4 minute read
Chef Narasinh Kamath
Chef Narasinh Kamath serves as the Executive Chef at DoubleTree by Hilton Goa - Panaji. He joined the hotel in November last year, bringing along with him over a decade of experience working in the kitchens of some of the top-rated hotel properties across the country. Chef Kamath has a penchant for perfection and credits his innate ability of team involvement as the recipe for success.
In a brief chat with ItsGoa, Chef Narasinh shared insights into his life, his journey in the world of hospitality, his favourite Goan dishes and lots more...
Excerpts
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. While my ancestral roots are from Mangalore, I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I went on to complete my BSc H&HA from IHM Hyderabad.
2. What was your childhood ambition?
As a kid, I was drawn toward music and art and was ambitious to become an artist or a musician.
3. What inspired you to take up culinary arts as a full-time career?
I was lucky to grow up in a culture-rich cosmopolitan city and along the way crossed paths with people of varied cultures and states. My curiosity was piqued by their cuisine, which grew into a passion over the years and that’s how I picked a career in the culinary arts.
4. How did your interest in cooking begin?
I used to enjoy watching cookery shows on television in the late 90s and started cooking at a young age as my mother had a full-time job. I found it delightful to lend my mother a helping hand in preparing dinner when she got back from a long day at work.
I used to enjoy watching cookery shows on television in the late 90s and started cooking at a young age as my mother had a full-time job. I found it delightful to lend my mother a helping hand in preparing dinner when she got back from a long day at work.
5. Take us through the journey of your professional career after you completed your higher studies.
I completed my degree in the year 2004 post which I joined Hyatt Regency Mumbai as a Commis Chef and then grew up the ranks to Chef de partie. I got an opportunity to work for Michelin Star Chef
couple of years. After this, I joined Grand Hyatt Goa and then Hyatt Centric Goa followed by a short stint at Radisson Blu Pune Kharadi.
6. Name a few Goan dishes which are your personal favourites.
Pork Vindaloo, Mackerel Rechado, Chicken Cafreal, Cutlet Pav, Rava fried seafood and the list goes on ..
7. Name a few dishes offered at Feliz which are very popular with diners. Prawn Ghee Roast, Appams with Chicken Stew, Crab Xec Xec, Lobster Rechado and Elaneer Payasam are a few dishes which are always appreciated by our guests.
8. Did you face any challenges during the course of your career as a chef? It was challenging for me to choose the cuisine I want to excel in during the initial days of my career as a chef. Under the guidance of my senior chefs, I was finally able to decide what I wanted to specialize in.
9. Could you name a few celebrity chefs to whom you look up to for inspiration and consider as your role models?
The list is endless but to name a few Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef Rakesh Sethi, Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Vicky Ratnani, Chef Atul Kochhar, Chef Ranveer Brar, Chef Marco Pierre White, Chef Raymond Blanc, Chef Heston Blumenthal, Chef Alain Ducasse…..
10. Finally, what thought would you like to leave our readers with? Food is probably the only universal thing that has
