Bridging The Gap: Industry Connect’ is an attempt by VMSIIHE, one of India’s leading hospitality institutes to connect the students with eminent personalities from the hospitality industry they will eventually step into. The series consists of interactive sessions with students and virtual engagements will offer students a peek into the life of industry leaders and stalwarts.
VMSIIHE kicked off the series with a virtual chat with Vincent Ramos, Area Director – IHCL Goa and General Manager at the Taj Hotel & Convention Centre, Goa-India.

Excerpts from the interview with the students of VMSIIHE:

Esther Jacobs:-

What was your first job in the hospitality field and what have you learned through your journey up until now?

There’s a lot that I’ve learned through almost 30 years of experience working in the hospitality industry. No child learns to walk without a fall, that’s what I’ve learned. I want to tell you, young students, that you have to experience failure in life for you to appreciate success. You cannot have everything; there are no shortcuts in life. You are allowed to make a mistake, but you have to learn from it. I have failed many times. The good part is that I realized I needed to fail during those times because I wouldn’t be what I am today without that experience. In my first job, I was a management trainee at The Leela, Goa, and the first job I was given was Assistant Manager for the banquet department.

Pooja Muley:-

Which is the most important quality that will help students succeed in this industry?
The most important quality that will help you succeed in not just this industry but every industry or as a human is an attitude, a positive attitude. It is your attitude that will determine your altitude. If you have the right attitude, you don’t have to worry about anything else. We are all human but it is the right attitude that will make us successful.

Sarah Miranda:-

You’ve expressed your love for horticulture and have mentioned that you personally have a hand to play when it comes to taking care of lush gardens at the Taj Exotica Resort property in Goa. Tell us about your love for horticulture.
My love for horticulture is one of the qualities that brought me to this stage. When I went to Kumarakom my assistant would jokingly say that in my case ‘GM’ stands for ‘Garden Manager’ because I spent a lot of time in the gardens there. Nature is luxury. It is the most important thing. Unfortunately, I notice that horticulture is a subject that is often neglected in industry. It is a vast subject which we often take for granted but it is the most important subject, especially for hotel management professionals. I advise you to take time out to learn about the various kinds of plants. It’s a fascinating subject and each of you should pay interest in it.

Saloni Bhandurga:-

As students, if we are not able to get selected as Management Trainees, is it still possible to climb up the ladder in the hospitality industry?
This is a tough question to answer. I think if you don’t get a management trainee position it could be the best thing to happen to you. Because you step down one level lower and you get to understand the nitty-gritty of things. If you become a management trainee you’ll never have the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. One thing to remember is that just because you’re a management trainee that doesn’t mean you’ll be successful as a manager, don’t take it for granted. When you’re a General Manager yourself you need to understand, empathize with and even correct those who work down the line, those who peel the onions, or the guy who washes the dishes. You need to have the knowledge at every level and this will come to you only if you’ve done it yourself. The worst thing that can happen to you is if you boss over people and they don’t respect you. Remember that being delayed in becoming a manager is not bad, you’ll become a manager anyway. Aim to be a good manager. There’s no hurry to become a General Manager, let life have its own formula. Hard work never goes out of fashion.

Tacy Tavares:-

Within the industry, the kitchen is mostly a male-dominated area, I’m keen on being a chef. Being a girl stepping into this domain, what are your views and advice for me? If I was to be hired as a chef in your hotel what would you expect from me during the first few months?
Ladies make the best chefs in my opinion. Men are probably forced into it but for a woman, it comes naturally, it’s part of their life but they don’t get paid for it. Probably all our mothers are celebrity chefs and we shouldn’t forget that. We have worked in a hotel for so long but our mother’s food and wife’s food are still the best. Having said that, I want to assure you that at the Taj we treat everyone equally with respect. There is nothing in a male-dominated world, it’s all in your mind. You can be the change. If you allow a male to dominate over you, you will be dominated but if you don’t, they won’t too. For you to become successful, you need passion, innovation and whatever you do, do it from your heart and you won’t go wrong.

Purva Sharma:-

Goa has stood out as a solid market in the hospitality sector. What do you think is the reason behind this?
I’ve been to many places around the world, but there is something nice about Goa. Goa is a land which we refer to as “Parshuram’s Land”. Catholics believe that Goa is blessed because we have the body of Saint Francis Xavier here. Having said that I don’t think there’s any other balanced place as good as Goa. It’s sad to see Goa being filthy with plastic and garbage but minus that, Goa has always stood out. Goa is blessed, culturally, naturally, and even with the people. Goa excites every market, be it a wedding, group, or single traveler. Goa has nature’s grace, it’s a beautiful place and it is our responsibility to keep it clean. During this pandemic, everyone is only heading to Goa unlike so many other places in India. Goa will do well and has the potential and will always remain like this.

Ashley Rodrigues:-

What does Taj/ IHCL look for in a candidate while hiring?
We hire for attitude, nothing else.

Mavish Fernandes:-

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I like to do gardening. However, because my life has become so hectic that I hardly have any time, presently when I m not at work I like to sleep. It’s very important. But earlier when I had more time I would indulge in gardening. It’s my passion. Love for nature is very important.

Chiara Pereira:-

What did you do differently as compared to your colleagues to reach the position you are at today?
I didn’t do anything differently. I just thought I should do my duty. If I started differentiating or competing with someone I wouldn’t reach where I am.

Brandon Gabriel:-

From all the places you’ve been to which place holds the closest place in your heart and why?
Of course, it’s Kumarakom. That was the place tucked away into a corner where I lived without my family. But it made me a good manager. The people there are very simple. I like that place very much.

Juzelle Silvera:-

When you were a student do you have any fond memories that stand out the most?
The fond memories that stand out the most are my chef competitions. There used to be chef competitions in those days. 1989, if you could get into a chef competition you were a star. There were multiple trials and finally a HOD of mine, Mr. D’Cruz walks up to me and says I’ve been selected and it was the best thing to happen to me. This was in Lucknow for the national level inter-collegiate competition and I won a silver medal. Apart from that, all the naughty things we did in college were also memorable. We used to bunk and go to the movies and had a lot of fun. As long as you don’t hurt anyone you need to be a little naughty as long
as it’s not too serious.

Krishang Agarwal:-

You were the GM of Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur, could you share your experience and how was it managing the world’s greatest hotel at one point in time?
I really enjoyed what I did at Umaid Bhawan. As a General Manager, I always played around with the available resources. When I was in Kumarakom for example I played with the 5 senses and I carried it right to my Umaid Bhawan days. The welcome at Umaid Bhavan was grand and appealed to all the five senses. Every welcome that happened at Umaid Bhawan had drums and bugles being played so everyone could hear; it was a palace so we’d also have ittar which lets off a lovely perfume. The experience had to be a ‘wow’.