From a Street Kid to a Chef in a Luxury Cruise Liner
“My job is not truly my accomplishment, it is what Butterflies strived for me to become. And now finally I am that somebody”.
Hasim like many other children at Delhi’s Kashmere Gate area was introduced to Butterflies School of Culinary & Catering (BSCC) during his classes at Kashmere gate contact point. He comes from a small town of Bihar and his father passed away sometime back. After completing his training at BSCC he was selected for a training program at Taj Group of Hotels. According to him he was not sure during his tenure as a trainee there whether they would ever hire him as an employee later. However, Hasim has a track record of excelling at whatever he puts his mind to. From being a good cricketer to a great theatre and vocal artist, he has never shown any reluctance in doing whatever is asked of him. After a lot of determination and hard work The Taj Group invited him for a job interview. Hasim explains that he has always been curious of simple things that we take for granted and during the interview he was asked to explain what turmeric is and why is it a spice. He correctly answered the question and was hired immediately. He worked for the prestigious European restaurant Orient Express at the Taj Palace Hotel for several years and was extremely happy and well taken care of which was evident from the joy on his face whenever he talked about his work and culture. Indebted to them for ignoring his lack of knowledge as compared to the rest of the competing staff he also learnt a lot from their impeccable methods.
As his confidence and knowledge increased, he applied and was selected as a Chef in a Luxury Cruise Liner based out of the USA. Hasim has now moved to the USA to begin this new exciting phase of his life. He feels that the platform Butterflies gave him not only changed his life but also stirred him to bring the same kind of transformation in other BSCC trainees. While working in India, Hasim volunteered to take theoretical and practical classes once a week at BSCC and teach them more about different cuisines apart from Indian. During his first visit he introduced them to different sorts of cheese, their city of origin and their composition. He was accompanied by Mr. Deewan Bisht who is a specialist chef of continental cuisine. They together explained different sorts of pastas and Mediterranean sauces to the curious students. “Trials are a good way of keeping people on their toes and promoting innovation and improvement in a conventional dish. They themselves might be surprised by what they are capable of”, said Hasim who gives himself constant trials to improve existing menus.
“After completing one year of training at BSCC I was selected for a training programme at the Taj group of hotels, facilitated by Butterflies. I worked in the Taj Palace for almost four years, I felt so happy. During that period, I brought my mother to Delhi and started living with her and taking care of her. I also purchased land to build a house in Noida with my earnings.
Recently I was given another golden opportunity, which was to work on a luxury cruise liner in the USA. Sure enough, I came to the USA in October 2016. Butterflies was there for me then too; helping me get my travel documents together.
I always feel that the platform Butterflies gave me not only changed my life, but also stirred me to bring the same kind of transformation to other BSCC trainees. I volunteer to give theory and practical classes at BSCC and teach them more about different cuisines apart from Indian cuisine. I feel that I should pass on my learning and motivate other trainees also.
I am still in contact with the Butterflies staff over social media. I will always be grateful to Butterflies and I feel proud that I was -and I am still -part of Butterflies. I would have been nowhere if I had not been in contact with Butterflies during this most crucial period of my life”, says a beaming Hasim.
