Chef James yanked opened the swinging doors of the kitchen and entered, making those working in the kitchen tremble with fear. Manav who was peeling potatoes in the kitchen heard Chef James holler, "What the hell are you guys doing here.? Move it fast. The guests will be arriving for the New Year Brunch shortly." He went around looking at each workstation with a hawkish eye, barking orders.
The last one week had been insanely busy for all at the Savoy Hotel, Mumbai. While the rest of the world enjoyed the holiday season from Christmas to New Year, it was a testing period for the hotel industry. Full occupancy meant more work. Added to it the special menus curated for Christmas and New Year had a hoard of dishes which had to be painstakingly created. Tempers rose along with the temperature in the kitchen. The grueling hard work and long hours of standing had taken a toll on everyone. It was sheer bad luck that Manav had been placed as an trainee during this hectic time.
Mumbai and everything about it was overwhelming for Manav who came from a tier 3 city where Hotel Management wasn't a very popular career option. As a young boy he had watched his Dadi and mother toiling away in the kitchen turning out amazing dishes. While children of his age chose to play cricket outside, Manav would watch the cooking process with a fascination. The pounding of spices, grinding of masala pastes so integral to their cooking deeply impressed him. When his classmates were busy preparing for the 12th Boards, Manav would visit the Internet cafe to research about Hotel management. After his exams, he expressed to his parents his desire to pursue a degree in Hotel management and be a Chef.
Though initially reluctant, they later agreed knowing how passionate Manav was about it. He joined IHM Bhubaneswar and studied diligently. It was cooking in the kitchen which excited him the most and not the other subjects like housekeeping or front office. He completed his degree with a decent score. His introvert nature had been a hurdle in his placement, and he had finally secured this internship at Hotel Savoy, Mumbai. Moving to Mumbai was a dream come true for him and he had arrived with stars in his eyes.
His knowledge was limited to theory and the few practical sessions in the college kitchen. Seeing a huge, full fledged commercial kitchen equipped with the most sophisticated technology with a huge number of people working there was a jolt for him. He had a hard time figuring his way through the various sections of the kitchen and operating things.
Nobody had the time or energy to explain anything to him. He was chided many times for asking how to do basic stuff. So he was in a constant struggle between wanting to ask questions and the fear of being reprimanded. He was given the lowest of the prepping jobs like peeling and shelling The constant pressure at work made most of them bitter, angry and he could hear the Executive Chef and Sou Chef use the choicest expletives. He wondered secretly if they were psychopaths out to kill everyone. Manav began to feel a sense of disillusionment and started to doubt his choice of profession .
But Manav was a quick learner with a keen sense of observation. Noticing that, the junior Sou Chef Neeraj took him under his wings and explained the nuances of the profession to him. Manav was glad to have him as his mentor and friend. Neeraj advised him that it was only through sheer hard work and patience, he could rise to the above ranks.
Neeraj's mentoring was a great learning experience for Manav. He began to admire Neeraj for his capability and they spent most of their free time together. There was a flip side to it too. He was exposed to the drugs and drinking culture. He saw Neeraj smoking a joint one day. Most of the kitchen staff were addicted to either alcohol or drugs. After a long grueling day at work, they sought solace in it to forget the stress and combat the loneliness they felt being away from home and family. At first Manav was scandalised and it was a culture shock to his small town sensibilities. One day
it was Neeraj's birthday and he had hosted a small party for few friends. Manav had his first beer there. Thereafter he was introduced to weed too. What began on a experimental basis soon turned into a addiction within few months. As his addiction grew, Manav felt himself slipping into a maze, a maze from which there was no way out. He was drawn deeper and deeper into a false world of escapism.
Manav worked stoically in the kitchen handling all the abuses and came to his room to fall into a drug induced stupor. This became his daily routine. It made him forget all the problems, the hurts, the insults and helped him to fall asleep without worrying about anything.
It had been a particularly bad day in the kitchen. Just when Chef James was about to enter the kitchen for his daily rounds, Manav had spilt Teriyaki sauce on his apron. He was strongly admonished for it. Later he cut his finger while julienning the carrots. The last straw was he had dropped a plate while passing it. The Sou Chef had asked him to get out of the kitchen.
Neeraj came to his room with a throbbing head and a bandaged finger. He had never felt so low before. As he smoked weed, he felt some of the tension slipping away from him. He started reminiscing about his aspirations to be a top notch Chef. But it seemed like a distant dream now. Several doubts began to plague him . How long could he survive in this environment without having a nervous breakdown.?Would he ever be able to achieve his goal? Would he end up doing only measly tasks in the kitchen?
He got up to have a drink of water. He opened the the fridge and instead picked up a beer bottle. One after the other, he didn't realise how many bottles he drank. The lethal combination of drugs and alcohol made him dizzy and he fell down unconscious on the floor. Two hours later Neeraj decided to check on him and found him in that state and immediately rushed him to the hospital. The doctors had to pump out the toxins from his stomach. Neeraj had managed to contact Manav's parents and they arrived the next day. They were aghast to see Manav in this condition and prayed for his recovery, sitting at his bedside.
Some hours later Manav started talking deliriously,
" I need to report to the kitchen immediately. Otherwise the Sou Chef will definitely kill me". He started waving his arms and legs frantically trying to get out of the bed. His mother quickly called the doctor who administered a sedative. The doctor told them that Manav needed complete rest both physical and mental.
A week later Manav was discharged and taken back to his native place. He was never left alone and soon regained his health, thanks to his mother's nursing and care. His parents never questioned him about his past. Manav felt terribly guilty about having put his parents through so much of pain. He vowed that he wouldn't fall prey to any such addiction in the future and promised to turn into a new leaf.
Manav later completed a 14 weeks in baking technology and with the help of a bank loan started a bakery in his city. The initial few months were hard but then slowly through word of mouth, the bakery gathered fame for offering quality fare at reasonable rates and business picked up
Two years later Manav opened a small cafe adjacent to the bakery, which served short eats. He lead a disciplined lifestyle and was happy to be his own boss. He happened to visit Mumbai later and met Neeraj who was genuinely happy to see Manav and his progress. Neeraj was now the Sou Chef and Chef James retired after suffering a stroke. Neeraj lauded Manav for having the courage to quit the hotel industry and start a venture on his own.
Manav thanked Neeraj for all the guidance and support he had given him during the hard times. He returned home from Mumbai as a happier person and feeling much lighter. His short stint at Hotel Savoy, Mumbai had taught him many things and wisened him beyond his age. He was grateful to God and his parents who had drawn him from the dark maze of drugs and given him a second lease of life. Manav realised that in reality things are not as glamorous as they appear. Most youngsters are drawn to the aviation and hospitality industry drawn by its glamour. But when they get a reality check, it is difficult for them to handle it. Faced with deep sense of disillusionment, they often get into a maze of drugs and alcohol from which it is very difficult to come out. It takes a lot of strength of character not to succumb to it. Manav considers himself to be blessed to have come out of it and lead a good life.