Executive Chef Amarendra Mishra

Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur

Chef Amarendra Mishra has a rich experience spanning over 20 years with Taj Group. He began his career with the Taj Group in 1995 as a trainee chef at Taj Banjara, Hyderabad. He has had the privilege of being trained by leading Taj chefs during his tenure as trainee chef.
He has moved steadily up in the proverbial ladder of success and became an assistant chef in 1998 and junior sous chef in 2000.

In 2001, he became the Sous chef at Taj Banjara itself, because of his leadership quality and result oriented attitude, he was moved to Taj Residency Vadodara as an Executive Chef. At Vadodara, Chef opened a Coffee Shop and a Cake shop (Sugar and Spice). After Vadodara, it was time for Chandigarh where Chef opened the Indian Specialty Restaurant Dera, a well appreciated Indian frontier cuisine outlet in the vibrant city of Chandigarh. After a huge experience of both South and North India, it was time for West. He moved to Blue Diamond Pune, where he has opened another new outlet named Caramel. From Pune, Chef moved to Taj Fort Aguada, Goa. At fort aguada, he was part of the launch of Vivanta Brand. After having an experience all over India, Chef took his new responsibility at Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur as an Executive Chef.

Chef Mishra holds a degree in Science and also holds a bachelor degree in Hotel Management. He has completed his MBA in Marketing and Human Resource from IGNOU.

He is always been in news for discovering the uncovered traditional cooking secrets and bringing them to the table. He is a true culinary artist. His food is well appreciated by many National and International heads of the states and celebrities. He believes in creativity, and his strength is to take the team along with him. He has handled many complex situations, and able to form a great team wherever he has worked. His true success has come from his willingness to maintain the passion for cooking and endlessly repeated act.


Q & A with Executive Chef Amarendra Mishra


1. The main influences that made me interested in food and cooking as a career...
- The true love for food and cooking carried me here. When I see smile on my esteemed guests after they are relished by what we offer on to the plate gives me immense joy and satisfaction.  I love the atmosphere of the kitchen. I don’t like monotonous job and kitchen gives me ample of opportunities to explore something new every day. It came in when I was first exposed to this industry as an industrial trainee.

2. My earliest memory in the kitchen and my favourite dish from childhood...
- I do remember when I was graduating from hotel management all my batch mates would look for my table and would request for help during our culinary practical session. I was really devoted and passionate culinary student and had never missed any of my culinary classes.

3. My favourite dish to cook...
- I would love to cook kacche goshtki  biryani in an authentic way.

4. A cuisine that I want to learn...
- Learning never ends till date I am learning! I always explore to learn the regional cuisine whichever part I am in.

5. My secret to great food...
- I do believe in authenticity and will always promote that. But there is no match to freshest of ingredient and my secret lies in that.

6. The last cookbook I bought...
- “Devil In The Kitchen” by Marco Pierre White.

7. A culinary show or movie that I love to watch...
- “Burnt” - Movie where Chef Marcus Weireng has plated dishes exclusively.

8. In my  free time, I would like to...
- Read Books, spent\d time with my family and listen to soothing old hindi songs

9. The kind of adaptations I have  had to make while combining two cuisines/palates / guest taste... 
- Fusion of Pastas with Indian curry concoctions.

10. My guilty pleasure…
- Love eating lamb preparation in any form...

11. I will describe my restaurant/hotel to a first time customer...
- Luxury by taste

12. My menu design.... (what kind of research goes into its preparation, can you walk us through the process?)
- Looking at the dishes which was not done that well round the year and replacing them.
- Researching on seasonal vegetables and fruits.
- Availability of meats and other dry ingredients.
- Creativity towards individual dishes.

13. My recommendations at the restaurants in Jai Mahal Palace...
- Cinnamon : For eclectic Indian cuisine, regional and across India.
- Giardino : For Fine-dining experience with freshness at its best.

14. 4-5 personal tips that I would like share with our guests...
- Enjoy cooking and cook whole heartedly. Rest will surely fall in place.