A little bit about myself...

I left my last post incomplete...I didn't introduce myself...
I was born to my parents[of course, to prove science!!!!] on August 23rd, 1985, a friday in Kolkata--popularly known as the "City of Joy"[the city being joyful round the year...from Christmas to Durga Puja to all round festivals, & also strikes, etc...]. I am not a born chef, but had interest in cooking right from childhood. Be it by seeing the TV shows, recipe books, or mom's magazine. Amongst TV shows, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor was an inspiration during my schooldays, I remember Zee TV used to air his program on Sundays "Khana Khazana".
However, never thought of taking cooking as an art[As Amitabh Bachchan said in the movie Cheeni Kum, that cooking is not a profession--it is an art, more than the pictures in the restaurant for show...], until I joined the Hotel Management Institute in Kolkata, post high school.Even never decided to join hotel management institute, until a friend told me, as I wanted to be a scientist or may be a chartered accountant or even a Business Analyst.
Anyways..I joined the college, did my training successfully..however, as we say "Man proposes, but God [note:not a woman] disposes"---I lost one year in college, when I worked in a BPO of HSBC. During that one year, I lost my interest in cooking--even started forgetting all my basics.
However, once the movie "Cheeni Kum" helped me to regain my lost interest [Paradise Regained???] & I started battling in the kitchen in my 3rd year & in my campus interviews....
Yes, it was a battle...a dirty battle, as your friend is your tough competitor...all kind of swearing in your name, betraying, n what not...
After giving all kind of tough fight, I could secure to get an opening with Grand Hyatt, Mumbai as a Commis Chef position[an entry level position in Kitchen], this hotel being the biggest hotel in India, as of the date. I worked there for a couple of months, but I was frustrated with the poor pay, as most of my room rent was being paid from my salary--so I was not left with almost anything.
I was working in the Room Service Kitchen there--a kind of Indian kitchen, with a small pantry, a tandoor & thats it & in a small kitchen 4-5 people just fighting for co-existance. I was really slogging there...working for about 12-13 hours a day[ sometimes more than that] without any extra pay[ I am not aware of any Indian hotel, which pays you overtime, do inform me, if you know of any...]. My Sous Chef, who I used to report to, was an *asshole* as the Exe. Chef Jean Christophe Fieschi used to tell us ....& I got the second one, who was a better human being, but as a person, was no good. He always used to give me hardtime---it helped me to work under pressure, & specially when you have continuous orders, with a row of KoT[a technical term meaning "Kitchen Order Tickets"]. I remember, once I had around 12 KoTs with me, all food are waiting to be picked up from the counter, but the room service doesn't have any trolley & hotbox to carry the food to the guest's room...serving 694 rooms, is not that easy.
Often did night shifts there,[I think  mostly, helped me to avoid my Sous Chef, also increase my speed].Friday & Saturday nights used to be busy like anything---continuous orders from the midnight menu in the Italian speciality restaurant..."Celini" [diff. phases of moon].
I was looking for some changes, as I was getting tired of this hotel & kitchen, firstly, the pay was too low, secondly, I was working in a kind of Indian kitchen with a small pantry, thirdly, the chef was giving me hardtime,  & forthly, I was interested in Italian cuisine.
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I joined ITC Chola Sheraton, on March 9th, 2009 as a Kitchen Associate in their Western Kitchen. I got what I wanted for a long time--Continental Kitchen. Here I got a lot of responsibilities, & this place helped me hone my skills in western cuisine, viz., to have a strong hold on making all the mother sauces, how to cope up with continuous orders & one man show, innovative ideas [from seafood risotto, to Sangkaya to Som Tom Esan, Caesar Salad, Ravioli stuffed with Ratatouille], also making everything right from scratch, with minimum ingredients.
The chefs in the Indian Kitchen always had the habit of complaining that without cream, butter & oil they cant make food. I challenged them & made Dal Makhni without a touch of any of these [My friend N.Thangapandi was amazed to taste it & said it is the authentic!!!].
Here the Exe. Chef [I would rather call him a kinda psycho] started giving me hardtime[ He knew it well, I can run his deptt. only] & told me oneday "What do you think of yourself??I can run the kitchen better than you can", however, his own man screwed up a HWC[Handle With Care] guest & the Chef started calling amidst midnight, "Gaurav, can you come to the hotel & speak to the guest??". "Sorry, Chef, I dont have my uniform in my locker, " I replied. "Tomorrow, what shift are you doing?", he asked & I said I am off for the following day. He ordered, " Dont take any off till the guest is here, I want you to come down tomorrow in the evening shift". "Ok Chef, done!!!", was my reply.
However, the call for overseas started ringing for me, I had an offer from Crowne Plaza, Bahrain, however, the Exe. Chef was too authoritative before I could join. So I declined the offer, after which I got an offer from Ritz Carlton, Dubai & recently joined here in the banquets+cold section.
Few of my signature foods:
Cappuccino of Mushroom Soup[This being my favorite, works excellent if you have some boiled moong dal paste]
Seafood risotto[ not the boring white color, a somewut darker texture I achieve, due to some generous addition of good seafood bisque & sundried tomatoes--I dont like it;but I love it]
Porcini Risotto[ I also like it]
Low fat Dal Makhni
Bengali style fish curry[ I can even lick the plate, if served with steamed rice...]
Butter Chicken
Sangkaya
Raspberry Cheesecake
Pumpkin Tart