The Westin Mumbai Garden City Appointed Executive Sous Chef – Chef Amit Rao

A seasoned culinary professional, Amit Rao has been appointed as the Executive Sous Chef at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Bringing with him an extensive experience of over 16 years in the hospitality industry, handling numerous speciality restaurants and working alongside Michelin Star chefs, Chef Amit hones a dynamic and proficient career in the culinary space. In his new role, he will expertly supervise and assist in kitchen operations, from crafting innovative menus, ensuring the customers are well attended to, to managing & mentoring the culinary team, amongst others.

Growing up around his grandmother and watching her cook is where his true inspiration towards food began. Over the years, Chef Amit has acquired a deep understanding of the exceptional and modern aspects of the F&B industry and his impeccable attention to detail and hardworking nature has led to his achievements in the gastronomy. Chef Amit began his career in 2001 at Hotel Taj President, Mumbai, now known as Vivanta by Taj, where he worked at Trattoria and learnt the nuances of Italian cuisine. He then moved to Dubai where he worked at Grosvenor House West Marina Beach, Dubai and subsequently moved to Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India. He has also been associated with popular cruise lines and hotels across the USA. During his tenure, Chef had the opportunity to work with distinguished leaders in the culinary space including renowned chefs like Gary Rhodes and Vineet Bhatia which help hone his expertise in cooking. He also worked alongside Chef Guy Fieri for almost a decade, and ultimately mastered the art of crafting almost 25 variations of burgers.

Through his culinary journey, Chef Amit has been learning and mastering the cuisines of the world. Though he specializes in Continental, Mexican and Italian fare, he has an innate skill to whip up mouth-watering traditional Indian delicacies as well, with his signature dish being ‘Pulled Chicken in traditionally smoked Makhani sauce’. Chef Amit’s expertise doesn’t stop in the kitchen, his unique ideas, distinct techniques, organizational skills and leadership qualities add value to his role in a leadership position.

Chef Amit is an alumnus of IHM Mumbai, where he studied Food Production & Patisserie. Subsequently, in 2001 he received a Diploma in Culinary Arts & Kitchen Administration from IHM Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

In his spare time, he enjoys spending the day with his kid, swimming and playing badminton. Chef Amit also truly believes in a simple philosophy i.e. “A recipe has no soul; the Chef puts the soul into a recipe”, and this is evident in the superlative work he displays. With his experience, culinary expertise and new role, he is all set to elevate himself, as well as his team to a whole new culinary level.

About The Westin Mumbai Garden City:

Located in close proximity to the International airport as well as business and shopping centres, The Westin Mumbai Garden City is the perfect combination of comfort and convenience for any traveller. The property lives by the brand’s signature ‘Let’s Rise’ program that communicates Westin’s commitment to its guests’ well-being before, during and after their stay. Conceptualized around the Six Pillars of Wellness - Feel Well, Work Well, Move Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well and Play Well, The Westin Mumbai Garden City offers guests a holistic wellness experience within the city. With an inventory of 268 spacious and well-appointed guest rooms & suites, the hotel houses distinct F&B outlets such as Seasonal Tastes, Prego, Kangan, Splash and Eighteen The Lounge, which serve an array of palatable flavours from around the world. Guests can also experience offerings such as the iconic award-winning Heavenly® Bed, the Heavenly Spa by Westin™ provides

exuberant spa treatments integrated with natural therapies, the RunWESTIN™ that provides scenic three and five-mile running maps to help guests stay fit and find the best route to explore the surroundings on foot, with the Run Concierge for group runs, Westin Gear Lending with New Balance® and more.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,200 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 134 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company now offers one travel program, Marriott Bonvoy™, replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®(SPG).