Gaurav Gupta’s career runs through some of the toughest training grounds in Indian and Southeast Asian hospitality Taj Hotels, The Leela, Indian Accent, and a string of Michelin-recognised kitchens in Bangkok before landing him as Executive Chef of JHOL Kuala Lumpur, a three-concept coastal Indian property under Clifftop Group Asia. We asked him what that path actually looked like from the inside, and what it takes to lead a kitchen that now draws on three countries’ worth of experience.
You’ve worked across some very different kitchen cultures India, Thailand, now Malaysia. What carries over, and what doesn’t?
Working in India, Thailand and Malaysia exposed me to different cultures, techniques and leadership styles. It broadened my perspective, but it also sharpened my own culinary identity. What carries over is discipline; the fundamentals don’t change from country to country. What changes is how you communicate them to a team that might be Thai, French, Lebanese or Japanese in the same kitchen on the same night.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about building a career in fine dining?
That great cooking is about creativity alone. In reality, creativity comes after you’ve mastered the fundamentals. The small things you do every day, your discipline, your consistency, your willingness to keep learning are what actually define you as a chef. Nobody hands you creative license before you’ve earned it.
You now run a kitchen that feeds a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a shisha lounge under one roof at JHOL Kuala Lumpur. How does that change how you lead?
It means mentorship becomes part of your daily role, not a separate task you get to when there’s time. From showing junior chefs how to balance spices to grooming the next generation of leaders, you’re training people for more than one guest experience at once. Running a kitchen like that takes empathy and communication as much as technical skill the ability to keep a team performing consistently under pressure, across formats.
Any advice for young chefs trying to build an international career the way you have?
Build a strong foundation before you chase trends. India’s culinary heritage alone offers a lifetime of learning to understand your regional traditions before you try to reinterpret them. And be patient. Culinary careers aren’t built overnight. Every service, every mistake, every mentor becomes part of your education, whether you notice it at the time or not.
What’s next for you?
This summer I’m travelling through Goa, Coorg, Madurai, Kerala and Kolkata to study coastal cooking traditions firsthand from Coorg’s Pandi Curry to Madurai’s dosa-making techniques. It’ll shape our next seasonal menu at JHOL. For me, every new menu should begin with a journey, not a cookbook.
