Celebrated cook Ananda Solomon to take his final sequence during Taj’s Thai Pavilion

We reavh Taj Vivanta, during Cuffe Parade, 20 mins before time. We take a chair in one of a midnight blue sofas during a run conflicting a forged wooden doorway that leads to Thai Pavilion. Here, we mark prepare Ananda Solomon’s soaring figure step in and out, doling out instructions and chatting adult with a staff.

At 4 pm sharp, we step adult and deliver ourselves and he breaks into a smile. He ushers us into a grill that he launched 24 years ago, changing a notice that Indians would not imagination a flowing Thai curry.

Today outlines a finish of Ananda Solomon’s 25-year-old tour as chef. Pics/Shadab Khan

Today will be his final day in service. “I didn’t know we had done such a disproportion to society. How does it matter,” a 58-year-old wonders, charity us a crater of South Indian coffee. He requests a photographer not to take pictures. “I don’t like to be seen seated in a restaurant,” he explains.

Executive prepare during Thai Pavilion, Ananda Solomon, would control classes to stimulate women to Thai food. 

The yellow light above falls on his face and creates a golden edge of his eyeglasses glisten. His eyes wear a brighter glitter — that of experience. There’s a curry mark on his left pocket. “Wearing a uniform is no use if we don’t cook. A prepare is like a infantryman in a army. He should know how to fire,” says Solomon, who began as a youth sous prepare in 1991, underneath Ajit Kerkar, a afterwards control of Taj Group, who brought him to a President, that also houses Konkan Café and Trattoria.

“Cyrus Mistry, a Tata chairman, is on his way,” he says, checking his phone, that rings incessantly. He apologetically answers “only a critical ones”.

Salman Khan likes to try everything. He takes a chair and raises his hand, gesturing me to pattern his menu

Interestingly, it was former authority Ratan Tata who gave a curtsy to a Thai curry. “I know him and his eating habits somewhat improved than others. When he walks in by that door, we know if he is stressed. Back then, we was usually a prepare and he, a Tata chairman. Even portion him a potion of H2O was a large thing for me,” says Solomon, a male Kerkar entrusted to send to Thailand to master a Asian cuisine.

Ratan Tata’s usual sequence is Tom Yum or seafood soup, salad, steamed fish and curry

Back home, Solomon hired non-chefs and began training them from scratch. “So, they usually knew what we taught them, with no questions asked. It was not easy. Some of a initial group members are still operative here today.”

Know your clientele
Ever given that initial visit, Solomon would step out of a kitchen any time Ratan Tata forsaken by for a meal. But, not before changing into a uninformed apron and hat. “I did not wish him to see a stains on my uniform,” says Solomon.

Asha Bhonsle once told me that if we ever eat out, it is during Thai Pavilion
 

Till date, his common sequence is a Tom Yum or seafood soup, a salad, and steamed fish and curry.

The prepare has fed many of a Bollywood personalities, and his customers also includes members of a Indian cricket team.

Sachin Tendulkar, he points out, is a regular. “He comes here for a cod. Asha Bhonsle, on a other hand, once told me that if we ever eat out, it is during Thai Pavilion,” says Solomon, who adds Aamir Khan and a whole Ambani family to a list.

Sachin Tendulkar likes our cod
 

“Last week, Salman Khan walked in with 15 guest for lunch during 4 pm. He likes to try everything. He takes a chair and raises his hand, gesturing for me to pattern their menu,” says Solomon.

Open for all
In a 90s, there was a notice that five-star hotels were meant for a abounding and a famous. “I attempted to change that, formulating an atmosphere that was not intimidating for anybody could travel inside. In those days, some people mistook basil for lemon grass. Then, they started recognising it as a chai patti that they got in bundles in a market,” says Solomon. He would indoctrinate his group to arrangement a spices for people to know a cuisine better. “I would even control cooking sessions for women during 11 am, where we would stimulate them to a cuisine.”

End of a new beginning
For a past 25 years, his day during a hotel has begun during 8.30 am, overseeing a curry pastes during Thai Pavilion and Konkan Café. He afterwards goes to Trattoria for breakfast service, followed by a stop to check a receiving of mixture and stock.

“I afterwards spend some time in a butchery, operative on a estimate of beef before entrance adult for a a la grant service. During a bustling hour, we make it a indicate to take position in a kitchen. we trust that a best male on a group should male a many critical range,” says a chef, who leaves early by 3.30 pm, usually on Sundays. He works all days of a week.

But today, as he dons a apron one final time for a Taj, he wants it to be “just another day of portion good food”.

He leaves us with a question: What do we consider done Rahul Dravid retire approach before his time. “Graceful exit?” we answer. “I don’t wish to make a same mistake as Mohammed Ali. It is best to pierce on when we are during your peak,” Solomon announces.

A discerning plead with Uddipan Chakravarty, incoming executive prepare Taj Vivanta

Q. You have some large boots to fill.
A. Great chefs can't be replaced. The uncover will go on, though his participation will be sorely missed.

Q. What’s your career graph?
A. we am now during a Taj Vivanta in Bengaluru. we assimilated Taj President as a sous prepare underneath prepare Ananda Solomon 10 years ago. we was there when Thai Pavilion launched, when Tratoria was renewed and partial of a group that conceptualised Konkan Café.

Q. So it’s a homecoming of sorts?
A. Joining Taj Vivanta during Cuffe Parade is not a new feeling. But, it will really be opposite to not see prepare Solomon around.

Q. What’s your attribute with prepare Solomon?
A. we know we will continue job him any now and then, to plead roadblocks. Recently, we had a print shoot, and prepare told me, “In a years we have famous any other, we have never taken a design together. Finally, a time has come.”

Related Posts

• Citing sporting icons, experts speak about how to stay ease in vicious moments
• In speak with Sathya Saran, author of `Breath of Gold: Hariprasad Chaurasia`
• Cosplay and fun: Attend this two-day pop-up in Mumbai this weekend