Breakfast with a Chef:

Bangalore is (in)famous for its IT professionals. The population of IT and ITES professionals is so much that there are even quotes stating:

"If you throw a stone randomly, there is every chance that it will hit a dog or a Software Engineer. While the dog may or may not have a strap around its neck, the Software Engineer will definitely have one."

(This doesn't imply you can throw a stone on a dog or a Software Engineer, to check if it is valid. Furthermore sorry to poor dogs for being compared to Software Engineers and moreover dogs are much worthier than Software Engineers. )

But Bangalore does have many other non software professionals too who come from far and away the globe to make a living. Yesterday I had a rendezvous with one such non-Software professional working in Bangalore.
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There are many ways to go to office in Bangalore. From your own private vehicles to public transport and semi public transport vehicles. Semi public are otherwise known as cabs and ply taking charge >= the public transport charge. They are mostly sought by the office goers at peak hours, since they are comfortable, less crowded, fast and can squeeze through the crazy Bangalore traffic.

As usual on a cool, winter,lazy late morning(11 am), I got into such a cab yesterday and was sitting at the last row browsing FB in my smart phone. I was deeply into the posts, likes and comments, when the person next to me excused me and asked whether I will give him my mobile to make a call to his superior. Though I usually decline such requests when at a walk, I thought it was safe enough to give my mobile to him in a moving vehicle. The man had a North Eastern look(not being racist) and seemed genuine. He said his mobile had been switched off and wanted to inform his superior that he will be late to work. I gave him the mobile and he called his senior and informed him. After the call he promptly gave me back the mobile and conveyed his thanks.

As usual we got stuck in the traffic and were snailing past Maruthi Nagar. I decided to have a chat with my North Eastern friend.

Me: "Aap kahaan pe kaam kar rahe hein?"
NorthEastFriend: "Mein Leela Palace mein kaam kar raha hoon"
NEF: "Wahaan pe khaana bhanaatha hoon mein."
Me: "Acha aap wahaan pe chef hein?"
NEF: Haan
NEF: Wahaan pe head chef hein. Unko hi phone kiya tha mein.

I was amused to get an interesting co passenger to chat for the rest of the journey.

Me: Aap kahaan se hein?
NEF: Mein Darjeeling se hoon.
Me: Tik hein
NEF: Aap kahaan pe kaam karthe hein?
Me: Mein IBM me... Software Engineer(yuck!! his stone hit me.)
NEF: Tik hein.
Me: Aap yahaam pe kithne saal se kaam kar rahe hein?
NEF: Che maheene se kaam kar rahaa hoon. Darjiling me padaa tha usse pahele.
Me: Acha, aap hotel management pade the?
NEF: Haan.. Diploma ek saal ke.
Me: Oh.. Baarah(12th) ke baad join kiye the kya?
NEF: Haan.

It came to my mind that I had not asked him his name.

Me: Aapka naam?
NEF: Vijay Rana.
Me: Mein hoon Sridhar.
Me: Acha, tho aap kya kya banaathe hein?
VR: Mein Chinese, Korean aur Japanese.
Me: Oh bhahuth acha.
VR: Head chef bhahuth ghussa vaala hein. Is liye hi phone karke bholna pada.
Me: No problem.
VR: Khaana banana hein naa. is liye hee
Me: Acha. Yeh Chinese, Korean aur Japanese aap college mein pade the kya?
VR: Haan.
Me: Whaan pe specialisation kiye?
VR: Haan wahaan pe hamare interest ke hisaab se chun sakthe hein.
Me: Tik hein
VR: Head Chef daant the hein sabko khoob. German wala hein.
Me: Acha, Germany se hein? Naam kya hein?
VR: Rrrudf. Couldnt hear him properly due to the honking of the vehicles in the infectious

TB(traffic block).
Me: Kyaa?
VR: Rudolf
Me: Achaa. Baahar ke log hein kya head chef?
VR: Haa. Indian log bhi hein.
Me: Tik hein.

Me: Aapko Head chef ban ne keliye kithne saal lagega
VR: Smiles...
Me: Kam se kam.
VR: Baarah saal lagega.
Me: Tho abhi se 11 1/2 years?
VR: Smiles again.
Me: Aaap aur head chef ke beech mein kithne sections hothe hein.
VR: He says some official bands which I couldnt hear as we had reached the next TB and

honks.
Me: Acha. Experience se ho jaaye ga
VR: Haan. Experience aur education bhi.
Me: oh. Tho Kaam ke saath padaayi bhi kar sakthe hein?
VR: Haan. Training hotha hein. Mein bhi gaya thaa Chennai training lene.
Me: Chennai mein. South Indian food ke?
VR: Nahin. Wahaan ke Leela Palace mein. Chinese, Korean aur Japanese ka hi.
Me: Oh training keliye bhi jaana hein?
Me: Aap Chinese, Korean aur Japanese hi banaathe hein?
VR: Haan.
Me: Iske siva, Indian nahin banaathe hein?
VR: Uskeliye alag se log hein.
Me: Oh sab keliye alag se group hotha hein?
VR: Haan.

VR: Trainings hotha rahtha hein, Chennai, Kerala, Mumbai..
Me: Mein Kerala se hoon. :-)
VR: Acha mein bhi gaya hoon Kerala.
Me: Oh
VR: Kovalam.
Me: Haan Vahaan ke Leela mein?
VR: haan vahin.
VR: Hamaare boss bhi Kerala ka hein.
Me: haan patha hein. :-)
Me: dekha hein ka aapne unko?
VR: Haan ek baar dekha hoon.
Me: Yahaan pe aaye the?
VR: Haan Bangalore Leela me aaye the.

Me: Achaa aapko Chinese, Korean aur Japanese mein kaunsa acha lagtha hein?
VR: VR: Korean.
Me: Yeh Korean Sushi vagera hotha hein naa?
VR: Sushi tho Japanese hein.
Me; Acha.. Woh bhi banaathe hein?
VR: Haan.
Me: Lekin bhahuth expensive hotha hein naa?
VR: Mainly vahaan pe bhahar vaalaa he aathey hein.
Me: Oh. Diplomats, Corporates, vagera...
VR: Haan. Five star hein na.
Me: Achaa yeh bathaayiye yeh 5 star aur 4 star mein kya phark hotha hein?
VR: Woh tho service aur comfort ke hisab se hotha hein. Rooms vagera.
Me: Mein food ke bhaare mein puch rahaa hoon. Kya alag hotha hein 5 star aur 4 star mein?
VR: Aisa tho nahin.
Me: Aap chaay vagera bhi banaathe hein naa?
VR: Uskeliye alag se pantry section hothe hein.
Me: Phir kithna hotha hein ek tea keliye :-)
VR: He smiles.
Me: 150 Rs hotha hein kya?
VR:
Me: tik hein.

Me: Aapke number dhe dhijiye. :-)

He provides me his number.

Me: Mein bulaaunga aapko. Abhi tho switched off hein naa?
VR: Haan.


Me: Aap BTM mein rahthe hein kya?
VR: Nahin wahin Leela mein he.
Me: Tho kuch saamaan gareedhne gaye the BTM?
VR: Haan..
VR: Mera kaam subah 11 se 3 tak aur phir 8 se 11:30 tak hein.
Me: Oh. Tho 3 baje ke baadh?
VR: ROom jaa saktha hoon.
Me: Oh lunch aur dinner banaane ka time.
VR: Haan.

Soon I reach my stop.

Me: Tik hein Rana ji. Milthe hei kabhi. Jab kabhi mein Leela mein aaya tho. :-)
VR: Tik hein. Milthe hein.
Me: Phone karoonga mein.
VR: Tik hein. lekin kaam ke vakth mobile mana kein. Security le lethe hein mobile.
Me: Oh. phir 3pm se 8pm thak to kar sakthe hein naa?
VR: Haan.
Me: Bye bye.

I give the money to the cab driver and get into the usual monotony with other tag worn Software colleagues. But loads of memories and info from our non Software, interesting, professional chef friend with whom I had a sumptuous chat feast.