Chef Satbir Bakshi – A Modest Trailblazer

As one of Oberoi's first Indian Executive Chefs, Chef Satbir Bakshi has strived to deliver a delectable culinary experience, all the while raising the standard for innovation and hospitality

Dressed in a crisp, white chefu00b4s coat, Chef Satbir Bakshi delivers a striking first impression and exudes a confident, no-nonsense, but yet friendly persona. A 41-year-old man who is one of Oberoiu00b4s first Indian Executive Chefs, Chef Satbir is often regarded as a professional who is years ahead of his culinary contemporaries. Letu00b4s find out what makes him so.

Working with The Oberoi, Mumbai since 2003, Chef Satbir has focussed on introducing new ingredients on the menu and innovative concepts on the plate. "The key in being different is to build strong relations with local produce providers. It helps in obtaining quality ingredients which are fresh and seasonal," he shares, "But going the distance is what counts. For instance, when I was in France for a training programme, I saw that coloured baby vegetables such as carrots, beetroots and radishes were the trend. These not only looked nice on the plate, but also tasted heavenly. Eager to serve them to The Oberoiu00b4s customers, I contacted our supplier and asked him if he grew them." When the supplier refused, Chef Satbir urged him to find out if anyone else grew the coloured veggies. It was the chefu00b4s persuasion that prompted the supplier to visit USA and purchase the seeds for the unique vegetables. The Oberoi, Mumbai then became the first hotel in the city to serve them.

Chef Satbir has played an important role in building a long list of firsts that have been presented by the hotel. Burrata cheese is a part of that list. The chef recalls, "I remember when Devendra Bharma, our Vice President, went to Dubai and tried the Burrata cheese. He liked it so much that he insisted on the cheese to be served at the hotel. Now, importing Burrata was not an option as it is a perishable item. So I contacted my friends in the industry to see if they knew someone who manufactured Burrata in India. Finally, a friend recommended Father Michael in Bangalore who made Burrata in his monastery." And thus, Burrata found a place in Vetrou00b4s menu at The Oberoi, Mumbai in 2012.

Kadaknath chicken is another food item which dots the list. Once on his way to Poona for a conference, Chef Satbir found that a black coloured chicken was being served at a few roadside stalls across the highway, closer to Lonavala. Intrigued, he enquired further and found that the naturally coloured black Kadaknath chicken is high in nutrients, low in cholesterol and extremely flavourful. Says the Chef, "I was completely blown away by it and just had to serve the chicken at the hotel. Once I returned to Bombay, I presented the bird to my superiors and explained its benefits." And thank God he convinced them, as now the exotic chicken occupies the pride of place on the menu at Fenix.

During our interview with him, Chef Satbir is informed that a regular guest has been waiting for almost 30 minutes just to thank him for the meal. As the Chef joins our table again, he discloses that it was at Oberoi where he learnt to interact with the guests not just superficially, but to build a connection with them. "I love speaking directly with my diners to understand exactly what they expect from a meal. Making that bond with guests is extremely important and I have been doing it for so long that now grandfathers, their children and grandchildren know me on first name basis!" he laughs. Seeing him at ease while speaking with guests, it is difficult to believe that once upon a time he was reserved and tried to avoid talking to his patrons. "I used to keep myself in the kitchen and didnu00b4t think too much about speaking with the diners. But because of this one thing, I was denied promotion one year. I was explained the importance of a chef interacting with his guests and from that day onwards, I resolved to improve myself and here I am today," smiles the Chef. From a trainee who started his career in 1997 with Le M&eacuteridien in Delhi to working at Grand Hyatt, Delhi, for four years till 2003 and finally being an Executive Chef in 2014 at The Oberoi, Mumbai, Chef Satbir Bakshi has certainly come a long way. Hence, it comes as no surprise when he confesses that his entire life revolves around the hotel and its kitchens. "I am so involved with my work that I first met my wife, Bimal, at this hotel!" he chuckles. "Even when I am not here, I leave my mind behind. My relatives have just given up on me now as I can only talk to them about the things that happen at the hotel!"

Chef Satbir is well-versed with and a master of multiple cuisines, be it Italian or Indian. Having worked across multiple restaurants such as The Brasserie, The Rotisserie, Vetro, Tiffin (now Fenix) and Ziya, Chef Satbir has learnt to create innovative and exotic culinary fare while sticking to the basics. He demonstrated the same when he brought the concept of small plates to the restaurants in the hotel, a manner of dining where small dishes are served as a part of a meal. When asked about what he is working on next, he excitedly shares, "I call it "Celebrating the Ingredientsu00b4. There will be no names of the dishes on the menu. Instead, there will be alphabets and under each alphabet, there will be ingredients that start with that particular letter. For example, the dish "Au00b4 will have asparagus, avocado, apple and so on." Well Chef, we look forward to see how you whimsically transform the food on our plates.