I started my career as a ManagementTrainee- Chef at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai on completing a 4-year course in Hotel Management & Catering Technology in 1985.

During my tenure at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower I have handled  “The Chambers”, an exclusive club, where membership was on invitation only to top ranking individuals and the Zodiac Grill, one of Asia’s finest fine dining restaurant where rapidly evolving food trends & high gastronomic experience was expected from our esteemed clientele. 

I have received training by chefs from The Culinary Institute of America, and Cordon Blue.  

I have trained extensively with some of the best chefs in the world, at the Connaught Grill, Chez Nico, Menage a trois  & Langans Brasserie, the Dorchester, Claridges as well as the Ritz in London.

I also had the opportunity to train at Mosimanns in London, under the able guidance of Anton Mosimmon himself.

Soon after, my first posting as an Executive Chef was in 1996 at the exclusive boutique hotel, The Princeton, in Dubai, followed by a two year stint on a teardrop shaped marvel, the Taj Coral Reef Resort, Maldives in 2000. 

On finishing my tenure in Maldives, I took over the food production of The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi looking after 8 outlets, in the year 2002.

The Taj Mahal New Delhi offers restaurants that are known as dining destinations of the capital. Each restaurant has established a distinct identity and a strong presence in the capital. Machan, the city’s preferred International style coffee shop, ‘The House of Ming’, Delhi’s first Cantonese and Schezuan restaurant,  ‘Varq’, the fine dining Indian restaurant, Emperor’s Lounge for choicest teas and coffees and Ricks Wokkerie and Bar, voted as the best bar in the city with a Wokkerie menu, The Taj Mahal Hotel’s culinary repertoire offers several choices. Authenticity, excellence in service, artistry and innovation in cuisine and a receptive, warm ambience come together to create a dining experience that makes the hotel the city’s dining destination of choice.

Largely instrumental in opening “Wasabi” a contemporary Japanese signature outlet and “Varq” a modern Indian fine dining gourmet destination which offers a mix of classical and innovative creations from different parts of India.

I am privileged to have recently been voted as one of the 50 great chefs of the world and have been featured in a book titled “My Last Supper “ – 50 Great Chefs and their Final meals by Melanie Dunea.

Few of the other master chefs which feature in this book are Anthony Bourdain, Ferran Adria; Tom Aikens; Jose Andres; Elena Arzak; Juan Mari Arzak; Raymond Blanc; Lidia Bastianch; Mario Batali; Tetsuya Wakuda; Jean Georges Vongerichten; Gordon Ramsay ,Guy Savoy ; Paul Kahan ; Raymond Blanc; Thomas Keller and Nobu.

My style of cooking is eclectic modern Indian cuisine. Following are examples  of the signature dishes launched by me in this hotel.

Essence of tomato and lentils enhanced with tamarind, sugarcane chili sorbet, chargrilled mustard Bay of Bengal prawns with smoked chili rice, taro kebab and masala chai crème brulee with cardamom mascarpone kulfi

I have had the privilege to cater to various dignitaries, royalty from the orient to the occident and Heads of State across the globe. From International Pop Icon Sting, Lady Gaga to Pakistan President General Pervez  Musharraf to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, to Japanese Premier Mr. Koizumi and Mr. Abe Shinzo, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon, H.E. Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapater ,Prime Minister of Spain, H.E. Hu Jintao, President of Republic of China, Prince of Wales, Her Excellency Angela Merkel, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, King & Queen of Bhutan, Sir Richard Branson to name a few. 

In the absence of Chef Amit Chowdhury, Chef Manoj Goel will be available