HEMANT OBEROI - Corporate chef for the Taj hotels and grand executive chef

ON serving every type of diner and still being true to yourself Corporate chef for the Taj hotels and grand executive chef of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai

Give them something to remember: 

Every top hotel has access to the best techniques, the best ingredients and the best budgets. Distinguish yourself by giving people an experience they’ve never had. Even with great meals, ultimately, the memory you will take with you is not just how the food tasted but how it made you feel. Think beyond what you put on the plate.

Put your muse to work:
Keep your eyes open to inspiration, even if it takes years before an idea actually sparks. I did a bicycle-themed New Year’s Eve party last year from a single memory of a bicycle mounted on a bar wall in Europe 20 years ago. Take in everything, you never know what will stick.

Think beyond the obvious:
There is life beyond tandoori chicken, seekh kebabs and mutter paneer – even in an Indian restaurant. I’ve served food in tiffins, got female servers to feed finger-foods to a mehendi party and created caviar pani puri. And do it well, or don’t attempt it at all.

Don’t be a me-too:

Think five steps ahead. Ask diners where they’ve holidayed, what restaurants they liked, which ones they skipped. So when they’re ready for the same food in India, you’ll have known all along.

Build your team:
It’s the difference between a great combination and a disastrous fusion. To break the rules, you have to know the rules.

Finally, know your basics:
Some things just can’t be done. I mean, can you imagine a tandoori goose liver or a fish dhansak?
...And your limits:
 

  You learn as much from a trainee as from a senior chef or a customer.