Chef Devandra — “Training is not limited to cooking skills”

Devandra Narismulu was appointed executive chef at one of the City Lodge Group’s busiest hotels, the 365-room City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport, in July 2022.

He heads up the revamped kitchen and newly extended buffet restaurant offering that complements the a la carte menu, and the hotel offers food service 24/7. He was the second executive chef City Lodge Hotels appointed, as the group’s food and beverage offering across all four brands – Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge and Road Lodge – continues to grow in leaps and bounds.

My earliest food-related memory is at my granny’s house in the holidays, with all my cousins there and my cousins playing outside while I watched my gran in the kitchen.”

“My mum and dad shared the cooking, and I or my brother cooked when they weren’t around. A taste of home is my late gran’s cooking — anything she made was amazing,” Devandra said.

He said: “I graduated from ICESA School of Hotel and Catering in Durban with a National Diploma in Professional Cookery.”

Looking back, Devandra, said: “I started my career in 2005, training at Ithala Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal, followed by the Blue Waters Hotel in Durban in 2006. I spent the next five years in Durban working for world-renowned establishments, including Southern Sun Elangeni, The Oyster Box hotel and Upton Hall Boutique Hotel. I left for Gauteng in 2011 and worked at Mount Grace Hotel and Spa, followed by Holiday Inn Sandton and Royal Marang Hotel for Royal Bafokeng. At the end of 2016, I moved back to Durban to take up a position at Southern Sun’s Beverly Hills Hotel followed by my first executive chef position at Zimbali Country Club in 2019. In July 2020, I was unemployed due to the pandemic, and later accepted a position in a private members club, the Pencil Club, followed by Premier Hotel Umhlanga. In July 2022, I started my journey with City Lodge Hotels as executive chef at City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport.”

Devandra has a few mentors. He said: “David van Staden (my first chef at Southern Sun Elangeni), taught me to work fast, have patience, and control your emotions. Nadia Adams taught me, attention to detail, quality and flavour. Franc Lubbe taught me the understanding of the science in cooking, i.e., how science affects cooking and Luke Nair taught me motivation and cooking techniques. Coovashen Pillay, is the most influential mentor of all, he took the time to mould and groom me into the chef I am today, equipping and enabling me to run a kitchen in the best way possible.”

He describes his cooking style as, fresh, funky and rustic.

“Indian flavours play a huge role – I love tamarind, cumin and coriander, garlic and onion – but I’m open to pretty much everything.”

City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport is a unique hotel in the group in that it is always 100 per cent full and now offers an expanded F&B offering.

In terms of challenges, Devandra said, managing the buffet is challenging as it is hard to predict numbers. “Fortunately, we are a very busy hotel which makes managing easier with the right team. There is a lot of planning as well as always trying new dishes, including veggies, to regularly give our guests something novel and exciting to try.”

He said managing the a la carte menu is easier as the food is always moving, especially since the lunchtime trade has picked up. “Having the buffet helps as we can utilise ingredients across the different sections. We also offer lunch buffets for our conference guests,” Devandra said.

In terms of his management style, Devandra said: “Different situations call for different staff interactions; however, I always strive to be firm but fair. First and foremost, I look to develop and train my team to be the best they can possibly be. Training is not limited to cooking skills only, however, and includes the way they think and broadening their horizons to include, for example, hygiene, cost control, and quality of food. If I can achieve that, then part of my goal is achieved. In terms of personal development, I’ve grown as a manager and leader, particularly since the pandemic, when we were forced to look at the world differently.”

Devandra said he has a staff briefing every shift and allocates team members to a station for which they are responsible, and check mise en place and stock levels.

“I do stock rotation daily and ensure all chefs have the right information to ensure they can perform at their best.”

Looking ahead, Devandra said: “I would love to incorporate more of my own dishes on the menu, and with that comes a lot of training and development of my team. We constantly do on-the job-training and the team has shown great improvement — I am very proud of them.”

What is your favourite dish to cook for yourself?

Lamb curry but my go to dish to cook for family and friends: Roast chicken, veggies and salad as these ingredients are always in the pantry: Onion, garlic, thyme and of course masala.

What was the best meal you’ve ever had? Anything my late gran cooked.

How do you unwind after a busy shift? I spend time with my son and dog. I also enjoy a cold beer or glass of red wine.

What is your most-used piece of equipment?

Chef’s knife.

What have been your highlights and low points in your career?

I’ve faced many challenges in my career, be they mental or physical, but they have made me who I am today. My highlight is my entire career – I wouldn’t change a thing! Sure, I’ve made mistakes but it’s all part of the journey – my career is filled with fun, laughter and also tears.