Year 2009--reviewed

Stepping in the year 2010, I often look behind & see, how the year was, which I left behind?Perhaps, a year of struggles, achievements, failures, mistakes, committments, complaints, compliments, satisfaction, worries, fears...n it goes on. Every one has some kind of ups & downs in ones life---its like a cycle of good & bad events.
I still remember January 1st, 2009 pretty well. Here is an excerpt from my diary ...
"I went to Yogodyan Math[around 10 kms from my home in Calcutta, a center of Ramakrishna Mission] to start the new year by visiting the holy shrine of Shri Ramakrishna. Probably, it was required as I am going through such turmoil. I didn't stay there much --I left after the pranaam of Vice-president Maharaj-ji.
After returning home, I turned on the TV to see some old cookery shows or some bengali serials/soaps, chatting with friends on the net, who all are busy with their work. I wonder why such has happened to me?
Now that I have surrendered myself to God--its his responsibility to put me in right place. Its really painful to stay idle at home---once I thought of sitting at home for one year & then take up a job,but I now find it how painful, when you dont have any work. It is this time that you find that there is no one to empathise or with whom you can share your tragedies. I am desperately trying for a job....."
Such was my condition, when my visit to Dubai was hammered due to recession.Staying idle at home for nearly 4 months is really painful. To put it straight, when you have money just flying away & you have no control on it. I hate borrowing money from people & from parents too. Parents have enough--even if they give me something, they will not feel it, but why take?
People suggested me taking up a BPO work for sometime, but seriously I was not interested. For having worked in BPO for 14 months, with screwing up my night's sleep, dont want to get back to the same hell again. During this time, perhaps I started making plans for opening my restaurant, & also kept on trying in hotels for a job. Hotels have got nothing to do, when they have frozen recruitment!!At last, my lord responded--got two offers from ITC Chola Sheraton[A leading cigarette manufacturer of India & also into hotel business] & The Park, Vizag[comparatively lower ...] respectively. I chose the former one, because of many things, firstly the money, secondly the position & finally the facilities...
Chennai was really a strange place for me--firstly the language is the biggest problem here. You may try with Hindi/English around the country, but in Tamil Nadu its a diff. rule---either Tamil or English--hindi if the person you speak to, knows hindi & is willing to speak in Hindi. When alighted from the flight, I was welcomed by the high heat, even in the end of winter & joined ITC Chola Sheraton on March, 2009.
Initially a difficulty was there, as staff issues,mentality of staffs & the omnipresent "assholes".The Exe. Chef was too good to me, though my colleagues warned me that his attitude will change after I become *few months old in his kitchen*. After joining this property, I had to handle a big function of 1500 people, the menu was being simple, like Tenderloin Stroganoff, Veg. Lasagne, Grilled Fish with Mustard Veloute!! Perhaps as of now, did a biggest function---alone. Also it helped to have a good experience of making brown stock & followed by a sauce right from scratch...
I also had some real good friends there, especially Thangapandi--he was really a witty person. He was dark & when I used to take his snap, he would jokingly say,"Gauravji, am I visible??or you need extra light??"--& I shared all kind of fun with him. Fortunately, he was my room mate too...Even in our bad times, we have shared the moments with each other--plans for going abroad, printing CV..he didn't know how to operate a laptop, & I used to teach him...n also little English I tried to teach him. Travelled with him to Tirupati for the first time....n co-incidentally left the company at the same time. He used to say, "Gauravji, perhaps God has send you to me, to help me...I know, only you can help me....". I dont know whether I could really help him or not, however, I introduced him back to our old associate & his past boss too, Chef Pallav Singhal, who was the then Exe. Sous Chef of Hotel Grand Hyatt, Mumbai & he appeared for food trial & got the post of Chef de Partie. I was really happy for him--he deserved it...he has experience of working in kitchen for 14 yrs & left studies whilst he was in standard 9--but a great human being....Before I was about to leave, he used to tell me, "Gauravji, wait for me...in 2 yrs I will come to Dubai....".I remember, all kind of fun & everything..we used to share with each other....joking about the Exe. Chef or discussing about anyone[rather criticising....], personal matters ..all I used to share with him & seek his advise. Many things I learnt from him--one being patience & secondly, how to be stern. However, oneday he failed to keep his patience in the kitchen & started fighting with a kitchen colleague--which I seriously hate. Kitchen is a place, where in front of the hight heat, you have to keep yourself cool!!!
So that was Thangapandi, who I really miss. During my stay in Chennai, most of the visits were limited on off days & post-morning shift. I used to visit Ramakrishna Mission there in Mylapore--a really beautiful Ashrama & attended almost all Ekadashi Days in Ramakrishna Mission & the special interest was in the Halwa-prasad which they used to serve after Ramnaam. I took the advantage of staying in Chennai---covered almost all major tourist spots & religious places as a pilgrim, specially Tirumala Tirupati, Kannyakumari, Rameshwaram, Trivandram[Padmanabhaswamy Temple], Sriperumbudur etc.
In between, I perhaps did my long shift hours, from 6 am till 10:30 pm at night & such shifts continued for few days, as we were going through staff crunch--did a lot of double, triple shifts & took all complimentary offs together & went to Kolkata, my lovely hometown, to give my mother a surprise, specially on her birthday!!!
I went on complimentary offs, keeping my continental kitchen full of employees..& also well stocked!!!When I came back from leave, found 2 staffs left...it was such painful & I was put into night shift!!!It was so pathetic to work in night shift, after coming back from holidays. Thank god, I got one trainee as a staff for me, & another staff, a Bengali to help me in Western Kitchen. The trainee guy, Hemant Sabherwal became a close friend. All kind of stuff, I used to share with him---from Marijuana to beer!!Yes, I admit, I took Marijuana...will not give an excuse that almost all chefs took it...be it Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White or Anthony Bourdain....but wanted some relaxation ...
Days passed on in Chennai...completed 6 months there, but the *call from abroad* started ringing. My kitchen employees celebrated my birthday with all pomp & glory & really in the kitchen way--I was bathed with cream, milk, eggs & was smeared with cake.....I knew, I am leaving very soon!!!
Time was ripe enough--I used to tell myself & started applying for opportunities abroad. The first call came from Crowne Plaza, Bahrain--the Chef Rainer Mueller the Exe. Chef of that property was kind of difficult to deal with--my friend said, if he is like this before joining, what happens when you start working with him??I agreed & cancelled the offer. Secondly, another offer came from Ritz Carlton, Dubai, for Commis 2[but, I am Commis 1 in India]---I accepted, thinking let me see what happens in long run[perhaps a mistake..a mistake, which can never be undone....!!!]!!
As soon my visa got approved, I put my resignation in ITC Chola....I was literally crying everyday, when the thought of leaving Chennai & subsequently leaving my mother came to my mind----I was in love with the "strange" city...but life must move on....
I really miss many funny characters in Chola...those smiling guests who used to wait for my omlette, those irate customers, who were relieved to see me & order for a perfect rare done Angus steak or getting introduced to important guests or creating something special for a guest....& my testings n trials...
I left Chennai on October 14th in the evening...the ticket was being booked 3 months in advance, unknowingly, as I was planning for Holidays during Diwali!!!
After getting back home, I felt I am tired...the continuous night shift ...sleep for only 2-3 hrs in 24 hours...took a heavy toll. I was feeling weak, became thin n lean. I nourished myself & was getting ready for Dubai...to catch my flight to Dubai ....n perhaps Dubai was also getting ready to welcome me...
On 31st October, 2009, Saturday early morning...left Kolkata, with tears in my eyes...n reached Mumbai around 1230 hrs local time. My father came from Nagpur to receive me, but an old colleague from Grand Hyatt, Mumbai reached early to receive me. I also revisited my old place of work...Grand Hyatt, Mumbai..many things have changed....n will keep on changing..for CHANGE is the ONLY CONSTANT!!!!
I left Mumbai for Dubai around 1840 hrs & reached Dubai at 2030 hrs local time. Unfortunately, the Marriott Airport counter didn't have information of my arrival, so I had to wait in the airport for about 1 hour or so...when my "would-be" boss Chef Noor Raskan came to receive me. We chatted for about an hour or so...n finally another person came from India, Chef Sudhanshu Kumar, a would-be demi chef-de-partie of the Italian Kitchen, Splendido.
On the following day I joined The Ritz Carlton, Dubai. People seemed to be really excellent...however, "assholes" will be everywhere. In due course, many of the kitchen staff & non-kitchen staff became my friends....
However, staff crunch is the common thing everywhere, so if there is any big function, I assisted the banquet hot team, apart from the morning breakfast omlette counter, fruits n stuff...
Also saw, how busy it can be during Christmas & New year out of India...here in kitchen..we often used to bully each other, do some legpulling[in the hope that we grow taller n taller], or some teasing....Here..the most senior Papa to the juniormost staff---I tried to adjust with...
Well...this is how 2009 was...Before I finish, a small note. In the month of June, 2009, I went to Nadi reader[they tell your future, by reading our thumbprint, claims the predictions been written 2000 yrs before..] in Chennai,  who told me once I complete 24 yrs, I will go to country of my choice & thereafter anywhere. I completed 24th yr on Aug. 23rd, 2009 & came to Dubai after that...didn't know whether I wanted to come to Dubai...but yes..crossed overseas. Amazingly correct...isn't it???I hope its other predictions come true....