Hotels hiring foreign chefs to attract discerning clientele
Hotels hiring foreign chefs to attract discerning clientele
PTI
New Delhi: How Chinese is ‘Chinese´cuisine offered in India, is a question most of us ask after having our fill of hakka noodles, chopsuey, sweet n’ sour and chilly chicken? Many may have also wondered over the genuineness of other ‘foreign food´ dishes that are on offer in Indian restaurants.
To bring about a sense of culinary veracity to their menus, restaurateurs are hiring chefs from the country of origin of the food to titillate taste buds.
Foreign chefs are finding India a hot destination for their profession as Indian hotel industry is booming. Occupancy levels at most hotels today average at around 80-85% through the year.
India is a preferred destinations for conferences, trade shows, exhibitions and conventions, according to Rajesh Mishra, Chairman, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI).
He also admitted that apart from ensuring the authenticity quotient of the food, it is the glamour appeal that is a chief reason for getting foreign chefs on board. “Indian chefs are incomparable but hiring a foreign chef adds glamour to the restaurant in attracting guests. It is like getting a certification for the cuisine on offer."
Shobha Mishra, Deputy director, FICCI, said that the globalization and easy visa rules have helped the Indian hospitality industry to add diversity in the chef profession.
“They are more skillfull and efficient professionally and add more authenticity to the dish. In spite of the language and cultural barrier they understand the psyche of the customer better and if you are a connoisseur of good food and want to eat Chinese or Italian food the way Chinese or Italians do, an authentic chef is a must," says Ajit Sharma, Senior General Manger, Jaypee Siddharth.
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