User:Harinayak
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Hari Nayak (born February 8, 1974) is an Indian-American chef, restaurateur, and businessman based in New Jersey.
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[edit] Motto
“Life is short... let's celebrate.”
[edit] Biography
His culinary tenure has been nothing less than a celebration of food every step of the way. Born in a small historic town in coastal South India on February 8, 1974, Hari started his culinary career at the tender age of 8 by making masala omelets (an Indian specialty) for his family for 5. His earliest influences were the street vendors of his town. As a kid he was enamored by the how artfully the dosa vendor flipped a golden crispy dosa and how skillfully the chow mein vendor stir fried noodles in a hot wok. He remembers watching these street chefs cook with fascination. By the time he was 12, Hari had moved on to making elaborate (at least for a 12-year-old) sit down meals for his family on weekends. It was a celebration that everyone looked forward to! Since then Hari has spread the joy of cooking to many more. He has charmed his fans by his innovative, original and most of all passionate cooking.
Hari joined the prestigious Welcomgroup School of Hotel Management in India to give his culinary quest a more formal direction. By the time he graduated in 1995, Hari had trained at several 5 star restaurants and apprenticed under some of legendary Master Chefs in India including Chef Imtiaz Quershi of Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi.
Hari always admired finesse, class, and novelty. Even though he gained training and practical experience in different cuisines and all aspects of kitchen management, he found his true calling in the exquisite world of pastries. Hari worked as Executive Pastry for Welcomgroup for three years and was the youngest chef (22!) to receive the title of “Pastry Chef of the Year”. In 1996, Hari joined The Culinary Institute of America to receive advanced training in Pastry and Confectionary Arts. He graduated at the top of his class as an honor student in 1998. There has been no looking back for since then. Hari has worked as an Executive Chef for an international food service company and been a consultant on various projects around the globe. He has won several awards and recognition in the pastry world including pioneering the first Ice cream Patisserie of America!
[edit] Highlights
1998 - Executive chef for Sodexho USA one of the largest food service companies of the world
2002 – Established Hari’s Bakeshop, a gourmet boutique, patisserie, chocolatier & exclusive catering
2004 - Release of his first cookbook Mango Mia (celebrating the tropical world of mangoes)
2004 – Co-founder, New York Chefs "Cooking for Life" and world of chefs with celebrity chef Vikas Khanna
2005 – Launch of the America’s first ever and one and only Ice Cream Patisserie – Halo Fete http://www.halofete.com
2006 - Launch of Gourmet Gurus - line of spices, herbs and oils & restaurant design and consulting.
[edit] Vikas Khanna's Cooking for Life
New York Chefs Cooking for Life was founded to organize tasting events with some of the top chefs of New York to help raise money and awareness for different relief efforts around the world like Tsunami, Gulf Coast Hurricane Disaster, South Asian Earthquake and many more. Chicago Chefs Cooking for Life and San Francisco Chefs Cooking for Life are the other chapters of the organization.
World Chefs Cooking for Life is a series of culinary events being hosted at the World Wonders to advance SATH's (Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality) mission to create awareness for the needs of people with disabilities. All proceeds from these events will be used by SATH to promote accessibility programs in Egypt and beyond.
