Former Student  of the prestigious hotel management institute, V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) Zahur Virani a resident of  Margao now runs his own business TropiCoco, Sauce & Toss and Breadific in Goa while also  curating food trails for ‘Soul Travelling’. Pushed to resign due to the pandemic, Zahur didn’t waste any time to start doing what he loves – cooking. Using a not so secret mantra, “You never give up, no matter what” Zahur was soon baking happiness in his home and spreading smiles through his food.

An honest conversation with Zahur sheds light on his three-year journey at VMSIIHE.

In what way did your experience at this hospitality management institute impact you? Would you say it has helped you flourish?

Let me start by saying that the functioning of the institution itself is of a world-class standard. The international-level environment they create is something that you notice both when you enter as a student and as you progress. They push you to keep going. As a result, I’ve become a more optimistic person and have learned how to take care of my life, which would not have been possible without the support and guidance which I received from my mentors at the Institute.  The way the faculty educates us is simply outstanding. That’s why I think it has the words “International Hospitality Education” in its brand name because it does prepare you for that world out there.

What’s your experience of being a chef in various settings, such as being a head chef for theme nights or working as a Commis Chef at Grand Hyatt, Goa or even just creating food content for Instagram and for orders? 

All of my job profiles have given me a lot of experience. Working at Grand Hyatt was my first job where I worked as a Commis chef. Over there I realised that I’d definitely like to take up a leadership role somewhere down the line which is also why I was confident enough to come up with my own home business when hotels weren’t operating due to the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. So, I’d say that it’s a lot of different experiences that I’ve been able to gather. I’m a person who believes that these experiences will count down the line. I also was able to work with Bennet and Bernard for a while where I was in the business development team for food. I was expected to come up with reports and business plans here which was very different from my experience as a chef in the kitchen.  All these experiences have really helped in making me confident enough that  I feel like I’ll be able to run something of my own. So, if tomorrow I want to get into the FMCG sector, I feel that the experience from Bennet and Bernard would help me, and if I want to start a restaurant the experience from Grand Hyatt would help me. 

You also studied Wines and Gastronomy at Setubal Portugal, what was that experience like?

 I think that’s one experience that has completely changed me as a person. It was the first time I travelled abroad and it was very invigorating. It started in Lamego first and then moved to Setubal. When we were in Lamego we used to have culinary classes daily and that was my strength, that being continental cuisine. It was here that I was able to hone my skills and I hold the institute in high regard because of the skill level I was exposed to. That whole experience was so necessary because being here is one thing but going overseas gave me a form of character development that I needed. 

What was your biggest accident in the kitchen that turned out to have the most surprising results?

It would be the time when I was working for the Village House Café. I was trying to make a lemon tart, as a guest requested for it. I knew my basics and it was something that I did for my home business but I wanted to elevate it. So, I tried a new technique that was a sort of meringue on top. Unfortunately, as I was starting from scratch the crust was too crumbly and I was disappointed with the results. Nevertheless, I used my quick thinking and turned it into a deconstructed lemon tart and the guests loved it. 

Do you think VMSIIHE helped you somehow in your personal and work life?

I’d like to say that when Covid hit, thanks to the institute, I knew how to start something from home.  I was able to figure out the costing and conduct market research. If I didn’t join the institute I’d only look at it from one perspective i.e. “If I cook well, I’ll do well” but there’s so many other aspects to it and that is something VMSIIHE has helped me learn. Also, when working at the Grand Hyatt, the chefs there really appreciated my work ethics, which they considered better than students coming from other institutes. They found students from VMSIIHE standing out. It’s how the institute teaches us to carry ourselves.

Can you tell us about how the pandemic changed your trajectory and what you’re upto these days?

Before the pandemic hit I worked  as a ‘Business Development Associate’ with  Bennet & Bernard. With months of business plans, presentations, culinary activities and research on setting up new projects in the FMCG & Gastronomy sectors, I learned a lot about entrepreneurship. It offered me a whole new dimension of experiencing life. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this perfect job slipped out of my hands. I refused to give up and kept reiterating the mantra, “You never give up, no matter what” to myself. I decided it was best to start something on my own and use what I had learnt during the past few years. So , I was cooking and baking goodness from my home kitchen. I gained a lot of confidence when I saw myself featured on Conde Nast and spreading smiles through the food I created pushed me further. The pandemic took a lot away from me but I used it as an opportunity to learn more. You can currently find me curating food trails for ‘Soul Travelling’  being fascinated by gastronomy and geography. For me, believing in myself was the route to success.

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/zahur-virani-5b0109188 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/by_zahur?igshid=1q2p60fsk9xsz