Incredible Goa Food & Hospitality September 2022

MODERN

LANGUAGE OF LUXURY

Enjoy unforgettable moments and enhance the magnificent experience!

Indulge in a tranquil setting of 260 square metres presidential suite, where every corner emphasizes on elegance, utmost comfort, and contemporary architecture. The suite comprises of an expansive living room welcoming the natural light, a dining area, master bedroom & an adjoining bedroom, walking closet and a kitchenette. To enhance the magnificent experience, the private terrace hosts a lounge area with barbeque facilities overlooking the panoramic view of Sinquerim landscape and Nerul river.

GOAN FOODIES

NOOK

60 CHEF SPEAKS

CHEF AMAR SINGH INDA - MY LONGSTANDING FASCINATION WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

64 FOOD & HEALTH

5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF ONIONS

5 WAYS TO PREVENT THYROID

72 GOAN SPIRITS

THREE MONKEYS - A GOAN ORIGIN, SINGLE MALT - GOING GLOBAL

76 IN REVIEW

ISLAND HOMESTAY, COORG AN OFFBEAT STAY NEAR MADIKERI

MAMA MISO A PREMIUM PAN ASIAN DINING EXPERIENCE

GOOD TIMES WITH SALUD GREAT FOOD, GREAT DRINKS, GREAT VIEWS!

TRAVEL TALES

CHORAO - A DAY TRIP TO THE ISLAN

HELGA MOTHA - CAN'T IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE APART FROM BAKING

VOCAL FOR GOACAL

PAGE 10 |FOOD&HOSPITALITY MONTH

SHAREEF- FROM A TRAINEE TO BECOMING A FITNESS TRAINER AND BUSINESSMAN!

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Published & Owned by GOA PRISM DIGITAL MEDIA, and Published at FIIRE, Fatorda - Goa. 403602. India. Editor & Publisher: Rajesh Ghadge

IT'S FESTIVAL TIME

The festivities are in the air, I can literally smell them, and I am sure you can too. With September coming to an end, I can feel a little nip in the air (on the days it's not raining). For me, this nip in the air is a signal of the upcoming wintery season which is just love. It's my second favourite time of the year after monsoons.

This season just fills me up with unexplained happiness and positivity, come October and I already start waiting for Christmas

Spilling over this happiness and positivity in this issue, there is definitely a lot to look forward to Our review section will let you explore culinary delights across Goa that can tingle your taste buds and you can plan your next staycation with our expert review

Meet chef of the month, home chef and our GM for this issue, these are the people for whom food and hospitality are not just mere words, but a passion led profession I am sure their stories will leave you inspired forever.

How fitness and vacations are going hand in hand, discover that aspect in this issue and meet Shareef who started as a trainee himself and today works as a trainer and runs a health led business too. Explore Chorao Islands with us through our travel tales section and the recipes from our incredible kitchen will surely leave your guests asking for more

Don’t forget to check out my Cocktails and Cuisine with Aditi section to find out what culinary delights

I am talking about Enjoy the season and keep up the happiness & positivity flowing Till we meet next Cheers ☺

MALHOTRA

EDITOR

THETEAM

Editor in Chief & Publisher

Rajesh Ghadge rajesh@foodandhospitality org

Managing Editor

Aditi Malhotra aditi@foodandhospitality org

Contributors

Sunil Malhotra

Jade Dsa Armaan Malhotra

Design & Layouts

Creative Concept Media creativeconcetmedia@gmail com

Photography Intern Armaan Malhotra

Content Editing Support

Anita Athi

EDITORIAL OFFICES

FOOD & HOSPITALITY MAGAZINE

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RAJESH GHADGE

ON THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH PLANET HOLLYWOOD BEACH RESORTS, GOA

Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa has spiritual life and soul of its own. We offer a blissful escape away from the cacophony of city life to guests visiting us from India and other countries. We take great pride in providing excellent hospitality to our guests and make sure that they leave us feeling rejuvenated in mind and body. The approach to a great vacation varies from person to person however, the elemental goals for a holiday are mostly similar. At Planet Hollywood, Goa the proximity to the beautiful Arabian sea with a view of golden sunrises and sunsets, a vast stretch of a white sandy beach with the crisp and fresh sea breeze, and a

verdant surrounding within the resort gardens are designed to provide the mind and body with a healing and cleansing experience. Regardless of the nature of travel, business or leisure, travelers are always presented with amazing opportunities to meet new and interesting people and encounter new and exciting experiences that can be life changing sometimes. A new place, new people, and new experiences always contribute to spiritual growth whether you find it in the company of others or amidst your solitude

One’s spiritual experiences in the journey of life serve to be the best memories. My name is Ravi Kumar, an astrologer, and spiritual seeker.

I am working with Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa as an in house astrologer and spiritual coach. I am blessed with wonderful memories of meeting some like minded spiritual people at the resort They have become a part of the spiritual journey of my life and enriched me to create a spiritual program based on my journey influenced by our interactions. This program is called RAVIYOG

RAVIYOG LEARN TO LIVE

Project “RAVIYOG” is a Spiritual Program based on Spirituality in Practical Life. It is aimed to serve humanity and promote awareness about Spiritual and Life Sciences. It is based on Family Values, Culture and Tradition, and Spiritual Living Practices that are relevant and practical in present times. Spirituality in Practical Life means a living experience of spiritual values of life in thoughts, emotions, actions & intentions. It is all about living with the necessary humane sense that is sensible, science & spiritual In present times we do not need great enlightenment of knowledge & wisdom or any superpower in everyday life. We just need to learn, follow, and practice basic concepts of Spiritual & life sciences to begin with positive changes in our lives

The aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic has been widely spread unemployment and career problems that have taken a toll on psychological health and wellbeing. With the rise in stress, mental health issues, and lifestyle disorders, the future of individual development lies in achieving the oneness of the mind and body. Spirituality unites everything, the fundamentals of business and economy with that of life and nature, for sustainable growth and development The solution to the many

problems of modern people, society, and the system is spiritual education and awareness.

Spiritual Tourism in Goa

Goa is known for its party culture and casinos However, that is not Goa in its entirety The rich cultural heritage in Goa along with its majestic churches, beautiful temples, mountains, waterfalls, a long golden coastline, and other natural wonders work as a perfect backdrop for making Goa a suitable destination for spiritual experiences

Spiritual tourism has started to gain popularity in India, however, it is limited to cities, such as Ayodhya, Varanasi, Puri, Somnath, and the Himalayas. People are seeking spiritual knowledge to enhance their personality and perception of life by practicing yoga mediation and living more in touch with their psychological and spiritual sides.

Spiritual Culture or Spiritual Tourism can be truly developed only with the necessary spiritual services, environment & ecosystem because a certain spiritual inspiration is necessary to bring the people together for a common spiritual cause & purpose. Every individual is seeking spiritual knowledge to enhance their personality & perception of life but a certain spiritual inspiration is also necessary to learn, follow & practice spiritual life with the required discipline, dedication & devotion.

Spiritual Life to Explore Yourself, Discover Yourself & Surprise Yourself. Although every individual is spiritual in some way, but it is a challenge to bring together like minded spiritual people on a common platform for a common spiritual cause. With the Spiritual Program RAVIYOG we can create spiritual experiences which can be shared with everyone through real life spiritual stories &

& memories. The concept & idea is based on Learning by Sharing Life Experiences. For example, a lot of people have already realized and started the practice of yoga meditation & spiritual lifestyle but a certain dedicated spiritual space, culture & environment is necessary for the spiritual knowledge experience and to grow & evolve with yog sadhana. Through the spiritual program ‘RAVIYOG’ we can offer unique spiritual activities & services to the people which everybody would like to experience and to make it a part of their lives.

The spiritual program will focus on creating a technology driven spiritual project which will provide opportunities for spiritual education and self development It will support & improve the urban & rural lifestyle with the people’ awareness & involvement to create a sustainable project using modern science and technology for the spiritual health and well being of everyone This program aims to bring together all the organisations of travel and tourism industry for a common cause and efforts toward the popularization of spiritual development The idea behind the common spiritual cause is to use the available infrastructure and resources more sustainably to improve the quality of life for the guests and the employees at the hotels and resorts. The spiritual coaching and consultation program along with spiritual workshops seminars will create the necessary eco system to support the other ideas of spiritual content, spiritual videos, and animations using the latest technologies.

I have given Spiritual Coaching and Consultation to many people and it has enhanced my understanding and awareness of the people, society, and the system The spiritual program will create a public platform for the spiritual education programs and courses with all the like minded spiritual people working together.

It can be accessible and available to everyone through digital media, websites, and applications The latest technologies can be used to build an online platform for spiritual learning, information, and communication.

You can read more about me, my spiritual journey, and the RAVIYOG program on www raviyog com Thank You

IHCL CONTINUES TO STRIVE TOWARDS BENCHMARKING

TOURISM STANDARDS IN GOA

In a continued effort to achieve industry benchmark standards for quality tourism in Goa, Mr. Vincent Ramos, Senior Vice President Goa of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is empanelled as member of the Empowered Committees for the Goa Tourism Board, an apex body for planning, policy making, strategizing and overseeing the implementation of various tourism programs and initiatives in the state. In his new role, Mr. Ramos will contribute towards the various Land and Infrastructure development programs and initiatives in Goa

Spearheading the largest hospitality operator in the state, Mr. Ramos brings with him exceptional leadership skills and a multitude of management experience from within the tourism industry. Hailing from the beautiful island of Chorão in Goa and being son of the soil, he has been actively involved with the local state authorities to enhance tourism in Goa as Mentor for the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) Committee Tourism vertical and as an Executive Member of the Managing Committee of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) as well as

the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Goa.

Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Ramos said, “Goa has immense potential to position itself as the world’s best travel destination With a combined and unified effort of all the partners and stakeholders in the industry, I am certain that Goa can achieve exemplary standards in tourism. It is an honour to be in service of the state and we look forward to empowering the State Government with all the required support and achieving our common goal of repositioning Goa as a world class leader in tourism.”

Since inception, IHCL has always been synonymous with Goa, having inclusion and business responsibility embedded in its DNA Thus, constantly striving for the local communities to share in the benefits of its presence with maximized local employment and generating new avenues for business

opportunities with a collaborative approach towards helping improve the quality of life and giving back to the community IHCL comprises of a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and remarkable service including Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, Ginger, amã Stays & Trails, Qmin and TajSATS.

With a footprint of 21 unique destinations in the state and over 1500 rooms across the length and breadth of the state, IHCL continues to define the changing landscape of tourism in Goa as the largest hospitality operator and leader in the tourism sector.

FORTUNE MIRAMAR GOA BAGS

TWO AWARDS AT THE INDIA

HOSPITALITY AND F&B PROWORLD EXPO-2022

Fortune Miramar Goa, a member of ITC’s hotel group made its presence felt at the India Hospitality and F&B Pro World Expo 2022. The hotel won across two major categories at the event this year as it grabbed the ‘People’s

Choice’ and ‘Goa's Best General Manager’ awards. Speaking on the occasion, Ricardo D'Lima, Cluster General Manager Goa and West Coast, Fortune Miramar Goa, said “Receiving

these awards is an honour, especially after the pandemic. It demonstrates Fortune’s unwavering commitment to delivering guest delight with a focus on warm hospitality and impeccable services We look forward to scaling new milestones and receiving many such recognitions with the support of our passionate and dedicated team that continues to exceed guest expectations.”

Fortune Miramar Goa provides a sophisticated and contemporary setting in one of Goa's prime locations. The hotel features 45 beautifully furnished rooms, a selection of dining options, and banquet space for up to 150 guests. Fortune Miramar's steady growth and popularity since its inception has progressed owing to its accessible distance from the local beaches, casinos and the airport. Being an Indian hospitality brand, Fortune Hotels are deeply conscious and perceptive to the likes and dislikes of the domestic guests

This reflects in the popularity that Fortune Miramar has garnered in Goa the most popular holiday destination in the country. The hotel with its distinct, differentiated features continues to attract business and leisure travellers alike.

The Hospitality and F&B Pro World Expo is the region's largest and oldest business to business (B2B) event for the Agro, F&B, Interiors Exteriors, Cleantech Housekeeping, and Solar Waste Engineering industries

Thousands of business visitors attended this event, including the members of all related associations representing various components of the hospitality and F&B industries. The event is supported by well known organisations such as the All India Food Processors' Association (AIFPA), the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (AFSTI), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), to name a few.

BATON CHANGE AT SKAL GOA

Skalleague Shekhar Divadkar was installed as the new President of Skal Club Of Goa, for the term 2022 24, at a glittering ceremony held during the AGM on Sunday, the 28th of August 2022 at Alila Diwa Goa, Majorda Goa, which was well attended by members, invited dignitaries and the press

Honorable Minister for Transport, Industries, Panchayat Raj & Protocol, Shri Mauvin Godinho was the Chief Guest for the event, while Director of Tourism and CEO of the new formed Goa Tourism Board, Shri Nikhil Desai was the Guest of Honour. Curtorim MLA & GIDC Chairman, Alexio Reginaldo Lorenco &

Benaulim MLA, Captain Venzy Viegas also graced the occasion Director of Transport Shri Rajan Satardekar attended the event too. Sk. Shekhar Divadkar a member of SKAL since 2007 held various key posts during his 15 years with SKAL, he was earlier Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President with Skal Goa, National Secretary for Skal International India and presently is Secretary for Skal International Asia, he is also member of the Skal International President's Committee for Statutes and By laws.

While continuing the tempo which was set by the past President Sk. Ernest Dias, Sk. Shekhar and his Skal Goa Board Members have a vision of creating a niche for the club in the areas of Conservation Of Environment, CSR, Social Causes concerning our Industry Hospitality & Travel, to archive the history of Skal Goa to follow statutory requirements and above all giving Skal Goa a voice in India, in Asia and the World This would bring about a better visibility for SKAL GOA on the Local, National and International platform.

THE REVIVAL OF THE TAVERNA CONCEPT IN GOA

By Rajesh Ghadge Images Google

Tavernas in Goa are not a new idea but they were on the verge of extinction because of bistros, bars, and the new age atmosphere of trance and electronic music. Bars remain the places where people meet for a drink or two but they’re now like old wine in a new bottle.

Tavernas in Goa are not a new idea but they were on the verge of extinction because of bistros, bars, and the new age atmosphere of trance and electronic music Bars remain the places where people meet for a drink or two but they’re now like old wine in a new bottle. “Taverns were a place when workers, at the end of a long day of work, would go for a quick shot of feni before heading home,” Victor Hugo of Goa Chitra Museum says “It was a place where people went for a break ”

We have started this tavern section of the Food & Hospitality magazine to simply breathe new life into what was a Portuguese era concept.

Modern bars and restaurants have near eliminated these old styled tavernas and according to the Goa State Excise Department, there are only 160 taverns left in Goa and the number is dwindling with time.

Taverns mostly sell country liquor and one of them is famously known as Feni They’re usually small places without seating areas and food besides a lack of hygiene such as no availability of toilets inside the premises. "It was in 1984 that the then state government opened up opportunities for taverns to be converted into bars and restaurants They needed to have toilets and facilities to serve Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)," said the State Excise Commissioner, Menino D’Souza.

The rat race of making more money and competing with others left Goans with no option but to convert their taverns into bars & restaurants thus attracting high end customers and youngsters, but in the bargain, the original concept began to disappear. "Taverns usually served only country liquor. There used to be a small window where you could stop for your drink and then consume it sitting on a bench

There were no chairs or desks," says Mahendra Alvares, a heritage activist who showcases Goa's past through his venture, "Big Foot," located at Loutolim village

Another reason for the diminishing fate of the tavern was a decrease in demand for country liquor. Feni has a very potent taste and smell and is intoxicating. Only those who are used to drinking such strong liquor would visit the taverns At the same time, an increase in demand for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) kept growing due to its varieties and naturally, the consumption of country liquor has decreased.

"My father had this tavern from the Portuguese times Since then, business continues and although it’s not making losses, it’s also not as rosy as it was in the past," says Greg Fernandes, a musician by profession. He is one of those who have retained the tavern tradition and is known for his "One Man Band" which plays for family and social events "The place used to be crowded when Goa Medical College (GMC) was situated next to Panaji market before it was shifted to Bambolim. Now we have only our friend circles who drop in for their daily dose," adds Greg, who has named his tavern Viva Liquor Shop

The tavern concept is more popular in the villages of Goa compared to the cities and tourist hubs, and the reason behind this is the demand from the locals. Villages do not have many facilities and pretty much no bars & restaurants and the locals also prefer to drink the country made liquor, specifically Feni But over time, the village boundaries are merging with the cities and one of the best examples of this is Taleigao situated close to Panaji in Tiswadi Taluka. Taleigao had many taverns once in the late

80s and 90s, but slowly most of them were either converted into bars & restaurants or given to non Goans to run them and who sell everything including IMFL. There were taverns at the edge of fields for coconut pluckers and toddy tappers, and for farmers. To date, in some parts of Goa, there are taverns that open from midnight to early morning to cater to porters working their night shift. “It was a meeting place where people went to have a drink and a conversation. It was a stress buster, a small pleasure, for people who couldn’t afford ‘entertainment’," says Hansel Vaz, owner of Cazulo Premium Feni, and a tavern enthusiast. "You would get the daily news, there would be music, discussions on football matches, news from the village, and even games, " he adds. "Goans drank according to how they felt, what job they did Alcohol is bad for your body but they found a balance in the tavern.”

Another thing that makes taverns different and less popular is the food/snacks that are served most of them serve only boiled horse grams and peanuts known as “chone bhikna” in Goa Besides this some also serve boiled eggs, mangoes pickled in salt water (tora shiro), dry, salted mackerel (kharo bangdo), and Goan sausages (choris) with bread and fish cutlets or beef cutlets.

The uniqueness of the tavern is the purity of the liquor served by them and perhaps that is the reason they’ve started catching back on once again in Goa. Most of the taverns in Goa serve pure Feni sourced right from local distillers and they have no branded bottle packaging some taverns also have a stand out feature like a view of quiet tributaries or creeks, carrom or other local games, matka (a kind of lottery), or even a Feni distillery within.

Today’s world relies on social media and the same goes for the revival of the taverns. Taverns were revived when tourism media such as Lonely Planet, Conde Nast, IBB, and GQ India started promoting a very well known tavern, Joseph Bar, situated in the heart of Fontainhas, the Latin Quarters of Panaji city. We could even say that Joseph Bar became the savior of the tavern concept in Goa and no content on tavern can be written without the mention of the same You can also read about the Joseph Bar on our platform. So, to conclude, taverns are here to stay and we will keep promoting more places in our magazine in the future, but if you know of any specific tavern worth a mention, please drop us a mail at info@foodandhospitality org

C O V E R S T O R Y

EVERY DAY BRINGS NEW INNOVATIONS AND NEW CHALLENGES

R A N J E E T P A N D E Y

By Rajesh Ghadge Images by Holiday Inn

Ranjeet Pandey is currently heading the operations of “The Fisherman’s Wharf” Chain across India and is also instrumental behind setting up the Pan Asian restaurant brand, The Red Ginger, in Goa, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Ranjeet hails from Kolkata but has been in Goa for nearly three decades. He is a graduate of Chemistry from St Xavier’s College in Kolkata but without scope in this field, he decided to move from Kolkata However, before doing that, he sat the IIT and Hotel Management entrance exams simultaneously, and without any intention of entering the hospitality industry, he landed here.

“I wanted only to leave Kolkata to broaden my horizons and see new places and when I had the opportunity of doing a course in Chennai, I took it immediately I come from a vegetarian family but when I entered into the food & hospitality industry, I had no option but to handle all sorts of meats and a major challenge for me was handling raw meats, which I had never done in my life before.”

The beginning of the journey into the hotel industry was not easy for Ranjeet. “I picked up the phone and called my father telling him that challenges in Hotel Industry is very different and difficult to survive but he advised me that life is full of challenges and I have to make my choices since he will not be always there to make these decisions for me so he said think deeply and then decide but you can always come back,” said Ranjeet Pandey

Hotel management has many sub categories but when it comes to food production, one needs to handle different varieties of food which makes it difficult at times for vegetarians. “The turning point came when one of my professors told me that there is no food in the world that is bad, but that you ’ ve simply not yet developed a taste for it. That changed everything for me with regard to the food production industry, and I realized so long as I take my profession seriously, everything will fall into place I could have opted for the other Departments but I wanted to go for the toughest challenge and I went for food production,” he added.

After completing his studies in Hotel Management, Mr. Pandey joined the Taj Group of Hotels in Taj Bengal, Kolkata “I worked for a short time at Taj Group before shifting to

Sterling Resorts where I worked for nearly four years and from there, I was transferred to the Sterling Resorts in Goa. The current W Hotel was formerly known as Sterling Hotels I held the position of Executive Chef at the Sterling Hotels and that was the time I got an opportunity at the Holiday Inn Resort, Goa,” said Mr. Ranjeet, and when I asked him about how that opportunity came his way Mr. Pandey said, “The former Executive Chef of Holiday Inn was my college senior and he invited me to join as Sous Chef and since I had already worked with him earlier I was very comfortable and when he invited me, I immediately grabbed the opportunity to work with him. After around 6 months though, he had the opportunity to work abroad and he left so then I was on my own. I worked for around 3 years as Sous chef before becoming the executive chef at Holiday Inn.”

Things at the Holiday Inn had completely changed when Chef Mohan left and went abroad Many of the junior chefs also left the Holiday Inn and Mr. Ranjeet was the only senior person left in the kitchen with a lot of responsibilities. “I remember that I used to handle the kitchen from morning till evening, doing both the shifts and closing the kitchen and this practice continued for almost a year I didn’t have a day off nor did I take any leave during that time. When things become tough, I also become tougher. I enjoy and love doing that and I became the Executive chef at the Holiday Inn in a very short span of time Another advantage that I had was the owners of the property are from the hospitality industry and they understand the ups and downs of this industry and it was a good learning process with them.”

Mr. Ranjeet had received many offers from various properties abroad but he did not leave the Holiday Inn because he saw that there were enough opportunities to grow here “I spoke to my GM, Mr Mathew when I got an opportunity to go abroad and he told me that there are many opportunities to grow here itself and I should stick to this place. I also believe in staying in one place and growing so I did not fall for all those opportunities that came my way many times For me, every day is a new day with new beginnings and challenges and I prepare myself to give my best shot. I have never taken a single day in my life for granted and work hard every day to make sure that everything is running smoothly When I am at work, I give my 100% and when I am with the family my entire time is for them,” he said.

The Fisherman’s Wharf

The story of the Fisherman’s Wharf is very interesting and Ranjeet told me how the whole concept came into existence “It was in 2005 when the idea of Fisherman’s Wharf came into the existence. Our chairman & MD Mr. Xavier had a piece of land opposite to the Holiday Inn which was touching the river. He had acquired it long back with the vision to start something in this place and finally one day he decided to open a restaurant with a Goan touch, luckily I was part of the core team of this project. I worked very closely with the entire team to create this property. I was taking care of Food Production department of Fisherman’s Wharf along with the Holiday Inn

After the success of the Fisherman’s Wharf property in South Goa, we decided to expand so we started the second property in Bangalore. It was only after 2012 that we

decided to grow rapidly and started second property in Bangalore, another in Dubai and finally we opened up in Panjim then in Hyderabad.”

The Red Ginger

Mr Ranjeet told me that as Food Production was their major strength, they wanted to open up a Pan Asian Cuisine restaurant and that is how the Red Ginger came into existence. “Mr. Xavier travels a lot and keep sharing with us new and innovative ideas. He wanted to open up an exclusive Pan Asian restaurant and a different concept from The Fisherman’s Wharf which had its own brand and name. Red Ginger is a stand alone restaurant and is dedicated only to Pan Asian cuisine.”

The Director Operations

Mr Ranjeet Pandey has been working as Director of Food Productions for a long time and around five years back, having seen his

dedication and work responsibilities, Mr. Xavier elevated him to the position of Director Operations. “As Director of Food Production, my duties were to take care of the food production and food outlets but as the responsibilities grew the scope of work became more of operational nature and that is the reason I was promoted to Director Operations. Here I have the responsibilities to take care of all the properties, appointing the right Manpower across the country, and setting up new outlets in Goa and other parts of the country. I also shoulder the responsibilities of handling the profitability besides the overall operations and taking care of day to day developments in the supporting departments In short, as a Director operation, I am overall responsible of the entire brand and it is a very big responsibility. There is always guidance from the owners, and they

ISO 22000 Certification

You may be wondering how Mr. Ranjeet continued with his studies while shouldering huge responsibilities of the company at the same time and this made me ask him about the same to which he replied saying, “Right from my childhood, I enjoyed studying so it wasn’t a big deal to do an MBA. But whilst doing my MBA for example, my daughter was very young at that time and I had to put her to sleep before starting with my studies at night and then continue to study till about 3 am taking short naps wherever I could, then starting work at 9.30 am. This continued for 3 years when I had completed my MBA.”

“After finishing my MBA, I decided to complete an ISO 22000 Lead Auditor course This audit is ISO 22000 and is meant for food safety norms and standards. Now I am a certified Lead Auditor for ISO 22000 and it helped me to implement the same in my own company. The Holiday Inn is an ISO 22000 certified brand while all the units of the Fisherman’s Wharf are classified and certified 5 star Hygiene Rating restaurants. This ISO certification has helped us in the long run and I can confidently say that the food prepared by us is the safest and most hygienic, which is not normally followed by many We also practice an open kitchen policy wherein anyone can walk into a kitchen or see from outside what we are doing inside and this policy is implemented at all our restaurants.”

When I asked Mr Ranjeet about the concept and design of their kitchens, he said, “Being from a food background, I love to maintain good standards and all the kitchens of Fisherman’s Wharf are designed by me without the involvement of any third party agencies and here my engineering knowledge helped me a lot,” he said

Expansion Plans

Mr. Ranjeet told me that they have big expansion plans which will start with a setup in Bangalore “As you know we already have one Fisherman’s Wharf in Bangalore and this will be the second one. As Bangalore is such a large city, business potentials are enormous and we have the scope of having more than 3 to 4 outlets there. The food business is a very dynamic business and trends keep changing if you want to be a successful Restaurateur then you need to be on top of it. Every day is an innovation and every day we face new challenges and the people who love challenges, this is the best industry for them,” he added

When I asked Mr Ranjeet how he manages the business in so many places while traveling most of the time, he said, “We are a well managed organization with Unit managers and chefs who are responsible for running the operations on a day to day basis and as a corporate and management team we just need to fine tune them and keep an eye on the profitability, guest satisfaction and keep innovating. My job is to keep an eye on the operations and make sure that the profitability does not dip and that the entire operations are designed on these couple of parameters

We also make use of technology and we have designed software which gives a bird’s eye view of all business profits and expenses. It's a cloud based system and can be monitored from anywhere with an internet connection We also have CCTV monitoring systems, and the cameras are installed across all the units and all the movement can be monitored from my mobile phone. Another thing is, the moment they know you are being watched there is a certain kind of discipline that is maintained Technology means we don’t have to have a

physical presence anymore, ” said Mr. Ranjeet.

Family Life

With so much work and responsibilities, family life normally suffers but that is not the case in Mr. Ranjeet’ s life. He spends quality time with his family “I travel so much so to spend time with my family becomes a little hard but once you learn to balance between work and family, life becomes easier. We might be spending little time together but it is quality time that we have.”

The Goa Culinary Forum

Just as he spends time with his family, Mr. Ranjeet’ s team is no different from him and he makes sure that he spends time with them too to keep them motivated. “I make sure that I keep my team motivated all the time by rewarding their work and taking them out for dinners and outings once in a while. Besides that, I am also the President of Culinary Forum of Goa and we have chefs from all the major hotels in Goa. We do a lot of activities for chefs, we also work on their development and we are also affiliated with the IFCA (Indian Federation of Culinary Association) which is also an added responsibility. Once a Chef always a Chef. I can be a Director operation

but the chef within me will never die, and the thought of what I am giving back always pushes me to do something for the Chef Community.”

The Way Ahead

Mr Ranjeet has a dream of making the Fisherman’s Wharf as the number one chain of restaurants in seafood in India. “I am very sure that we will make it happen. I think the toughest thing to handle in the kitchen is seafood and this mainly due to its limited shelf life and logistics Seafood needs to be served fresh unlike some meat. It is a highly perishable commodity and we have mastered ourselves in that. I am focusing all my energy towards making this brand number one in India.”

“The hospitality sector deals with people, whether it’s a guest or our internal staff, and if you want to scale up your company, the human touch is required, and only then will you grow.

If you are doing a legit business then there is nothing that will stop your growth. There are people who take shortcuts in business and they may become lucky in some cases but if you seriously want to grow then you need to be grounded, you need to understand the dynamics of it, there is no shortcut.”

ANDA KALEJI

MethodIngredients

6 eggs

1 kg kaleji or liver

500 ml oil

3 chopped onions

1 tbsp ginger paste

½ kg chopped tomatoes

1/1/2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp chopped ginger

Garlic, 2 cloves

Turmeric powder 1 tbsp

Chill powder 1 tbsp

Coriander powder 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1tbsp

1 tbsp crushed chilli

Black pepper 1 tbsp

1 tbsp chopped green chillies

½ tbsp garam masala

Few sprigs of coriander leaves (for garnish)

1.Put oil in a degchi and let it heat.

2.Add ginger and garlic paste.

3.Add tomatoes, ginger, garlic, onions, spices and green chillies. Cook together.

4.Add kaleji and cook for 25 minutes.

5.Add raw egg to the cooked kaleji ,mix well till done.

6 Garnish with coriander leaves

Serve Hot!!

4 servings

30 minutes

By Team F&H

BONELESS CHILLI CHICKEN:

MethodIngredients

350 gms diced boneless chicken

1 slightly beaten egg

½ cup cornflour

½ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp garlic paste

Oil for deep frying

2 cups of sliced onions

2 tsp sliced green chillies

1Tbsp salt

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 green chilli for garnish.

1 Mix together the beaten egg, chicken, ginger and garlic paste, cornflour and salt. Add ample water so that the chicken pieces get fully coated in the batter.

Rest the chicken for around 30 minutes.

2.In a wok or pan heat the oil and deep fry the chicken pieces over high heat. Fry until the chicken is cooked properly Drain the chicken on an absorbent paper

3 Now heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a wok and stir fry the onions till they are translucent.

4.Add the green chillies and sauté for a minute.

5.Add salt, soy, sauce, vinegar and the deep fried chicken and toss well.

6.Serve hot garnished with chillies.

2 servings 10 minutes

By Team F&H

WESTIN GOA

FOR THE MOST EXPERIENTIAL BRUNCH EVER!

Did you know that the word brunch is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch? Brunch originated in England in the late 19th century and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and from then on it started gaining popularity the world over.

And if you want to experience one of the finest brunches in Goa, Westin is your place to be. As soon as we entered, the vibe of the place hit us differently It was literally buzzing with people everywhere while some great music played in the background. Right from the start, it seemed like a happy place where people were truly enjoying their Sunday meals and drinks

First things first, I haven’t seen a more elaborate brunch spread than this one. It seemed like a food festival of its own with multiple live stalls, buffet counters and a bar. We started our culinary indulgence at the Chaat Counter which was serving different types of chaat from the regular dahi puri, pani puri, sev puri to palak patta chaat and raj kachori too. And trust me when I say that the chaats were excellent, I mean one can just go on and on with them, but the greed of trying other items on the spread kinda stops you from overindulgence

Next, we had a delightful platter from the grills section which had a perfect mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian choices. There were grilled veggies, cottage cheese, prawns, chicken, and pork and we loved every bit of it The pork and chicken baos were probably the best we ever had; it makes my mouth water even as I am writing about it. They were so so good. Tender meat, juicy, saucy, and utterly delicious.

Sushi lovers would find this brunch even better as there was a great variety of Sushi available to tingle your taste buds.

Coming to the star dish for me that afternoon, it was the mutton galauti kebabs, they were simply amazing and the best I had in Goa. The texture and taste were so perfect, that it just melted in the mouth.

Next, I had some delicious mutton biryani, perfectly spiced and flavoured, its rich aroma and light flavour was just right. There was a live counter which was serving butter chicken with roomali roti and how I regret not having that. My tummy was so full that I actually missed out on eating my favourite dish But whatever we had was of superlative quality and there is just no match.

The dessert counter looked like an art exhibition where every cake and dessert was a work of art that you could simply stare at and admire for hours Eating it was another level of satisfaction

Whether you want to indulge in Indian, Asian, or Continental cuisine, the Westin Brunch serves you just right.

All this delicious food backed by the warmest hospitality makes brunching at Westin an experience you can never get over It’s like creating memories for a lifetime. However many brunches I have, I will never forget this one and definitely look forward to my next visit soon.

By Rajesh Ghadge Images by Rajesh Ghadge

This is the new age of start ups where those with brilliant ideas who want to begin a business to showcase them have really taken off Goa is a hub of such start ups where many hundreds of people have moved their base to the state for business with pleasure. The pandemic has created a new generation of start ups in various sectors, especially for those working from home resulting in many changing their field of work and starting new businesses.

Vigo Bharat is one such physical start up space situated in the business hub of the city known as Nariman Point of Goa. Vigo Bharat started with the idea of assisting budding start ups and entrepreneurs in their future endeavours by providing them with office space along with all the facilities that a start up requires at the incubation stage.

Vigo Bharat is backed by Hare Krishna Creative Realty Pvt Ltd (HRCRPL). This company is a part of the Hare Krishna Group. The Hare Krishna group is a Goa based group that has withstood the test of time to mark their space in the state of Goa for over 25 years. The main promoter of the company is Mr Sandeep Agarwal, aged 45 years and a commerce graduate based in Goa. He has been in the family business since the age of 20

It is his hard work, perseverance and all the efforts that he has put in over the last 25 years that have made Hare Krishna Group an established business house in Goa Hare Krishna Group’s primary business area has been manufacturing and the potential in Goa made Mr Agarwal migrate from Orissa and build this empire here in Goa.

He is of the opinion that Goa has the potential yet again to become the Start up hub of India and hence his enthusiasm and keenness to enter that space. He is well versed in the nitty gritty of entrepreneurship and how an initial push for great ideas can change the face of Goa.

Mr Sandeep Agarwal, a prominent businessman and head honcho of the Hare Group of Companies is the major force behind

the concept of the Vigo Bharat start up space. He believes in Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India initiative and is motivated by the idea of innovation so he decided to begin this startup hub

The promotors of Hare Group of Companies are a 25 year old business family with an emphasis on the Brick Motor kind of business. They are now looking to venture into different industries and diversify as well “In the process, we are looking for innovations in our Brick and Mortar Industries as well and to promote start ups/ entrepreneurs who can bring that innovation in terms of process simplification, reporting efficiency, quality control, environmental sustainability etc So we are open to exploring new ideas in these areas that will come from a new breed of entrepreneurs and Vigo Bharat gave us that opportunity to welcome them with open arms, ” said Ms Chandra who is heading this start up initiative

The motto of Vigo Bharat is to support great ideas and foster entrepreneurship in Goa and the rest of India which could lead to a better working society, working opportunities and overall, a better country moving towards innovation, ideas, sustainability and creating Global Unicorns

Vigo Bharat is also a medium to create a legacy and be open to exciting opportunities which, if tapped at the right time, could become unicorns and in the bargain multiply the investments made “This would be motivating for more investments in future and assist in the overall development of the country,” she added.

“This start up space is very dynamic and exciting and it is overwhelming to see some ideas which not only have great business

potential but also connect us on an emotional level and we can see the difference they can make. It is through Vigo Bharat I got to experience this,” she added Mr Sandeep Agarwal, who belongs to a traditional business family start up tells us that this is a very exciting concept for him since he believes that big businesses take off from small ideas. Being from very traditional business families, it takes some time to understand and gauge the impact these start ups can have on the overall picture of businesses including manufacturing and mining. “Yes, the ideas have to be viable and scalable as well. Through Vigo Bharat we are getting a different spectacle of doing business and these days it calls for being adaptable and flexible to sustain and be a part of the changing scenario and we could taste that flavour through Vigo Bharat,” said Sandeep Ji. “There are challenges as well and some risks at this point with the booming start up space and the extra push from the Government would see us sail through but only time will tell. Right now it is a learning curve for us and listening to entrepreneurs about their ideas with so much passion and love is nostalgic and takes me back to my days of starting a business, but times were different back then ”

“We are looking to invest in a bouquet of start ups and build a portfolio of companies with the potential of becoming unicorns. We plan to invest in at least 10 companies by the end of 2023 Preferably we would like to invest in ideas and innovation in the manufacturing space, but we are sector agnostic at the moment. We are looking for start ups that can scale up pan India and also internationally if possible. We aspire to create unicorns from Goa ”

STREET FOODS TO RELISH IN GOA!

By Aditi Malhotra Stock Images

Goa is not only well known for its beaches, nightlife and parties but it boasts of some superb street foods. Not many travellers who visit Goa know about Goa’s flavourful street culture, but its definitely something you must try. Although you will not find street vendors or hawkers everywhere but you will find them in their designated places consciously away from hampering traffic both vehicular as well as pedestrians. Street food found in Goa excels in all aspects including hygiene.

Some of the most popular street foods of Goa include:

Fish Thali:

This is probably one of the most popular and certainly something special. Basically Fish Thali is a platter consisting of rice, fish curry, fried fish, one vegetable dish accompanied with pickle and a couple of chapatis. It is usually available during lunch hours at many stalls and local restaurants and even though some fancy restaurants serve it, I would suggest trying it at a local joint only and thank me later.

Pork Vindaloo:

Christian culture of Goa is represented in this popular street food of Goa. Enriched with spicy flavours, vinegar and a number of Indian spices, the dish made from boneless pork is a truly amazing dish. Both tender and spicy you will find this dish at several food stalls and is best enjoyed with a soft poee.

Prawn Curry:

Another one of the popular street ,it is full of rich flavours which are enhanced with onions, vinegar and coconut milk. A gastronaut’s delight Prawn curry ,in general, is served with rice and makes for a full meal.

Ros Omelette:

This is a unique gravy omelette and a perfect night street food in Goa. The gravy for the omelette is prepared from chicken xacuti and this surely makes for a delectable street food The omelette is garnished with onions and coriander with each bite of omelette dipped in the delicious gravy, something you cannot miss.

Chops:

When in Goa, do not miss out on these sumptuous chops .Made with russet potatoes and ground lamb or beef, they are served with a variety of dips and make a great tea time snack.

Samosas:

Surprised.?? Must be!! Samosas are a very popular Indian snack that is available almost all across India Well, Samosas in Goa have a different flavour in them Samosas are available in almost all the tea stalls across Goa. Do not forget to try the beef samosas or the mushroom samosas, they are really different and delicious.

Missal Pav:

Missal is a spicy curry made with lentils, mixed sprouts and moth beans whereas pav is a very popular Indian bread in the western region of India. This is a very nutritious dish, rich in proteins and among the most favourites in Goa

Missal Pav can be had for breakfast or at tea time as a snack or you may even have it as main course meal.

Cutlet Pav

This is one of the first dishes to get a street food label and is a hot favourite with everyone

A crispy fish, chicken, or beef cutlet, topped with some coleslaw, deliciously sandwiched between a poe bread, you cannot miss this.

Cutlet pav is usually available in the evenings and you will find many food trucks and local outlets selling them Beef cutlet pav is one of my all time favourite.

Croquettes:

Goan beef croquettes are really popular among meat lovers. Made with beef mince, tomatoes, onions, eggs, and bread, they are a real treat to eat Easy to carry ,you may have them on the go.

Shawarma

The Shawarma fever in Goa is hard to miss and you can find Shawarma stalls and food trucks almost everywhere The chunks of grilled

chicken and spicy coleslaw filled in a soft pita, then rolled to perfection, Shawarma is indeed a delicious indulgence.

Gadbad Ice-Cream:

Last but not the least after having some delicious foods you are entitled to something sweet and that is where the Gadbad ice cream comes in. Supposedly a summer special treat for you to beat the heat.

Served artistically in a glass bowl or a tall glass it combines a variety of delectable ice cream in different flavours and topped with some noodles and jelly.

So come to Goa and even if you are on a budget, these pocket friendly and unforgettable street foods will not disappoint you

SURAJIT CHATTERJEE

MY LOVE FOR EXPLORING

By Rajesh Ghadge Images by Holiday Inn

Born and brought up in Jharkhand and having studied in Dhanbad, Ranchi, Surajit Chatterjee initially wanted to join the Indian Armed Forces His destiny took him in another direction though and he’s now a part of the food & hospitality sector. Having unfortunately failed the competitive entrance exams to join the Armed Forces, he is now General Manager at the Holiday Inn in Candolim.

“I started my journey into the hospitality sector from Trident Hotel in Chennai where I learned a great deal After completing my industrial exposure at Trident, I moved back to Kolkata to do my vocational training at the Taj Bengal and as I hopped from one property to another, my love for the food and beverages industry grew stronger and stronger.”

His introduction into the hospitality industry began in Hyderabad where he worked as a front office trainee as a college placement but that didn’t suit him so he quit and continued his studies until he got a job in Mumbai. “I started as a trainee supervisor in food & beverages at the Ambassador Hotel in Mumbai which has roof top restaurant. I was there for 2 ½ years then I joined a the cruise liner for 4 ½ . I saw the world this way and gained lot of exposure by meeting the people from over 54 countries. I then decided to come back to India to concentrate on my career, and that was the time I joined the Hyatt Regency in Bombay,” he said.

“My last stint in F&B was with Accor Hotels in Ahmadabad as director of Food & Beverages until I got the opportunity at the Radisson in Ludhiana as General Manager and just before Covid I moved to Goa. I joined the IHG hotel in Goa as General Manager and I’ve been here 2 ½ years. I must say that it is a great opportunity to work with the IHG as a brand. I had faced lots of challenges due to covid because the opening had been delayed, there was a shortage of manpower, no proper supplies and the whole project was delayed by almost 3 months, but all the hardship ended and we opened officially in August 2021 with 60 rooms ”

Surajit tells me that the bio bubble of Netflix got them a booking for 100 rooms during October 2021 which enabled the business to stabilize and they could finish the pending project work. “We have two buildings and currently we have 104 rooms with one presidential suit, 2000 sqft. of banqueting, pool bar, a fully fledged gymnasium and soon

we are introducing a spa and kids play area which will be commissioned before Diwali,” said Mr Chatterjee.

Holiday Inn is a popular brand and this particular hotel, being the second one in Goa, has a real pull factor with its guests. “This property is very fresh and new and different from the any other property in India. The uniforms we wear here, the rooms and décor, the interiors and facade everything is unique and one of a kind,” he added Talking about his strengths and weaknesses, Mr Chatterjee said that being an F&B expert and having worked in the sector for decades, his major strength lies in F&B. “But now being a General Manager, I have to oversee every aspect of managing the hotel to ensure our guests are happy. I have a very good exposure and maintain good public relations. I like to meet people and I use my creativity and innovations to make the guest experience a memorable one Coming back to the weakness, everyone has some weakness for sure. In my case, I have yet to explore Goa and learn more about the people of Goa and this is the only weakness that I can see as of now, ” said Mr Chatterjee.

When asked how he deals with bad days in the business Mr Chatterjee said, “Every business sees good and bad days and I don’t consider bad days as bad but a learning step. I see it as a means to improve, look for ways to face the challenge and come out as a winner. I make sure that my team remains motivated all the time and to do that we have different activities and our focus always remains to create a good guest experience and the positive feedback that we get from them keeps on motivating our team. In fact, even during covid and pre opening, we have never

cut any salaries of our staff and still today, I ensure that they get the best of the facilities at this property. This has in turn meant that we ’ ve not lost a single member of staff ” Mr Chatterjee said that the property’s location is the their major USP. “We are situated in the centre of the most happening tourism destination. Our rooms are very spacious, our smallest room is 305 sqft and every room has a balcony so you can’t get better that this Each room is very aesthetically designed and we have a trolly in each bathroom and the entrance to the Presidential suite is a most unique experience which is unmatched. In fact, the Presidential suite is spread across 2500 sqft area and once it’s ready, it will be the talk of the town It has a total of 6 rooms with 3 bedrooms and each bedroom has a separate closet area, large living room and even a separate kitchen.”

Goa is the most popular tourism destination in the country and it can improve further if the roads and other infrastructures are upgraded as per requirement. “Transportation is a major challenge faced by the tourists and locals alike but I am sure that completion of the new Zuari bridge and the new airport at Mopa will improve tourism activities further I also believe that Goa Tourism and other tourism bodies in Goa are working hard on improving the tourism business in Goa so soon something positive will come out of this. My only suggestion to them is to keep the greenery intact.”

When I asked which other brand he would like to name besides his property in Goa, Mr Chatterjee replied very politely saying that all the brands are very good and doing well and it is very difficult to name one. “I have been to lots of hotels in Goa and there are many international brands with a presence in the

state. New brands keep coming up and hence I can’t differentiate or name one or two but would rather say that we are set apart from most other hotels in Goa and we fit into the ‘upscale hotels’ segment ” Mr Chatterjee said that the season will start from October with lots of festivals coming up, such as Dassehra and Diwali. “We are planning to start our Navaratri Thali from October since the we have a good Gujarati footfall Our pool bar will be launched too with live music theme nights at the weekends. We will also be relaunching our “Drunch” which is a mix of drinks + lunch the concept behind which is the typical nature of Goans who eat breakfast late We invite locals as well as the home guest to enjoy a day by the pool and indulge in specially crafted lunches with drinks. It starts at 12.30pm and goes on until 4pm.”

The hotel also has an electric buggy that drops people to the beach and Holiday Inn Candolim Goa is the only hotel that has an EV charging station “It is available for in house guests as well as for locals who can download the app, charge at the station, pay on the app and leave which is a very unique service that no other hotel has,” he added.

Speaking about the impact of social media and influencers on the business, Mr Chatterjee said, “North Goa is all about the young crowd, between the ages of 25 to 40, and according to me, they look at social media and influencers to choose their hotels, restaurants and nights out so they play a huge role in influencing the behaviour of the guests ”

Mr Chatterjee said that in future, he wants to work with a bigger room inventory in the luxury hotel sector. “For me position is not as

important as growth. I want to learn new things and explore different cities but all this will not happen for at least two years since I have plans of staying in Goa for a while still. After that, I will think of making plans to explore bigger properties and brands at a new leisure destination. I love Goa and I want to wake up in the morning with the fresh air that Goa has I love driving to work and meeting the people I do ”

CHEF AMAR SINGH INDA

Chef Shibiraj Saha is an Executive Chef at Holiday in Candolim, Goa

By Rajesh Ghadge Images by: Sarovar Portico

MY LONG-STANDING FASCINATION WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Chef Amar Singh Inda hails from a family whose background is in the hospitality industry. He was born and brought up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and had no plans to join the hospitality industry. What happened for him to have changed his mind thus

becoming an executive chef? We will be finding the answers to all our questions from the man himself We present to you Chef Amar Singh, the Executive Chef at Sarovar Portico. “I initially wanted a Government job but the glamour of the hospitality industry finally managed to pull me towards it. I also had a dream of becoming a doctor and that was the main reason I studied science But my entire direction changed when I left science and joined arts in 12th standard.”

After completing his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts (BA), he decided to pursue hotel management at All India Institute of Chennai and he joined the Taj “I completed my hotel management while doing my training at the Taj hotel in 1996. I started my training at Taj immediately after finishing my 12th and at that time I knew and I was very focused towards the food & hospitality industry,” said Chef Amar

After finishing his training at the Taj, Chef Amar joins the hotel as a full time chef. “When joining any hotel as a trainee, regardless of what you want to become in the end, you need to have the knowledge of all the departments and I was not special I worked in all the areas as a trainee and from there I specialized as a chef. I worked in the bakery, cold cuts section, pastry section, butchery and also in Continental & Chinese sections of the food departments It was a learning process and as a chef, you need to learn everything regardless of your specialisation in the future. During my 3 ½ year tenure at Taj I went on to become the commis chef (junior chef) and by that time my hotel management course was also over so I decided to move into a new position for new experiences and joined the JP Agra ”

JP Agra is a 300 room luxury property but not a brand like Taj. “There I started as a Commis Chef at the coffee shop in the continental section and from there I moved to Regent Mumbai which was a 508 room property, now known as Taj Lands End. I worked there for one year before I had the opportunity to work in Dubai. When I asked the reason behind moving from one property to another, he said that he wanted to gain as much experience as he could from different properties across the world. “My journey continued and from Dubai, I moved to Iraq and from there I came back to Dubai and worked in many hotels as Chef de Partie. Then I worked at the grand Hyatt Muscat as a Sous chef before moving to the Intercontinental in Kuwait as a Senior Sous chef and from Kuwait, I worked at the Shangri La in the Maldives, then the Radisson in Africa. I returned to India thereafter and worked at the Hilton in Jaipur.”

In Jaipur, Chef Amar started as Executive Sous Chef “The experience I gained from all those previous positions across the globe put me in prominent positions at Hilton Jaipur. However, the pandemic really changed things so I came to Goa because it’s renowned to be safe and fun to work in ”

Chef Amar joined the Sarovar Portico as an Executive Chef in May 2022. “It is a good brand and I wanted to experience Goa, the place I had only really just heard about. I specialise in Continental cuisine here and I prepare Italian, Mediterranean, Asian and Indian cuisine too,” said Chef Amar When I asked Chef about the reason behind specialising in continental cuisine, he said “The opportunities are greater when you work with this global cuisine. But my wide experience always helps me as an executive chef and I understand every nitty gritty of the kitchen ”

When I asked the chef about his plan of action as far as the Sarovar Portico is concerned he said, “I do want to bring many reforms here and it will start right from the bottom Since it’s a big task it will take its own time but I have started working towards it. To begin with, I will work on the A la Carte menu, with portions, costing and presentation. As the property is so new, only 3 years old, there’s huge scope for improvement and taking it in new directions ”

Speaking about his long term plans in Goa, Chef Amar said that he doesn’t want to comment on this yet but he does want to spend more time here. “I don’t have any plans of moving out from this property. I want to introduce many reforms so I will be surely here for a long time but I will not be able to speak about the future since I don’t know what it holds for me. ”

Speaking about his signature dishes, chef Amar said, “I have many signature dishes but since we are in Goa and people love seafood, I will speak about Kingfish This fish is the most popular and everyone likes it.

My first signature dish is the grilled Kingfish with tapenade and the preparation of this dish begins with the marination of the fish with salt, pepper and olive oil Potatoes are boiled in saffron water and mixed with olives, garlic and onions, fresh parsley with cherry tomato will be used for the base and the fish is served atop this base.

My other signature dish is chicken with walnut, spinach and mushroom The process starts with frying the olive oil, butter and garlic then adding the mushrooms and spinach tossed with olive oil and walnut powder this mixture will be stuffed in the chicken breast and fried in a pan followed by roasting it in the oven for 20 mins at 180° Celsius before serving it with a specially prepared sauce ”

Chef prepares many dishes for his guests but what does he like to eat? ” Being a chef, I eat pretty much everything. But if you ask me my favourite dish, then as my favourite veg is mushrooms, any dish prepared with them would be perfect for me. ”

The Rapid Fire Questions

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I see myself as an executive chef in a well established branded hotel

What is the weirdest thing that you ’ ve put in your mouth?

As a chef, we have to eat and taste everything, but I don’t like octopus yet I’ve still

had to taste it because I was cooking it. Kitchen tools that you cannot do without? The most important tool is a set of knives and in the absence of those, you cannot cut anything

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

My strength is that I am a very self motivated person. I am calm in any situation and my weakness is my low tolerance for repeated mistakes made by my subordinates explaining the same thing several times is what I hate Another weakness I must say is that I’m quite soft and this side of me can get exploited at times.

TOP 5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF ONIONS

By Sunil Malhotra Stock Images

Let’s first understand, what are Onions? Well onions, like garlic, leeks and shallots are botanically known to be a part of Liliaceae family. Onions contain highly potent compounds which are beneficial for your health though not as highly valued as garlic. Onions generally form the basis of a wide variety of dishes and can be eaten raw, sauteed, boiled, steamed or baked.

Photo Credits- Robin Stickel

1.Antibacterial:

Onions are used in folk medicine for relief of coughs, catarrh (excessive build up of mucus in nose or throat) and colds.

Onions are rich in antibacterial properties ,as supported by studies, against the likes of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It has been observed that older the onion, like stored ones, the more potent it is.

2.May support gut health:

Onions are known to be rich in fibre, more so the non digestible type which is required to maintain gut health. Although we cannot digest prebiotic fibre, the bacteria that live in our gut are able to do so and use it as a fuel to increase their numbers and produce by products called short chain fatty acids(SCFAs) which are valuable in the maintenance of your gut health and supporting our digestion and immunity.

3.Rich in anti oxidant compounds:

Onions are full of chemicals like flavonoids which have both an anti inflammatory and antioxidant effect Flavonoids 25 in the onions are one of the richest sources in your diet. Consumed regularly and in sufficient amounts these compounds present in onions supposedly help protect against certain chronic conditions such as diabetes and cancer

4.May support bone health:

Bone density is highly improved because of the antioxidant properties in onions which reduces oxidative stress and seems to reduce bone loss.

Studies have further suggested that frequent onion consumption decreased the risk of hip fracture in peri and post menopausal women while middle aged women who took onion juice improved bone density.

5.May support Heart health:

Onions contain a flavanoid called Quercetin which has an anti inflammatory and antioxidant which along with other beneficial compounds present in onions lead to its heart friendly properties. Studies have shown that eating onions may help reduce your risk of heart disease as it helps lower blood cholesterol as well as manages its levels and reduces inflammation.

There is one negative point and that is it’s bad odour, so do brush your teeth after eating onions!!

5 WAYS TO PREVENT THYROID

By Sunil Malhotra Stock Images

This is one tricky condition to manage and a lot depends on what you eat as it can interfere with your treatment. A number of nutrients greatly influence the function of the thyroid glands while certain foods can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb the replacement hormones you may take as part of your thyroid treatment. As with many health issues, some factors are not in your control, like environment around you and your family history, but certain diets play a significant role in managing the condition Since you are the master of your plate you can always choose thyroid friendly foods.

Photo by Julia Volk

1.Quit Smoking:

Supposedly the most harmful for your body as the toxins in cigarettes like thiocyanate block the production of thyroid hormone and are the cause for hypothyroidism. Due to insufficient iodine absorption, smoking cigarettes increases the chances of goitre. Smoking cigarettes also increases the risk of thyroid cancer, so advisable, one should abstain from smoking.

2.Limit the intake of Processed Foods:

Processed foods like meats, ready meals and baked goods have a strong harmful effect on your body and are also known to be high in trans fat, sugar and carbohydrates which lead to a hindrance in the functioning of pituitary gland which in fact controls the thyroid gland.

3.Increase the intake of Selenium:

During the process of building up thyroid hormones certain free radicals are generated for which Selenium acts as a very crucial antioxidant to remove them. Selenium helps in the proper functioning of the gland and also helps check premature ageing. Brazilian nuts, most meat products, fish, rice, pasta, yeast and cereals should be taken but in moderate quantity so as to meet your daily requirements.

4.Keep stress and anxiety under Control:

Chronic stress not only plays havoc with your overall well being and health but also affects your thyroid levels too. Your thyroid gland slows down the metabolism, causes weight gain and fatigue due the impact of the stress. Take out time from your busy schedule, meditate and reflect, which will help your body to relax thereby reducing stress levels for proper functioning of the thyroid gland. A positive outlook, regular exercise and a healthy diet go a long way in keeping your thyroid levels in control and overall health

5.Eating a Balanced Diet:

One of the most important part of managing your thyroid levels is having a healthy diet. As it says, you are what you eat. A balanced diet which includes milk, nuts, yoghurt, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables etc; providing you all the needed nutrients to maintain a healthy body. When you eat right, your body gets all the required nutrition which are essential to build your immunity to infections and inflammation.

MONKEYS

A GOAN ORIGIN, SINGLE MALT - GOING GLOBAL

By IG Team Images by 3MONKEYS

Goa has become one of the main states for the production of spirits and distilleries and many brands have been mushrooming in the state lately Dr Mohan Krishna, the Chairman of Imperial Distillers and Vintners Pvt Ltd (Cheers Group), is one of those legends who started his journey in this industry in 1980. and Today, one of his well known brands, The Three Monkeys Indian Single Malt whisky, is distilled at Imperial Distillers (Cheers group), Kundaim, Goa which sits at a bespoke destination overlooking the Mandovi River.

Calm, serene, yet incredibly full of life, Goa seeps history. Some believe that the fabled Silk Route wound its way to its coast and the lure of spices brought the Arabs, the Portuguese, and other travelers to its shores Goa welcomed them all with open arms, offering them the adventure and riches they sought. With its rich colonial heritage, white sandy beaches, gurgling backwaters, pleasantly charming people, and an atmosphere of general cheer, Goa is not a place to be rushed. Much like a good Single Malt Three Monkeys.

“We chose this beautiful tropical coast to craft our Single Malts. The many personalities of Goa are captured in each of our creations The warm temperatures truly help mature the whiskies faster, giving them their own, signature flavor. Single Malts produced in Goa will taste far superior compared to similar age whiskies produced elsewhere in the world” claims Ashwin, Executive Director, Cheers Group adding that this award winning classic single malt from Goa will make for a pretty elegant addition to your stock of whiskies. Distilled traditionally and leisurely (like the Goan Susegad way of life: relaxed and laid back) and aged for years in oak casks, Three

Monkeys Single Malt whisky is known for its excellence and going to make for a prized possession! The Three Monkeys Indian Single Malt is rubbing shoulders in the world's duty free arena like the Scotch whiskies which are a product of quality, crafted in Scotland, with a unique heritage stretching back more than 500 years. The young and the happening are moving to a new love, laced with heavy, thick oak and malted barley sugar notes shrouded in soft smoke, with a gentle hint of the cool sea breeze of Goa: that’s Three Monkeys which is also showing a blistering sales growth too!

Even the best whisky brands in the world tend to still fly under the radar when it comes to actually pick up a great bottle There’s no denying there are experimental and phenomenal single malt whiskies coming out of everywhere, even from India which upped the ante with brands like ’Three Monkeys single malt’ boasting artisanal production, heritage, and provenance a blend of all three! It’s not only India’s most highly awarded single malt whisky but among the most prestigious and honored whiskies bagging international awards. With its Indian craftsmanship, its rich heritage makes it one of the rarest whiskies The Three Monkeys name has since become synonymous with the concept of excellence through innovation. The brand’s award winning series of competitions is a prime example. It won many prestigious gold medals at several competitions, including at SIP International awards in California, USA, and at New York International Spirits Competition this year. Since 2009, Imperial Distillers (Cheers group) has been guided under the watchful eye of its founder Dr. Mohan Krishna, the world’s first liquor marketing doctorate who has mastered

whisky creation, distilling, and whisky brand building, and who’s celebrated in the industry for his scientific approach and inventive experimentations

The Goa based Cheers Group is an internationally acclaimed, highly innovative beverage alcohol conglomerate with a stunning portfolio spread across wine, spirits, and Ready to Drink (RTD) products. The group is a manufacturer and exporter of a variety of new age beverages and has a presence in India and international markets with its award winning brands.

“If you don’t have good quality barrels, then you ’ re going to have something a little bit rough and fiery on the palate and from a consumer ’ s perspective, when they’re tasting malt whisky, there should be a soft, clean texture not something that burns,” says Ashwin Balivada, Executive Director, Cheers group, who has mastered Business Management from Cambridge University “As we ’ ve learned, the type of cask used is imperative when it comes to a whisky’s flavor, but the amount of time it spends maturing in those casks is also vital to its development. Don’t get too hung up on the age statement on the bottle, though Many people assume the longer a spirit is aged, the better it will taste. But that isn’t always the case ” says Dr Divya Balivada, Creative Director, Cheers group, who acquired business talent from Edinburgh University in Scotland.

Three Monkeys is a great “high end” whisky that delivers It’s not going to blow any minds, but it makes a hell of an easy sipper. And sometimes, that’s enough! “To receive so many accolades and international medals across the years is a true testament to our quality and packaging and of course, the team’s ability to

keep our innovative ethos fresh. Three Monkeys is an Indian origin Single Malt whisky, and we are ecstatic to be celebrating this with the world!” adds Ashwin

“We work incredibly hard to ensure every one of our products looks and tastes amazing. And The Three Monkeys Indian Single Malt whisky is just fantastic!” adds Dr. Divya.

“The Single Malt is a business with ambition and it has an exciting future ahead, one which we are very much looking forward to taking to greater heights” adds Dr. Krishna. “The Three Monkeys is widely known as the paragon of ‘The Art of Indian Single Malt whisky’. It’s absolutely phenomenal”.

“The Three Monkeys, a head turner that tastes premium, clean, slightly fruity, sweet, and is an easy crowd favorite. It is smoothness personified” claims Dr. Divya.

“You can’t beat the price, look no further, It’s exciting it makes it more of an adventure for a novice who wants to start exploring the Three Monkeys Indian Single malt” adds Ashwin.

The Three Monkeys blend begins on the palate

with rich, caramel notes. Subtle spices and dry sweetness start to make way, followed by a smooth oak finish while the sherry barrels add a pleasant mouth feel It’s complex and satisfying

The Cheers group came into existence in 2009 and within a short span has built a scaled international drinks business with an enviable portfolio of world class brands that take on some of the most established industry players

It may be noted that a few international financial investors, venture capitalists, and corporate houses are looking at picking up a stake in this successful company with an impressive portfolio of brands, which is set to become a mega blue chip company in the near future

The Three Monkeys Indian Single Malt has also the global distinction of being featured in the International Malt Whisky Year Book 2022. The intense barley and grain, nutty, citrus, and apricot develop an overall very interesting multifaceted taste Undoubtedly, it’s a “Master of Malt” produced especially for the discerning whisky connoisseurs the world over. Cheers!

ISLAND HOMESTAY, COORG – AN OFFBEAT STAY NEAR MADIKERI

By Jade Dsa Images by Jade Dsa

This monsoon season, I visited Coorg and stayed at 3 properties during my 8 day trip the first of which was Island Homestay. After an 8 hour drive from Goa to Coorg, I was looking forward to a couple of days soaking in the silence, and this little Airbnb, which is situated in Napoklu, ticked all the boxes Incidentally, this work cation in Coorg was my first getaway since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

ABOUT ISLAND HOMESTAY

If you haven’t been to Coorg before (it was my first time, too), you may not know that here, accommodation is all about the homestays There are 400 registered homestays in Coorg (and thousands of unregistered ones), along with a dozen or so hotels. Staying in a homestay or an Airbnb in Coorg is not only value for money, but gives travellers a chance to experience Kodava hospitality, try authentic Kodava cuisine and live like a local, surrounded by coffee plantations.

The Island Homestay guesthouse is a quaint little space located along the banks of the river Kaveri. The property retains a very organic and simple look to offer you the real feel of living in Coorg It introduces guests to an exclusive experience of living in nature’s company. Tucked away in a quiet corner, the serene homestay is an ideal location if you are looking to indulge in a basic and simple living experience The hosts go out of their way to make you feel comfortable, which is always such a heart warming part of staying at homestays like these.

HOW TO REACH

The Island Homestay in Coorg is about 50 km from the Kannur Airport and you can easily find your way there via a cab, although it is best to travel via a self drive car in Coorg. It is about 22 kms from Madikeri which is the city center, and the road leading towards the homestay tapers into one riddled with potholes, so you truly feel like you ’ re going off grid

What sets the Island Homestay Guest House apart is its location on an island, away from any urban or modern distractions. The island is surrounded on all sides by the river, except for

one portion where your vehicle enters. You can go kayaking in the folds of the majestic Kaveri, swimming in the river, or hiking on the island. ABOUT THE PROPERTY

If you are looking for a rustic escape from your fast paced city life or a holiday on a budget, you’d like this property in Napoklu, Coorg. Most of the property is covered by forests and you will always have the water a few meters away.

For guests, a simple BBQ area by the river offers space to sit out in the open, weather permitting. Adjacent to the two bedrooms on the property is a small lounge area that holds a table, a TV, and a few pieces of decor. This is where you’ll have your meals, converse, work, watch TV, play games and generally spend all your time The stay is best suited to backpackers, nature lovers, bachelors, and young adults traveling in a group. Whether you’d like to party all night, play music or watch a movie, you have the place to yourself to do what you enjoy

THE ROOMS

There are only 2 rooms at The Island Homestay and even if you are one or two travellers who wish to occupy only one room, they block both rooms so that you can truly enjoy your privacy on the property The rooms are pretty bare with only a bed on one side and a mattress on the floor on the other side. Replacing the mattress on the floor with something more functional such as a cupboard, work table or couch would make the room much homier.

THINGS TO DO ON THE PROPERTY

While I’ve already touched upon the fact that you can go kayaking and swimming during your stay at Island Homestay, there’s a bit more you can plan to do. The owner takes guests on a short jeep ride through the jungles and coffee

plantation to another part of the island, from where you can sit on the river banks. If the sky is clear, you can enjoy hours sitting on the banks of the Kaveri, basking in the beauty of nature The bliss of disconnecting from work and focusing on your own needs is incomparable. Listen to the sound of birds, feel the water touch your toes or just let the cold breeze invigorate you as you relax with a book For those who work when they travel, I should caution that the network here is not the best

During my stay, the phone network (both mobile network and data) would mysteriously turn off every day at 10 PM due to an issue with the mobile tower nearby. There is Wi Fi on the property which works fairly well during the day, and there are also certain spots on the property where you can be assured of phone signal to make or receive work calls.

THE FOOD

We were well taken care of by Santosh (the caretaker) and his wife (the cook) who ensured we were fed well from breakfast through to dinner. From chai and dosas to biryani, and from evening snacks to Coorg’s famous Pandi Curry and Baimbale (Bamboo Shoot Vegetable), we enjoyed our homely meals cooked on the property Being a homestay, you will need to inform the caretaker of what you would like for your next meal in advance and you will have your meals cooked to your tastes.

MAMA MISO - A PREMIUM PAN ASIAN DINING EXPERIENCE

By FNH TEAM Images by MAMA MISO

Mama Miso brings Pan Asian food to the coastlines of Goa giving the natives as well as the tourists and travellers of Goa a unique and enthralling dining experience. Serving a delectable selection of dishes, greatly inspired by the Asian street food culture, Mama Miso will take you on a whole new culinary adventure like never before.

Enjoying an Asian beer or a Sake after a day full of exploring the beaches and streets of South Goa is as good as it can get! Their Tea Bar also showcases a variety of teas and coffees, along with classic Asian drinks as well as whimsical cocktails like the Asian Pearl Mule, Bees and Flowers, the Umami Mary, and many more such drinks, making sure there’s something for everyone. The Live Kitchen is one among its many interesting features. This culinary art form where the customers can watch as their food is being prepared and also interact with the chefs makes for a very intimate dining experience. Mama Miso offers multiple seating areas for every mood, from a beautiful garden seating that makes for the ultimate spot to dine al fresco to a deck that gives you a stunning view and of course the classic indoor seating, coated in pastel pink makes for a warm and serene atmosphere to peacefully enjoy your meal. With dishes like Rock Shrimp Tempura, Crispy Chilly Lotus, ButterGarlic Miso

Lobster, and many such mouthwatering options, you are going to be spoilt for choices. Mama Miso will find its way to the traveler’s itinerary with its handcrafted offerings. It’s trendy, it’s chic, it’s fun modern Asian dining, removing the frills but keeping the thrills of delicious authentic dim sum, sushi, and small plates, setting an all new benchmark for Asian Dining in South Goa.

Mama Miso has beautifully brought together Chinese simplicity along with Japanese aesthetics, merging to create the perfect space, made even better with scrumptious food and a welcoming and comfy ambiance to soothe and recharge your stomach and your soul.

GOOD TIMES WITH SALUD- GREAT FOOD, GREAT DRINKS, GREAT VIEWS!

By Aditi Malhotra Images by Armaan Malhotra

Salud is a Spanish expression of wishing good to one another, especially before drinking But this Salud is full of goodness all along.

If you are looking for a beach facing restaurant and lounge to relax by and enjoy good food, Salud is the name. And if you are looking to have a fun time and dance the night away, Salud still is the name. A perfect hangout place overlooking the Arabian Sea from the Vagator Cliff, Salud not just offers mesmerizing views during the daytime, but also serves a delectable spread of global cuisine. While the vibe during the daytime is pretty chilled out, it changes to a happening party spot by the night where you can let your hair down The center area in front of the stage is literally huge and can accommodate quite a few people dancing to the tunes of their DJ. It’s absolutely clutter free, and I loved the way they have placed their furniture on one side along with the bar, while keeping the whole of the center and other side absolutely open The outdoor seating too is comfortably placed with no tables clinging on to each other and giving you a sense of privacy even in the vastness of the place.

With this balanced approach, Salud becomes a great place to spend some amazing time with family and friends anytime of the day I visited it for a sundowner, and I don’t think, the words can properly justify the views, the breeze and the overall ambience that I experienced.

We seated ourselves on a table which was directly facing the seaside and trust me I can look at this kind of a scenery all day without getting bored. And when you have great food for company, what else can you ask for?

Coming to food, their menu serves a great selection of global cuisine, with Italian, Asian, Continental, and Indian cuisines finding a prominent place, there is something for everyone. They don’t use a physical menu

anymore and you must scan through the menu via a QR code and place your orders.

For starters we order a chilly paneer, chicken tikka and chicken seekh kebabs The chilly paneer was super delicious and absolutely on point with its spiciness. We liked it so much that we thought of trying the chicken version too and hence ordered a chilly chicken as well. That too turned out to be great. The chicken seekh kebabs were well made and you instantly can make out that they were prepared in house from the scratch. The chicken tikka was a little undercooked and we had to send it back but I have to say that it did look delicious enough.

Coming to mains, we ordered chilly garlic noodles, grilled fish and a portion of paneer lababdar with tandoori rotis.

The chilly garlic noodles were beautiful, they felt like love in each bite. And given the fact that noodles are my favourite food, and I don’t generally like them everywhere, these were amazing They somehow gave me a very homely feel to it rather than that of being prepared at a restaurant.

The grilled fish with a delicious lemon butter sauce, a side of grilled veggies, mashed potatoes and rice was a complete meal in itself and is definitely worth it The fish was beautifully cooked and the sauce was just perfect. It indeed made for the kind of dish that I absolutely love.

Coming to the winner dish of the evening, it was the paneer lababdar I have to admit that I haven’t eaten a better one in a long long time. It was perfectly spiced, the paneer cubes were soft and the best part, it actually had a great quantity of paneer. Mostly restaurants serve paneer in a very limited quantity, and one is usually left with more gravy than paneer,

but this one was really balanced It has a good portion size of both the gravy and paneer Combined with hot and crisp tandoori rotis, it made for a soul satisfying meal.

A special mention for the warm hospitality at Salud, each of their member ensures that you have a comfortable and memorable time From greeting you with a smile, to being dedicated to serve, the services of the staff at Salud are commendable.

So don’t wait much, if you haven’t been to Salud yet, this article is the only signal you need I am sure you will have as pleasant experience as I did

CHORAO

A DAY TRIP TO THE ISLAND

By Sunil Malhotra Images by Armaan Malhotra

Chorao Island is famous for its flora and fauna. It has a number of alluring mangroves, the amazing forests growing in the water and lending the place a superlative beauty. On the western side of the island, it is home to the famous Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary which is home to many domestic and international species of birds.

To get to the Island you have to take a ferry from Ribandar. The ferries are well equipped to haul your vehicles as well be it a car or a bike. The ride on the ferry itself is an experience to cherish as you sail through clear blue waters with lush green surroundings that really overwhelm you Chorao Island is the largest among the 17 islands in Goa. When in Chorao,we suggest a few activities for you to enjoy nature at its supreme best.

1.Shree Devki Krishna Temple: Let us start our exciting journey by paying obeisance to Lord Krishna!

The visit to Chorao would be incomplete without paying a visit to the Shree Devaki Krishna temple, the only one of its kind where Lord Krishna is worshipped alongside his mother Devaki. A pose considered as unique, shows Lord Krishna nestled cosily in the arms of his mother. A small idol of Lord Ganesha is on the left. All these idols are beautifully carved in black stone. The doors to the temple are intricately engraved with pictures of Lord Krishna. It’s a peaceful sight that you cannot afford to miss

2. St.Bartholomew’s Church:

The pristine whitewashed St. Bartholomew’s Church built in 1569 by the Society of Jesus is a beautiful landmark in the Neo Roman style of architecture. When in Chorao you must visit this beautiful church and witness an abode of serenity and the architectural marvel all at once.

3.Chapel of St. Jerome:

It is a historic Roman Catholic chapel built in the year 1761. Although a part of Chorao Seminary, it got abandoned during the cholera pandemic, but it still stands intact. Archaeological Survey of India has designated it as a State Protected site.

4. Boat Ride through Backwaters of Mandovi River through Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary:

After that hop through the various religious monuments, take an absolutely exhilarating one hour boat ride that takes you through the renowned Salim Ali bird Sanctuary. As you wade through the mangroves on both sides, the ride in this river seems surreal. You can spot birds both of national and international origin with the help of the boatman who acts as your guide too If you are lucky enough you may even spot a crocodile lazing on the banks of the river. The best time to spot birds is early morning and after visiting the sanctuary, you can enjoy a Goan breakfast of Bhaji Pao at a local restaurant

5 Feni making process :

It is advisable that you have a guide with you to explain this process of distilling, Feni, the traditional local brew from the fermented juice of cashew apples. The process involves stomping of cashew fruits and the resultant juice is called Niro The first distillation of this juice is known as Urrack. When distilled for longer Feni is produced.

6.Feni and Urrack tasting:

One of the highlights of visiting Chorao Island is the tasting of these local drinks Urrack mixed with lime, chilli, rock salt and Limca is locally considered to be a perfect summer drink and you can savour it in one of the local taverns. The local taverns in themselves are an experience that you will never forget. Goa as we all know is perceived as a crowded party place but you are definitely in for a pleasant surprise when you visit this calm, serene, picturesque beauty of nature. So plan a day trip to Chorao Island and witness Goa at its best.

HELGA MOTHA

CAN'T IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE APART FROM BAKING

By FNH Team Images by Helga Motha

Helga Motha grew up in a family where cooking and baking were a regular fate. Her grandmother used to run a school of arts, crafts,s, and basic culinary skills and that is how Helga’s interest in culinary art grew and she began being a part of every batch of the students. Although Helga does not have any formal education in the field of Culinary her deep interest in cooking and baking finally made her a master chef in baking.

Please tell us about your background and how you entered the field of culinary. Baking and cooking have been in our family for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a Home where Cooking or Baking was a regular feat. My Grandmother ran a school of Arts, Crafts, and also basic culinary skills called MasterKraft Being in that environment gravitated me towards the culinary arts. As my interest grew, I was much a part of every batch of students. Yes, I did get a shout for every finger dipped into the batter for tasting.. but that didn’t stop me and my love for food and particularly my sweet tooth got me interested in the culinary field. Baking a Cake or cooking up a feast at home didn’t require an occasion. We could create one!! Every birthday for me was a special one… I got to choose my own cake design!! This in turn did inspire me to create those beautiful memories for my family and my Kids. The first cake baked and decorated by me was for my engagement. Have you done any formal education in the field of Culinary? No, I haven’t pursued a professional course My background helped me whip up recipes on the go

What was the reason you choose to bake the cake?

Though I'm well versed with other dishes, baking came naturally to me Baking and decorating a cake is like therapy to me Kneading the dough, and using the icing creatively have helped me destress in the past. It's a creative job.

What are the hurdles you faced while perusing your dreams and how did you overcome them?

I have come a long way in baking and decorating cakes. Being a self taught baker, some of them have been based on trial and error. I have looked almost everywhere and anywhere for tutorials, how tos, and information I learn more every day with every new cake... it’s an unending process. But the spark never dies down. “Cannot Do” has never been in my dictionary!! I sit up at night planning my cakes… but never exhausted!! So far, the major hurdles constantly faced are the frequent power cuts and the humidity The humid climate can be dealt with by working in an air conditioned room but the power cuts just keep you waiting and watching! And in this line of work, power is a most essential part of bringing our cakes to the table Such issues delay work and our commitment to our clients get affected.

What are the USPs of your cuisine and how do you deal with the competition?

We pride ourselves on offering our clients products made from the best ingredients If I cannot feed the same cake to my family, I definitely wouldn’t serve it! We never compromise on quality. Utmost attention is given to detail while decorating the cakes for that final WOW effect. The competition will always exist But a good Cake, reasonably priced and a Happy smiling Customer will bring the customers back to you. Hard work always pays off!

Tell us more about the types of cakes that you bake and your specialty

Our varied flavours are a hit with clients. Our vast range allows them to select what favours their taste buds. Chocolate cake (the eggless variety too) and the rich boozy fruit cake is an all time favorites. I also love doing Kiddie theme cakes. No cartoon character is difficult to sculpt into an edible cake topper. What is the weirdest food she has ever tried?

Back in Coimbatore, there's a restaurant that serves the goats head, roasted. Ewww. Just couldn't eat it. Never forgot it either!

If not a Chef, what else would be doing?

I enjoy what I do. It brings me immense joy to create a slice of happiness for our clients that Smile is truly a reward! Can't imagine doing anything else apart from baking. Tell us about your top 5 favourite dishes

I love Fish and anything with chocolate in it. Tell us about your top 5 favorite dishes

I love Fish and anything with chocolate in it.

Tell us 5 kitchen tools you cannot live without Oven, Planetary Mixer, microwave. Basically, I have my own Bakery space. Kitchen tools if missing can be improvised. But having your own space is priceless.

Any msg that you want to give

No dream is too small Hard work, determination, and sincerity always bear fruit. Criticism is always Constructive! Every failure is a lesson learned…. At least you tried!! You’re still better than those who never have or never will!

SHAREEF- FROM A TRAINEE TO BECOMING A FITNESS TRAINER AND BUSINESSMAN!

By Armaan Malhotra Image by: Armaan Malhotra

Meet Shareef, he is a gym trainer with Shapeshifters Gym and helps people adopt a healthy lifestyle and get a fit body.

Shareef started his journey into the world of fitness when he was a member of a gym and started observing the gym trainers around. He felt that every trainer worked differently on their bodies and to get that perfectly sculpted body, each had a secret of his own. Intrigued by this thought, Shareef thought of giving himself professional training and enrolled on a 6 months course. He trained himself professionally but post his course, he stayed without a job for more than half a year as no offers came his way. Finally, after a lot of waiting, he got an offer from the same place that he trained at but that too did not last long. Within 3 months of his job, the gym shut down due to some issues One after another, Shareef had to keep looking at better and more stable opportunities. During his struggle, he even did two jobs at one time shuttling between gyms and working a double shift. Now it’s been 5 years that Shareef has been working with Shapeshifters Gym in Porvorim

But achieving a sculpted body was a bigger challenge. With a skinny body like himself, he had to work really hard to get a perfectly shaped body. And as per Shareef, to build a fit body, you need to work on a diet as well and which for him was a difficult task considering his financials. But his family lent him a lot of support, not just in allowing him to follow his dreams but also to make diet food for him at home.

During Covid when all the gyms were shut, rather than sulking about the same, Shareef took it as an opportunity to enhance his skills even further and joined a nutrition course. He completed a diploma in nutrition and became

a nutritionist who could not advise other people on their diet and also make another source of income for himself.

But his quest to do more did not stop at that, he would constantly explore ideas related to his field which could bring him more stability in his career And just 1 month back, he finally found his calling. He became the distributor of Divine Nutrition Brand in Goa, which is into health supplements and fulfilled yet another dream of his becoming a businessman.

Today he successfully runs his small business and also works as a trainer at the Shapeshifters Gym.

If you want to know a little about Shareef’s diet plan, here it is. His diet includes high protein food such as meat, chicken, beef and eggs, high complex carbs such as oats, brown rice apple, and muesli, good fat such as coconut oil, egg yolks and supplements such as EAA, whey, fish oil, multivitamins and more.

All I can say after knowing Shareef’s story is that never give up on your dreams, if you keep working on your goals, sooner or later you will surely achieve them