THERE'S always a story to be told, and those working in the food industry have hundreds, if not more, anecdotes about their progression through this sometimes funny, sometimes infuriating, but always much-loved life that encompasses the world of food. This mini-series of interview starts off with the creme of the crop — the Hotel Chef. I had a quick and insightful chat to Executive Chef Ajoy from The Empire Hotel and Country Club in Jerudong, about what it's like to work there, and his still-young journey to his current position in the kitchen.

Epic Curious: So run me through a basic day; what do you guys usually do?

Chef Ajoy: To start off, we gotta be here before 10am because that briefing at ten o'clock is the most important. For us it is the most important day and most important time to start off the day. That's where we get the occupancy, the food costs, how we did the day before, any issues with products. This is the place that gets the thing's sorted and done. Usually all the outlet chefs will be here, including the stewarding and purchasing.

Epic Curious: So it's kind of an inter-department thing?

Ajoy: Yeah, so it's all connected on any problems. We raise the issue in the briefing and try to get it done in the morning. Deadlines, we also have those for the new menu, promotions, we also pretty much get the planning done for next year. So Spaghettini's planning for next year's promotions are pretty much done already.

We have to plan (a year ahead), the products are the ones pushing us to get that done because it's really hard to get done.

Epic Curious: So it's good planning ahead that is the key to making sure things run smoothly then.

Ajoy: Yeah, and the teamwork, because of the different departments that we have to coordinate with. It affects quite a lot, too, if one department is held up, so then it holds us up too. So pretty much for me, myself, my staff comes in at two, I come in at 10 o'clock, do all the administrative work like scheduling the holidays, orders, menu planning, menu engineering. Usually I have my meetings with the boss in the morning and let's say for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's, we'll actually have a draft of the menu, we'll sit down for an hour and see what's going on and what's available, call up purchasing and check out some suppliers for what's available at the end of the year.

For example, one big challenge this month is eggs; the Istana will be making Malay Kuih for the visitors going to the Istana on Hari Raya, so we have to call up the supplier and book how many thousand trays of eggs. That's why the planning actually has to be really, really spot on.

Epic Curious: There's always gotta be a Plan B though right?

Ajoy: Yeah, there's always a Plan B in this case it would be hand-carrying it from Singapore (laughs).

The Brunei Times