Vinod Kumar, the Executive Sous Chef at Taj St. James’ Court & Taj 51 Buckingham Gate in the UK, began his journey with the iconic Indian hospitality group over two decades ago in the Maldives. This was followed up by stints at Taj Mauritius, Delhi and Chandigarh before he began his role in London in 2009.
In this Big Bite Series video exclusive as he completes 15 years at the Taj in London this month, Chef Vinod took the iGlobal team into his kitchen to share a delicious savoury recipe which is ideal for those guests we all are likely to be entertaining over the holidays or indeed just as a fun vegetarian addition to the daily menu at home.
Reflecting upon his long and fruitful association with the Taj, Chef Vinod shares: “I have served Prime Minister Narendra Modi three times now, I have been serving Bollywood stars like Suniel Shetty, Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan, Aamir Khan and [Indian External Affairs Minister] Dr Jaishankar.”
As someone whose roots lie in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh in northern India, the chef’s family background was quite unlike his chosen field – with a career in the armed forces more of a trend.
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“When it came to my mom, she was fine, but my dad wasn’t very happy with my choice because the family background was in the Army and this was a totally different field. But now after 22 years, he feels proud and happy,” he reflected.
The experienced chef is a great champion of healthy eating and believes in creating dishes that are well-rounded – tasty and nutritious at the same time.
In recent weeks, he and his team have been busy with the whirl of the holiday season, with the Taj in London running a special Winter Wonders theme over the course of the yearend festivities. From bespoke menu offerings over the Christmas and New Year period to beautifully crafted pastries, there promises to be something for everyone at one of the most popular hangouts in the heart of London.
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