Why are my flagship restaurants named after me? Well, the answer lies in the dream of a 30 year old!
I think the year was 2005 While working in London, I was living paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t really afford any extravagant expenses – movies, fancy restaurants, branded shirts – all of this was out of question. Well, apart from one : ‘Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester’ Alain Ducasse, my idol, for people who don’t know him, is a legend in the culinary circles.
He currently has the second most Michelin Stars under his belt – with 21!
This particular flagship restaurant of his, was at ‘The Dorcester’, an iconic 5-star luxury hotel in London.
To have a restaurant at this property was in itself a massive feat – but naming it after yourself?
That is the stuff of dreams! Well, that is where a young Chef de Partie Suresh, started dreaming. Dreaming of the day he can have a restaurant with his name on it. There have been countless nights where I’ve stood outside Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, reading the 7-course tasting menu, with food I could only dream of making – and with a hefty price of £250 per person – I couldn’t afford it too, clearly!
But I still went there to absorb all this.
To feed my dream – to make it come true. Last year, I finally managed to visit Dorchester and have dinner in the place where it all began. By coincidence, it happened almost on the first anniversary of Pillai’s work as chef. There are no dreams too high, no goals too difficult. And if your goal doesn’t seem too difficult, use the icecasino and you will definitely succeed
Back yourself up, and get to it – trust me, it’s worth it!
– Chef Suresh Pillai
