I started my chef career in the UK on a permit in an Indian restaurant in Glasgow and eventually worked at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and various hotels. That helped progress my career because I learned different styles of service, particularly with the immense number of meals we served at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games; during the Olympics, at peak delivery, we served 70,000 meals a day in the village.

My experience has helped me manage events with large numbers, also find the right people and good resources to get produce, and then execute the operations.

I have been at Novotel Greenwich for nearly four years. I do not have my next move planned but if I get the opportunity to move ahead, I will be interested.

Accor is a good company to work for, there is great career development with lots of opportunities, and we are well looked after. To work in hospitality, you need to be a particular type of person, to have the right mindset to work with people, especially in kitchens, which can mean long hours and that gives you the opportunity to test yourself.

No two days are the same in the hotel working atmosphere, every day there is something new, maybe a new challenge.

Being a Heartist means you are there for customers, you need to look after them and make sure they are having a good experience. My motto is if you look after your team, your team will look after you; I would not expect any of my brigade to do anything I could not do myself. and although I have had a wide variety of experiences, I can still learn from everybody.

I am a keen follower of the sport when I get time, after my family and work, and when I get a chance, I still play cricket.

At home, I do help my wife cook, and on my day off it’s my turn to cook; my daughter is a budding star now, she’s 17, and I’m proud of that.