What started off as a hobby turned into a career in the culinary field 24 years ago!

Chef Avraj Singh Marwa Journey 

What started off as a hobby turned into a career in the culinary field 24 years ago! The togetherness that good food brought at home and the family ties that it strengthened got me attached to culinary and that is where the passion for food started. And currently working for one of east Africa’s largest hotel chain, Sarova Hotels

Born in Kenya, trained at the Swiss managed Kenya Utalii College and later at Le Cordon Bleu, Harvard X and Stanford University. Having worked in various positions in different hotels and with great Chefs. A Career that has seen my work, in Dubai, Canada, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Tanzania. In addition to my ability to manage Kitchen operations, my dedication and passion have won him many awards ranging from Salon Culinary to Master Chef in Heritage Cuisine, Chaine de rotisseries and several local recognitions

My culinary style is a diverse blend of multicultural flavours acquired from the many travels around the world. Currently, my focus lies on sharing my experiences and work philosophy gained to broaden the vistas of the young chefs we work closely with.  Am a firm believer as a chef on the use of wholesome food ingredients and food sustainability.

Personal Mantra

It’s not about being better than someone else. It’s about being better than you were the day before

2. Have you always been passionate about becoming a Chef?

Ever since I was in high school, I was very fascinated by food flavours and the science of food. I guess am among the lucky ones that followed through on what was in my heart.

The story goes: My mother used to have so many recipe books on food, that she would try out very often when we were growing up and this used to fascinate me a lot since every member of the family would come home almost every day just to have a meal! The togetherness that good food brought at home and the family ties that it strengthened got me attached to culinary journey and that is where the Passion for food started.

Dad to is a great cook, growing up I saw Dad spend time in the kitchen trying out different dishes, as well. This gave me a lot of confidence and ease in getting into the home kitchen that was viewed as a women’s domain

In simpler words Food inspired me.

3-How did travelling the world to help develop your culinary skills?

A great way to learn about local culture or destination is through their food. Eating delicious traditional dishes, visiting local produce markets and sampling tasty treats from local stores is a great way to taste your way around a city. What if you want to take a little bit of the local food home with you? A great way to keep the memory going is to learn to make a traditional dish yourself, that way you can come home and cook it for all your friends and bring a little bit of the culture home with you. This created great culinary diversity

After several travels I came to learn that there were several similarities across different cultures and cooking methods as well.

4-Were you introduced to various different flavours and ingredients?

Something that travelling does is open your eyes and taste buds to the different flavours, I have always had an inquisitive palate from a very young age. Always willing to try something new. Growing up and through my many travels around, trying different flavours and ingredients became the order of the day. Working in different Countries and kitchens helped a great deal to understand the intrigue of Flavours and ingredients

5-What are classical cooking techniques and how do they retain the natural goodness of home-grown ingredients?

I was fortunate to hone my craft during pre-digital age, where back to basics was the key to survive and grow in the industry. Classic cooking techniques was all that was preached. Over the years I have learnt all the modern / Molecular gastronomy methods, but the classical still remains the base and foundation

The subject of classical cooking techniques is such a massive one, it’s a job to work out where to start this discussion. One thing we are conscious of on a daily basis here at the hotel is doing things properly, and honestly. I am so incredibly fortunate to have a team of very talented chefs around me, and we all hold one another accountable should those standards ever look like wavering. Our supply of ingredients is the backbone of the food we put in front of our guests, so if we honour that and cook with honesty, then the food should speak for itself.

I am a strong advocate for classical cooking techniques that retain the natural goodness of home-grown ingredients.

6-You have built an impressive portfolio and held some amazing positions at exquisite venues; would you say this has helped develop you're culinary experiences?

For Sure, each and every day has been learning on its own. The culinary world is so vast and endless, that it makes each day a different day

I have, and every day I realise how lucky I’ve been to. It’s also not necessarily all about the food either, it is about the richness of the experiences in and out of kitchens. I have met some characters along the way that have made a difference, influenced my direction and allowed me to get where I find myself today. It's not only making me a better Chef but a better person

7-What are your favourite dishes on the menu and why?  

This has always been a tuff question to answer. I would say my style is eclectic, so I don’t have a preference for certain types of foods, but instead, enjoy trying new things from around the world. The current food enthusiast is looking for distinct tastes rather than stuck on certain ingredients. I try to make sure every item on the menu has its own distinctive touch and flavour. All said and do I have a tendency to recommend dishes from the bounty of the sea? Seafood and fish are more versatile then meats in flavours and texture.

8-How important is it in your opinion, to create dishes that are authentic and sustainable?

This is a topic that is very hot for the past few years, however, is something I have been pushing on with for a great number of years now. I have worked in environments where seasonality and provenance are front and centre of the food programme, and I aim to ensure that we take this forward at Sarova Hotels with all the effort we have. Keeping the food we serve as authentic is paramount, doing so while working within the boundaries of availability and our community is equally as important to us.

Sustainability is key in today’s world. Most of our menus are based around the principle of sustainability and authenticity

9-What's your message to the aspiring chef.

If you want to become a great chef, you have to put your head down and focus on the basics. This will lay the foundation for greatness. Always yearn for more knowledge every day.