Shaik Aslam Basha
Executive Chef
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON DOHA
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
When I was in High school I use to go around with friends and see the tall buildings and always use to think what goes on in this big massive lobbies, so many box looking rooms, how the hotel works and shiny glamorous life of hotelier.
After high school I joined the Hotel school to know and learn more details about the hotel operation after go through the Three year hotel management course I just released that this was the career I was looking for and I just focus on learn more and more. I can proudly say that today the decision I have taken 15 years back is on right track.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
After so many years in industry I can say for sure there is not one single quality or factor which contributes towards ones success. It takes lot to be sustaining in the industry and overcome all the odds to shine out.
A good hotelier is the one who has passion, Can do! Attitude, a good listener, Discipline at work, respect for others and lot of Patience’s. it’s always better to come your way up from the position to understand the skills and work to its best, to be productive is your work area. I started my career as kitchen Trainee and worked my way up to Executive chef in 14 years, without any of these quality this would have never be possible.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring?
Every Hotel Group has their own values or criteria of hiring Team member and being part of the hiring panel I take it little differently as I prefer give chance to new talent and chefs with good working experience. Being a back of the house department I always look into the good basic work knowledge, steady work experience, customer focus and I believe in candidates with Integrity, empowerment, Accountability, creativity and ready to take Responsibility. These criteria make anyone stand out from the crowd, gives me an insight to a person’s attitude, capabilities and trustworthiness. At the end I make sure I always do the reference check as now days it’s really helping us lot when you hire a new team member.
Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
The young hoteliers in the Industry (Trainees) are the seeds of tomorrows hotel Industry with 200% growth in the hospitality industry in last 20 years. Its open lot of doors for the young generation to choose their career in the hospitality industry, So technically they are the tomorrow of hotel unit. Every hotel have dedicated training Manager who has worked out a comprehensive training module for these young and aspiring trainees who want to make big in the industry.
Trainees need to focus and learn think first hand physically and learn it 100% right from sratch so that when they come to the real world they can connect their studies in the hotel school with the ground reality. Should be focused, do stuff hands on, be there when some events are going on, go extra mile in learning thinks, record all the stuff so they can use it a reference in future. As an Executive chef I make sure we treat or train the trainees as nor staff and give them all the information which is need to understand in executing the job, follow up with them on their learning and give guidance.
With my personal experience I have realized that you need to teach them, train them, guide them and most importantly show them the passion with which this industry operates with. Because at the end of the day it is us as a hotel unit who has to meet them half the way and make the situation win - win for them as well as us.
Editor: Tell us a little about your average day
My average day starts with walking through the kitchens, checking the breakfast buffet, quality of croissants, taste of coffee then moving to office checking my emails and preparing for the morning meeting. I believe this is very important for chef to know his product he is selling to the world and this can only be done by tasting it every day. Hence the meeting is always about what we are doing and what we can do better to improve our Guest Experience ,Team member welfare & development.. An average day is usually packed with meetings with the employees, either, one on one or in a group or meeting with the other department heads.
Of course I make sure I spend some quality time with the chef on range and on the pass when it’s a la carte service time in kitchen as that where you contact to your team and boost their moral. Every day bring new task in a chefs life and never a day as the day pass by…….
Editor: How do keep abreast of all that is happening in hospitality?
I meet lot people from the industry, I am member of some famous blog in the culinary world, read lot of articles of the industry and meeting our suppliers on regular intervals they keep you posted with the happening in the Town. I am very active member of the Qatar Chef Association, go out for dine in the town and meet lot of chef friend to know what the latest going on in the market and in the industry. It requires lot of homework before we go out and talk to clients as they also are now days well aware about the culinary word thanks to all the Food channels we now days in the television. The social media also play big part in this as every person in there now days……….
Editor: Two reasons why this industry is awesome!
It will be not fare for me if I just say TWO…………..For me this is the best profession anyone can choose
1. There is never a dull moment, if you are the type of person who loves variety then this is the perfect job for you and then so you never stop learning and you never stop growing.
2. You also get the opportunity to travel and train in other countries where your hotel operates. You get to enjoy lots of perks, most hospitality industries offer their employees some of the best compensation and benefits packages compared to other industries.
3. You get to meet and work with people from different walks of life, Here you are going to meet many like- minded individuals who share the same passion and it gives you a great opportunity to build long-lasting relationships. The hospitality industry employs a diverse set of employees and if you enjoy meeting new people and gaining a new set of friends at work.
4. Enjoy fast career growth and advancement, the hospitality industry is so huge and diverse that it allows you to direct your own career path. You get to “cross-train” in different departments so you can add new skill sets to your repertoire. Having more skills and being trained in different aspects of the job can help you get promoted faster.
5. Creativity at work unlike in typical corporate settings, there are no rigid structures and hard rules in the hospitality industry. You get to let your own personality and your own unique style shine through in the way you treat hotel guests as well as in the way your prepare and cook dishes.
Editor: Two things you would like to change about the industry.
At this moment the industry is on right track with so many international brands opening everywhere in India and around this gives immense opportunity for the new fresh graduates to start their career on right track, couple of point will make a big difference will be……Image or awareness of Hospitality in the market as still it’s not considered as respectable job which puts off lot of fresh graduates to move on with it in their career. With so many International brand opening and with local owners opening individual hotels this dilutes the market with poor service standard.