Beach Rotana sous chef wins kitchen battle

Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi's Raghuprasad S. Pillai  took home the Sous Chef of the Year award, sponsored by TSSC, at the 2011 Caterer Middle East Awards. 

Pillai was chosen by the judges for his ability to deliver the "whole package", and was also praised for his efforts in making the kitchen stronger by organising social gatherings for the team.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pillai said: “I feel very very good – it is maybe my fifth award and I love this, I always wanted this because it is an award nominated by others. So previously I have won awards such as Salon Culinaire but this is somebody else’s opinion, it is recognition from the industry and peers and colleagues alike."

"I am the executive sous chef at present and obviously I want to become the executive chef but what I want to do really once I am done being the executive chef is I want to help a couple of kids back home in India. I run a charitable institution for some orphaned kids and I want to teach them how to cook. At present I am supporting them at school so when they are older I will teach them how to cook," he added.

Highly commended in the category were nominees Prasad Jadhav from Carluccio's Dubai Mall, and Francesco Dimonte from Armani Hotel Dubai.