If employees are growing, the company is growing

Christophe Gillino is the new Executive Chef of The Leela Palace New Delhi. With a career spanning over 20 years, he has worked with some of the finest chefs and brands in the global hospitality industry. Having a penchant for innovative ideas, Chef possesses abilities in a wide variety of styles and firmly believes in two-way learning and constantly focuses on nurturing his kitchen talent. In this exclusive India Hospitality Review interview, Anu Bararia spoke to Chef Gillino about his professional journey, team management style and views on the Indian market. Please tell us about your professional journey thus far. During my early years of career, I was fortunate to work with great celebrity Chefs like Alain Ducasse, Alain Senderens, Christian Willer and Manuel Martinez. At the age of 26, I took upon the responsibility of Chateau de la Pioline, France as the Executive Chef. After my fairly long stint with Chateau de la Pioline, I left France in the obtention of a Michelin-Star. Thereafter, I joined one of the most renowned hotels in Morocco as the Executive Chef. Gaining a wide experience in Morocco, I then moved to Portugal at Madeira Reids Palace. And from there on, I worked with some of the finest hotels in Marrakech like Four Seasons and Cairo for seven years. Earlier this year in April, I decided to move to India associating with the iconic hotel in the capital, The Leela Palace New Delhi as the Executive Chef. What brought your interest into cooking? Good food has been my weakness. I was always fond of eating and was more inclined towards cooking. It is exciting to tell you that I started to cook when I was just 10 years old. Therefore, I never thought of doing anything else apart from what I loved. I thoroughly enjoy my time in the kitchen innovating and experimenting with different cuisines. You have worked with some of the most seasoned Chefs across the globe. How did that shape you up as a professional and what key observations, if any, did you make from them? I have had the opportunity to work with a few celebrity Chefs and it has been a great experience to hone my talent and learn nuances of cooking. I never tried to copy any of them but always observed them: the way they used to treat the resources, ingredients and the vision they had in mind. This certainly helped me to become a very instinctive cook. How do you view the culinary and hospitality landscape in India? The culinary and hospitality landscape in India is great and is growing at a fast rate. With people welcoming innovations and being receptive to experiments with the new cuisines, Indian hospitality market is geared up for exploring new creations and has lots of opportunities. The Leela epitomizes luxury to its best in India. How much does it broaden your perspective as the Executive Chef? I am glad to be associated with The Leela Palace New Delhi. Starting my career in India with The Leela group which is known for its uber-luxury portfolio of palaces, hotels and resorts is a great opportunity. In terms of perspective, I believe I am not here to judge but to appreciate and be happy in what I’m doing. My endeavor is to bring the quality to the next level irrespective of the efforts I may have to put in, because for me sky is the limit and there is always scope for improvement in every sphere of life. What are your key responsibilities as the Executive Chef at The Leela Palace New Delhi and what innovations do you plan to introduce? As the Executive Chef of The Leela Palace New Delhi my key responsibilities include managing the people, profits and the resources. While on work, I always keep these factors in mind. Highlighting the innovations that are in process, we are planning to source new products, create theme based nights, new signature dishes and concepts. The aim is to continue providing a wow factor to our guests making them feel the luxury while experiencing the fine dining. What is your team management style? I am very close to my people, team and want them to be happy as I believe that if my team is not happy they will not be able to deliver 100% of their efforts. It is important to have right people at the right place, to localize and explore the talent and make sure they grow. If people are growing, it is also a sign that the company is growing. How many F&B facilities are supervised by you at the hotel? As the Executive Chef of the palace, I manage all the Food & Beverage outlets including the two New York imports – Le Cirque and MEGU. Also, I do supervise and manage the catering for our banquets helping our guests choose the right menu for their special occasions. How challenging is it for a Chef of your stature to adjust to a new market that, though is quite adventurous, is at a nascent stage? It is challenging but at the same time rewarding.  It is imperative for me to understand the guests’ expectations and to be able to manage things to continue to deliver the WOW experience. What India specific challenges have you faced thus far in your domain and how do you plan to overcome them? I haven’t faced any major challenges so far. Hospitality industry in India constitutes a potpourri of cultures and places. Everybody here understands the importance of tourism and good food. The market in general continues to grow at a steady pace. What is your idea of a cuisine that is global yet authentic by its actual origin? This is something I am currently planning for our all day dining restaurant, The Qube which will offer a new range of varieties – multi-cuisine with a modern-international touch yet respecting the origin of the each element. The most important is the interpretation, that will be modern, lighter, colorful, simple but still very close to the origin. What advice would you like to give to the aspiring chefs? I’m not pretending to be an example for young chefs. I would just highlight that “be as good as you are supposed to be, then you will do very well at what you are supposed to do”. Source :  http://www.indiahospitalityreview.com/interviews/if-employees-are-growing-company-growing/9140