Chef Surjan Jolly Singh - thechefonsony.com
Behind one of Qatar&#;s leading Indian restaurants, Rivaaj, at The St. Regis Doha is Chef Jolly, whose achievements span three decades in the hospitality sector.
Surjan Singh, better known as Chef Jolly, has a long-standing career in hospitality, which began in as Chef de Partie at the famed Taj Palace, New Delhi.
He then joined the Marriott Group of Hotels in as a Sous Chef at Goa Marriott Resort before becoming Head Chef of Saffron, an award-winning Indian speciality restaurant, at JW Marriott, Mumbai. He continued to work with Marriott for five years as Executive Chef at the London Marriott West India Quay Hotel & Executive Apartments before moving on to the Renaissance Mumbai, one of the largest convention centre hotels in India.
He has worked with some of the finest properties across the world in different capacities and in culturally diverse surroundings, including Taj Hotels in India, Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Dubai, and Choice Hotels International in America. He has also headed up culinary activities at prestigious members venues such as The Club and Mumbai with Jiggs Kalra, as well as A list parties and Bollywood celebrity weddings.
He was also the Head Chef for American TV personality Paris Hilton when she travelled to India.
Truly passionate about Indian cuisine, Chef Jolly has travelled around the world to countries such as Canada and New Zealand to spread awareness on adding Indian flavours to their local and seasonal produce, and to explore their culinary signatures and local produce.
Marhaba interviews Chef Jolly about his rich career, Rivaaj, Indian cuisine and more.
Welcome to Qatar!
Tell us why you chose Qatar as the next step in your culinary career and how it will further enrich your career.
Qatar offers a great blend of Arabic heritage and modern culture, making it an equally attractive home for investors, expats, and visitors, and a friendly neighbourhood to raise families and build communities.
Chef surjan singh jolly biography sample format
Hindi Best Serials In Top Grossing Indian Films Age Now Sakshi Tanwar - TV-Actress. Anshul Pandey - TV-Actor.Also, I was very pleased and encouraged to receive great appreciation and input from both locals and visitors equally about the authentic, traditional Indian food with a modern approach to cooking techniques and the health angle we took to curate at the pop-up at The St. Regis Doha in first quarter of , by the poolside overlooking the stunning beach and the ocean.
I immediately thought that I must explore more, and it all happened timely so that in the fourth quarter of , we launched.
Qatar, being such a vibrant international city, with rich culture, international cuisine offerings and being contemporary in great ways – and more so now with travel and tourism made so convenient for one to explore – I see many visiting and enjoying Doha.
This only spreads a good word for chefs and entrepreneurs like me, encouraging us to do more and carry on with taking a slice of Rivaaj’s experience to the world.
What intrigued Rivaaj to join The St. Regis Doha?
Rivaaj prides in serving heritage Indian cuisine. I believe in authentic curations and like to believe that I am inspired by my global travels bringing an original identity to the dishes we craft and certainly distinguishing itself with an exceptional feature – the bespoke service, epitomising personalised luxury – and I find this so in The St.
Regis Doha.
The St. Regis is renowned for its tradition of innovation and impeccable service, known for its luxury and sophistication, with locations in some of the most prestigious destinations around the world, and I’ve always wanted to partner with such a luxe brand.
Chef surjan singh jolly biography sample pdf Chef Jolly has been in the hospitality industry for over 2 decades. He is currently a judge on the first season of "Junior MasterChef India". He obtained his B. A from the Osmania University. He has worked with some of the finest properties across the world in different capacities and in culturally diverse surroundings, noted among them is the Taj Group of Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Choice Hotels International.I am very pleased with the refined brand leverage Rivaaj and The St. Regis Doha share mutually.
It’s a perfect match and I feel very much at home at The St. Regis Doha. It makes me want to do more and bring the best out of us for our revered guests to enjoy and cherish; like no one else out there as the honestly crafted cuisine at Rivaaj.
What unique or special culinary dishes should people expect by Chef Jolly?
Our offerings celebrate India’s rich culinary traditions, providing a diverse array of flavours that cater to both seasoned enthusiasts and those new to the delights of Indian cuisine.
A few signatures that are unique and I believe you would really enjoy among many more are:
- Top of the Chaats, &#;Rivaaji Raj Kachori&#;: magnum poori, packed with lentil dumplings, tangy potatoes, yogurt and chutneys
- Chicken &#;Chettinadu&#;: parantha tacos, robust spices and coconut
- Tiger Prawns, &#;Jheenga Balaai Ka&#;: roasted with wild garlic and labneh
- &#;Rivaaji&#;, Daal Khaas, the famed Dal Makhani: hour stewed urad lentils, creamed and buttered.
A must have!
- Roasted Seabass Kari: tamarind, red chillies, caramelised onion-tomatoes, and curry leaves
- Lamb Shank Biryani: aromatic lamb shank, saffron basmati rice; a Persian influence
- Rivaaji &#;Missi&#; Roti: wholemeal flour, lentils, ginger, chilies, toasted coriander seeds and herbs
- Classic Kulfi &#;Malai&#;: with saffron and pistachios
Indian cuisine has become a universal cuisine, at times, adapting to the tastes of the world.
How will Chef Jolly preserve the authenticity of the Indian cuisine yet keep it contemporary?
The word &#;Rivaaj&#; personifies positive attributes and exemplifies rich &#;customs and traditions&#;.
At Rivaaj, we proudly offer rich Indian heritage cuisine which has influences from varied cultures and traditions over centuries, beautifully interwoven to what it certainly prides in having become today, a jewel of global celebration!
My approach towards my culinary style has always had an element of intrigue, inspirations from my personal travels, meeting people of different cultures and communities, my experiments and my research.
While I love exploring new techniques and working with unique and best local ingredients that the location has to offer, I like to curate dishes using them and bringing an interest and surprise in that crafted dish showcasing something unique and new for our guests to enjoy, making it a refreshed cuisine, exciting to relish.
Having said that, the flavours and the story will always be India be it past, present or futuristic global.
Tell us about the Hyderabadi cuisine and what makes it uniquely Indian.
Like other great regions in India, Hyderabad enjoys a very prominent spot both in history, culture and cuisine too. I’ve had the fortune of having close encounters cooking with royalty, classical cooks and humble working class too.
Each interaction has been fascinating, unique, informative and educational.
To share a quick brief:
Ancient times &#; Hyderabad was ruled by the Mauryan Empire in the third century BCE during the reign of Ashoka the Great.
Medieval times &#; Various Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms ruled the area during the subsequent centuries.
The area was ruled by Chalukya kings, Kakatiyas, and more recently, some + years ago, the city of Hyderabad was governed by the Qutb Shahi Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in Hyderabad became an important trading centre for diamonds and pearls, and a centre for culture.
After a brief period of Mughal rule, the first Nizam of Hyderabad conquered the city in The Nizams later signed a subsidiary alliance with the British, and their territory became Hyderabad State, the largest princely state in British India with the city of Hyderabad as its capital.
During this period, industry, railways, modern education, and airways developed in Hyderabad.
After India&#;s independence in , the Nizam did not wish to accede his state to the newly formed nation. By then, his power had weakened and the Indian Army annexed Hyderabad in
With the power and hands changing to rule the state of Hyderabad from ancient to medieval and to more recent past with Mughals and Nizams, the region has had many a confluence of cultures directly impacting the cuisine and becoming a huge melting pot of varied influences.
Its eclectic style is reminiscent of Mughlai, Turkish and Arabic with a heavy influence of the native Telugu and Marathwada.
Use of robust spices, sesame, tamarind, red chilies and cooking techniques give the cuisine its special identity, uniqueness and stands tall.
In Deccan medieval cuisine, banquets were common among the aristocracy. Multiple courses would be prepared and served in a style called Dastarkhān (a long cloth laid on the floor on which food dishes and dinners plates are placed).
A traditional Hyderabadi dinner, also known as Dastarkhwan, are usually a five course meal: Aghaz (Soup), Mezban (appetizers), Waqfa (Sorbet), Mashgool Dastarkhwan (Main course) and Zauq-e-shahi (dessert).
The food was mostly meat oriented being grilled and fried in tandoor.
Chef surjan singh jolly biography sample form Category: Art. With experience in the field for more than two decades, he has worked as chief chef in Taj hotel Delhi and Marriott Group of Hotels for many years, and has also presented a few cookery shows on television. He started his professional career in He has worked with Taj Group of hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Choice Hotels International — some of the leading restaurant groups in the career spanning to about 25 years. He was born into a Sikh family in Amritsar, Punjab.The curries were highly seasoned and flavoured using spices. Fruits were preferred rather than dessert after the main course. Once the meals are ended kahwa (liquid hot drink) was consumed that contains ingredients to digest food. The ingredients of the cuisine varied greatly according to the seasons and festivals, and many items were preserved in the form of pickles due to harsh weather conditions and less vegetation in some seasons.
One interesting fact to how cuisine and food were such a hot topic with the Hyderabadis: there are many myths and stories surrounding how kulcha came to Hyderabad.
One such story revolves around Mir Qamruddin, who was a courtier in a Mughal court, who met a Sufi mystic, and was offered kulchas to eat.
Following this, the mystic issaid to have prophesied that he would become a king, which did come true as he became the first Nizam of Hyderabad. Due to this, the kulcha was said to have been given a special place on the official flag of the Nizam of Hyderabad. However, many historians say that there is no conclusive evidence to back this story.
How will you, Chef Jolly, add to Qatar&#;s rich Indian culinary scene?
We, at Rivaaj, continue to bring to Doha’s food scene the authentic, honest and celebrated heritage cuisine of India.
We are making it further exciting by introducing special theme night dining experiences, celebratory dinners with chefs and interactive food stations, weekend special lunches, keeping the home inspired thali set-meals fresh and seasonal, and festive-day partnered events.
About - Chef Jolly: Surjan Singh Jolly, best known as Chef Jolly is a celebrity chef from Amritsar, Punjab. With experience in the field for more than two decades, he has worked as chief chef in Taj hotel Delhi and Marriott Group of Hotels for many years, and has also presented a few cookery shows on television.
We promise to keep this space exciting and entertaining always, where the true essence of Indian cuisine is brought to life in an atmosphere of sophistication.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking along with my team of passionate chefs and hospitable servers, curating for our lovely guests a memorable dining experience, be it a special cosy dinner, a celebratory event, an extravagant culinary experience or a large banquet with varied decadent regional dishes on display.
Looking forward to having you with us to savour the decadent heritage cuisine of India at Rivaaj, The St. Regis Doha in West Bay, the finest address in Doha.
For more information about Chef Jolly, visit
For more information about Rivaaj at The St. Regis Doha or to make a reservation, visit , email [email&#;protected], or call + /+
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