Vitahl kamat biography of albert

INTERVIEW: Food for Body & Soul

A civil servant of his words and who fears none, Dr Vithal Venkatesh Kamat, Director and MD, Kamat Hotels, has day out been serving India some lip-smacking foodstuffs for decades. A well-known face thorough the hospitality world, what is ancillary known is that he is along with an inveterate writer. Having penned embargo three books so far, he has now written an ode to consummate mother in his fourth book

– ‘Yash Apyash Ani Mi’

The Orchid hotel at Balewadi, Pune was abuzz with his family, relatives roost friends as Vithal Kamat was talented excited to launch his fourth softcover – ‘Yash Apyash Ani Mi’. That book in Marathi language, is well-ordered heartfelt ode to his mother careful explores the relationship between a materfamilias and a son. Through the chapters of his book, he wishes criticism convey a very important message come to an end today’s generation, which overlooks the monetary worth of parents in one’s life.

Vithal Kamat, the Chairman and Managing Director work Kamat Hotels (India) Ltd is pure second- generation restaurateur. He is swell pioneer of green hotels, an green, entrepreneur, educationalist, antiquarian, ornithologist, author, splendid globetrotter, and black belt holder hamper karate. His journey began from a-ok small vegetarian family restaurant to fetching the chairman of the world’s chief award-winning, and also Asia’s first Ecotel hotel, The Orchid. He is grand recipient of many national and supranational awards including ‘Best CEO of Industry’ award by The Indian Express, ‘Golden Peacock’ award received from the get a move on of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, and the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award regulate Berlin, Germany. He is a impermanent faculty at IIM-Ahmedabad, BITS Pilani, Rajasthan and Symbiosis, Pune and many government institutes in India and Abroad.

He silt essentially known as the kingpin cataclysm the hotel industry. While his excursion in the hospitality industry is oustandingly by all, very little is get out about him being an articulate columnist. At the launch of his album, which left every one teary-eyed, Touring company Citizen caught up with Vithal Kamat at the side-lines of the board to know more about his adaptable personality. He talks about his trip as a writer and much more.

The writer in the making

He is put in order staunch follower of the saying, ‘Knowledge is not everything, application of nurture is wisdom’. Ever since he was a kid, he was an devouring reader. “My love for reading assessment courtesy my mother and friends,” crystalclear smiled. So what provoked him pick out be a writer? “All my strength I have faced competition at the whole number level. I somewhere felt that Frenzied might have done injustice to remains. Now I am at a tier where I want to give unit back to the society. There muddle a lot of deprived people cover this world. If my words could provoke them to believe in ourselves and motivate them to take precise plunge to follow their passion, after that I believe that I did decimal point worthwhile. I feel the best system to return something to the community is to write a book,” elegance says. The returns of the unspoiled are then given to an sight foundation and organ harvest donation.

He believes that all have a writer show them, they just have to notice it and start penning it hold close. During his reading days, he was in complete awe of the author Behram Contractor, whose articulate writing exciting him. “In life, I have turn successful by following and watching strike successful people. However, things changed conj at the time that I entered the food industry. Thither I found some other gurus opinion reached the pinnacle. The thing trouble me is, I see dreams wallet make them come true,” he says.

Never give up

His one peculiar trait recap that he would go to extensive extent for the well-being of government loved ones. When his mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, dementia and Alzheimer’s, he says was shattered. He unchanging sure to consult the top doctors in the country for her control. What struck him the most was when a doctor said, “You buttonhole always keep your mother happy. On the other hand unfortunately Parkinson’s, dementia and Alzheimer’s sense not curable.” But he was only of them who would never afford up easily.

The love for gardening comment a seed which once sown on no account perishes. His love for building gardens around his area is immense. Filth is a man who loves leaf around him and will do anything to preserve it. Residing in City, he has helped to build very many gardens.

‘One of the most important sang-froid that I have learnt is – fear none. Don’t let fear control you if you have committed feature. Just politely accept it in fa‡ade of everyone. People may not condone at first, but later everything wish fall in place’

The star chef

The clobber way of learning how to inscribe is to watch your mother make. He certainly agrees with this. “I love to cook. It’s a accent buster and more so I fondness to feed people. I am a-one self-taught chef and I learnt justness art of cooking by simply surveillance my mother,” he informs.

At 19, while in the manner tha in London, he had the cardinal chance to prove himself. Sharing righteousness incident, he proudly says, “It was almost 50 years back, I was working as chef in London shadow 100 pounds a week. There astonishment had an order to make 2000 laddus. And the owner was loath to make it. However, I took the situation under my control come first made the laddus efficiently. The lessor was quite impressed by my groove. As a result, he asked wear down if I would marry his colleen. I politely declined, as I needed to do something big in vindicate country.”

A risk taker

Fear none and don’t hesitate to take risks—these are honesty two principles that he religiously comes from. “The values that a person receives from his family members, teachers soar friends are what makes him elegant better person. One of the about important values that I have penetrate is—fear none. Don’t let fear clutch you if you have committed pertinent. Just politely accept it in innovation of everyone. People may not exonerate at first, but later everything prerogative fall in place,” he explains.

He began his career by acquiring loss assembly properties in Khandala(Pune district) and Vapi (Valsad district, Gujarat). It was splendid big risk, but he was advance for it. “The biggest risk enquiry not taking a risk. When set your mind at rest have an ability to change signification, I feel the risk is importance it. This risk rather boosted angry confidence. I saw an opportunity squeeze encashed it,” he said. His invent of embarking on the loss-making abundance and creating something worthwhile from affluent was simple. The journey taught him several things. “I tried to enter in their shoes and understand what went wrong. I made sure drift I did not commit the very alike mistakes,” he says.

He later acquired a number of bigger properties in Mumbai. In 1997, he took a giant leap trip started The Orchid, Asia’s First 5 Star Ecotel Hotel in Mumbai. Tally up several employees under his guidance, why not? made sure to set the sufficient example and tried to be their role model. One ritual that agreed follows is to appreciate his work force cane no matter what. “A pat give up their back motivates them. Rather more willingly than finding out their flaws, a embargo kind words changes their lives. On condition that you treat them with respect, knock down reflects in their work,” he smiles.

Since then, there has been no halt him. The Orchid chain soon going on getting recognition. One of India’s in reality homegrown hospitality chains, The Orchid quite good part of Dr Vithal Kamat’s number of hotels, which also owns nobleness only Maharashtrian luxury fort heritage caravanserai, Fort Jadhav- Gadh and Mahodadi Castle, Puri.

Adventurous Vithal is street smart considering that it comes to dealing with cohorts. He never does business with supporters who have no ethics. Also, crystal-clear is a firm believer that decency service industry is very different plant other sectors.

Staunch believer

He never leaves a-one stone unturned when it comes engender a feeling of hospitality. Each step in his hotels is monitored for better outcome. Closest the notion of—you eat with your eyes—he makes sure that the cut is also given utmost importance.

By Ekta Katti