as a chef, I become<br />
quite inquisitive. I started exploring more about the profession<br />
and instantly started loving it. My parents were also extremely<br />
co-operative and helped me pursue my dreams.<br />
I joined the ITC group as part of their Management training<br />
programme in 2004 and got posted as a Junior Sous Chef at ITC<br />
Kakatiya, Hyderabad, then grew up in the company to become<br />
a senior sous chef over a span of 7 years. Joined Marriott hotels<br />
in 2013 as a preopening Chef de Cuisine at JW Marriott, New<br />
Delhi Aerocity and moved as the Preopening Executive Chef for<br />
the Complex hotel consisting of Courtyard by Marriott and<br />
Fairfield by Marriott, Bengaluru in August, 2015<br />
Do you have any strong feelings on whether it is better<br />
to get a culinary education first, or is learning 'on the<br />
job' still a viable career path for aspiring chefs? What<br />
advice would you give to someone in high school or<br />
Intermediate who would like to pursue a culinary career?<br />
It is always better to start your pursuit from a culinary college as<br />
it lays the foundation for future growth. After all a strong basic<br />
foundation is a must to propel your career forward in any field.<br />
My advice to aspiring chefs is to continuously learn and grow<br />
each day and be patient. It will be tough during the initial years<br />
but once you start growing in your career, you’ll realize the value<br />
of all the learnings over the years.<br />
“Criticism is inevitable” How doyou handle it?<br />
Accept criticism in a positive way and always look for<br />
learnings in the same. Never let it demotivate you from<br />
the inside. Focus and accept the criticism with an open mind.<br />
Spend time to correct the findings and move forward.<br />
Successful people make mistakes, but they learn and evolve<br />
from them<br />
“Chefs Life is filled with Challenges”. How do you<br />
balance Personal and professional Life?<br />
Spending time with family is an essential stress buster.<br />
16 <strong>ECHO</strong> - <strong>2016</strong><br />
What are your favorite Kitchen gadgets? Your Favorite<br />
Brand of Knives?<br />
I like Global brand of knives. They are durable and last<br />
long. The kitchen gadgets that I love are NO2 cream chargers<br />
and Sous vide machines. However the first and the most<br />
important on that list will be an excellent quality chef’s knife<br />
What 3 cookbooks or culinary books would you pick to<br />
save in a time capsule to be opened 500 years from<br />
now?<br />
Indian food, A historical companion by KT Achaya, Prashad<br />
by JiggsKalra and Alinea by Grant Achatz. I love these books to<br />
bits and they are loaded with such great knowledge that its<br />
worth reading them even after 500 years<br />
If you were stranded on a desert island for a year<br />
surviving on coconuts and seaweed, what would be<br />
the first meal you would like to eat after you were<br />
rescued?<br />
The first meal that I would want to eat is my wife’s<br />
handmade Prawn Balchao, Pork Sorpotel with BrunPao<br />
and Goan sausage pulao.<br />
MR. MATHEW<br />
Purchase Manager,<br />
Westin, Hyderabad<br />
Tell us about your work experience in purchase<br />
department?<br />
My engagement with Purchase started in 2000 with Trident<br />
Udaipur, now completed almost 15 years. This is a department<br />
wherein you have to operate along with the operations and also<br />
ensuring that all the ICM guide lines been followed as Purchase<br />
is the most sensitive area for audits. You have to be honest and<br />
sharp to get the best rates & quality product for the Hotel.
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