Consulting Team
Contact
+919739243344
contact@kratoshospitality.com
Subroto Banerjee
Founder & Principal Consultant
Subroto has worked for some of the industry’s leading International brands and has with more than three decades of hospitality industry experience in India and abroad.His hospitality career started with major hotel brands in India and abroad including Oberoi`s and Hyatt Regency. He later moved to Oman and joined the Al Bustan Palace Intercontinental, presently the Ritz Carlton, Muscat, one of world`s finest hotels.
In an entrepreneur role, he had started and managed a chain of high-end speciality restaurants and Boat Cruises in Oman with a member of the Ruling family of Oman for a decade.Upon returning to India, he took on senior management roles in a several prestigious hospitality projects. He held General management positions with Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Marriott hotels), & with Movenpick Hotels & Resorts (Accor Hotels) amongst others.
His core strengths have been specialization in Food & Beverage. He also possesses sound pre –opening experience with 5-star International hotels. He is active with charitable organizations in the community. He is deeply concerned about environmental issues and advocates eco practices.Enjoys cricket, reading, tennis, traveling, and photography. He brings his dedication of ethics, and sincerity to both his work and personal life.
Professional & Other
Alumnus of Institute of Hotel Management Catering & Nutrition, Pusa,New Delhi
Diploma in Food Canning & Preservation. IHM, Pusa, New Delhi
Bachelor of Science from Delhi University.
A dedicated professional who believes in delivering value for money !
Member – SKAL, FHRAI, HRNAI, HPMF
Arun Agarwal
Principal Consultant & Senior Advisor
Arun K Agarwal is an industry stalwart and a highly respected professional in the hospitality industry around the world. He worked in senior capacities( Executive Chef, F& B Manager, General Manager and Vice President) with renowned hotels like O’Hare Marriott, Chicago, Khuraise Marriott, Riad, Saudi Arabia, The Oberoi Intercontinental (now The Oberoi), New Delhi, the Oberoi Sheraton (now The Oberoi), Mumbai, Chola Sheraton Chennai, ITC Maurya Sheraton, Delhi, London Hilton, London. Hotel Siddharth Continental (now Vasant continental), New Delhi. He has also spent considerable time in strengthening Training Institutions namely the Oberoi School of Hotel Management (now The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development) and Welcomgroup Management Institute and has developed more than 2000 successful professional Managers, Chefs and Housekeepers, who are currently working in very senior positions in renowned organizations around the world.
He has been closely involved in starting of Novotel Hotels in India while with Oberoi Hotels and opening of large hotels in Mumbai and Kolkata with ITC Hotels and opening of Siddharth Continental, New Delhi.
He has expertise in Service Management and Change Management and has been closely associated with Ministry of Tourism and National Council for Hotel Management for over 20 years. At Oberoi Hotels, he was instrumental in bringing about organizational changes along with international consultants, McKinsey & Company
He also lectures widely and has personally delivered more than 3500 sessions worldwide. He has authored well known self improvement books. He is known for his easy to use concepts and effective delivery style.
After his stint with ITC Hotels as Vice President Learning Institutes, in early 2004, he has started his own consulting firm called “Hibiscus Consult”.
In his capacity as consultant he gives professional advice to owners to establish new Hotels, Resorts Restaurants and Training Institutions etc, He also takes Facilities Planning projects for hotel Chains. As a trainer he has done Management Development for Park Hotels for two years, Effectiveness Workshops with senior managers, Leela Hotels and provided Effectiveness Training to employees at all Levels of Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Delhi, to make them more responsive to patients needs for one year. He was also Chief Mentor, Future Business School, Kolkata, for one year.
He is also a Director with Ventures Hospitality Bangalore running Olde Bangalore Resorts and Conventions and Advisor Academic Affairs with Indian School of Hospitality.
Rajesh Madan
Principal Consultant & Senior Advisor
Rajesh Madan is a highly passionate professional in the hospitality industry for almost forty years. He has worked with international hotel groups and independent hospitality project owners in United States of America, Africa, Bahrain, Oman, United Arab Emirates and India. He has opened, operated and conceptualized successful hotels, theme restaurants, clubs and bars in different countries.
The focus will be on building local relationships keeping Global trends in mind being a hospitality industry expert.
Late 1970`s Hospitality journey begins in ITT Sheraton in New Delhi, India.
Gained international exposure at Trust house Forte Diplomat (Radisson) Bahrain.
Opened and operated ITT Sheraton in Oman and Uganda.
Started and operated two Beach resorts in Goa, India. (Leela Beach Resort and Ramada Renaissance Beach Resort)
Created 49ers Gold Rush in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Created the first Rock Bottom Café which became an institution in Dubai.
Stayin Alive, created the first 1970’s theme club in UAE which was launched in Dubai.
Brokers Bar – created the first stock exchange themed bar in UAE.
Genghis Khan – a fresh new Mongolian Barbeque restaurant was created in Dubai.
New York Deli – create the first all day internet café in Dubai.
Pacific Grill – created an exciting seafood bar and grill with a breath-taking view of the pier in downtown New York City.
Nanking – created a unique Chinese and Thai restaurant in New York and New Jersey.
Moved to India and started working with Starwood Group of Hotels as General Manager and Vice President.
Became part of the opening and operating family brand Imperfecto – Informal dining in New Delhi and NCR in India.
Joined Peninsula Hospitality Dubai as Group General Manager to structure the family business
spread across UAE and India.
Chef Gautam Mehrishi
Principal Consultant & Culinary Expert
Professional Path Of The Chef!
Chef Gautam Mehrishi has become a household name with his endeavours on television, he is a true exponent of the fine art of food preparation and has specialized in Indian Culinary arts.
Hailing from a family of doctors who served in the Indian army, and shifted base every few years, his family background is reflected in his calm confidence and discipline. No matter how much they moved, the family maintained a tradition of eating their meals together. Chef Gautam fondly remembers sitting around the dining table and sharing hot meals cooked by the Maharaj. His adventurous streak was evident even then! Inspired by the food he ate; he would experiment in the kitchen late at night once the whole family was asleep. Though he came from a vegetarian family, he even cooked and ate non-vegetarian food. From his family, he also inherited a love for travel. This adventurous chef goes on long excursions on his bike; he enjoys exploring the Himalayas. It was his grandfather who supported his passion and urged him to cook professionally. Now he has over 18 years of experience in the industry and has worked with several big names in the business.
Chef Gautam is a well-known face in Indian Television for the various cookery shows he conducts. He is indeed a true celebrity and a household name.
Established The First Chocolateria Chain In The Country By The Name Of “San Churros”, An Australian Chain Having A Pan India Presence.
Kitchen Magic
The World Of Vegetarianism
Food Ka Mood
CHEF ON WHEELS –This show is telecast on Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited’s new channel ‘Living Foodz’.
‘Chef on Wheels’ goes back to where our fruits and veggies originate and meet the people behind it while discovering the places and stories unknown. Chef Mehrishi is fond of going on long excursions on his bike in real life too, and he will bring this experience to the show.
In a nation of gourmets, food makes excellent content. Moreover, the culinary experience can be an adventure, a work of art, a profession or a hobby… the love for food can have innumerable manifestations. Your thirst for Foodtainment is about to be quenched with “Living Foodz” – the new destination for the best of food and entertainment.
AN EXCLUSIVE SHOW ON JAIN CUISINE – MOST POPULAR SHOW AWARD
JAIN JALSA-For the first time on Indian television a show dedicated to pure and authentic Jain cuisine. It has a rich history and heritage.
BEST BAKING SHOW AWARD
Bake Do Teen on Living Foodz
‘Bake Do Teen’, is not only breaking conventional norms of baking, but also breaking the myth that baking is a restrictive culinary art – you can bake without an oven or a microwave, and with everyday ingredients available in your kitchen and the local markets.
THE LANDMARK SHOW ON TECHINQUES IN THE KITCHEN
HOW SE WOK TAK
Preparing a flavoursome meal is now effortless, with the best of tips from our chef Gautam Mehrishi.
VOTED THE BEST REALTY SHOW-AFTERNOON CATEGORY
Chef Gautam Mehrishi is the celebrity chef judge of the immensely popular cookery reality show called “Kitchen Champion” aired on Colours, Viacom 18’s General entertainment channel.
The show has Ronit Roy as the host and famous Bollywood and Tollywood personalities competing on their culinary skills mentored and judged by Chef Gautam Mehrishi is a true professional and brings his talent and expertise as a Principal consultant & Culinary Expert.
Sumit Kant
Principal Consultant & Advisor
Sumit Kant is an award-winning passionate hotelier having 24 years of experience as General Manager / VP / COO in reputed Indian & International brands.
An alumnus of Institute of Hotel Management, Hyderabad and a graduate in science, he started his career with Taj Group of Hotels.
After 8 years of extensive exposure in Food & Beverage as departmental head, he joined the finest hotel of central India- Jehan Numa Palace Hotel, Bhopal as General Manager where he was actively involved in expansion plans of the hotel. He has extensive Pre- opening experience including under the brand Choice Hotels International and he had the privilege of launching the First Four Points by Sheraton Of India in Vashi. He later worked as General Manager, Le Royal Meridien, Chennai and Luxury Della Resorts, Lonavala. He was also the Chief Operating Officer, Centre Point Hotels & Resorts where he launched a boutique hotel at Navi Mumbai and the largest Art Cafe Lounge in Navi Mumbai. He was actively involved in launching an Industrial catering at Wardha.
He is a Certified Hotel administrator from American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. He was awarded General Manager of The Year by Starwood Hotels & Resorts and has also won the young Achiever’s award from AHPWI.
Vilina Sequeira
Consultant- HR & Talent Acquisition
Key Consulting Services
Senior Level Search & Recruitment
HR Strategy – SOP’s and HR Policies
HR Best Practises
Expertise
Vilina Sequeira is one of the acclaimed, much in demand Talent Acquisition leaders from the hospitality industry. She is armed with 16 years of recruitment experience, and has spent a whole of 12 years in the field of Hospitality.
Her acumen lies in finding the right candidate, for the preferred job at the exact time. This has helped her create a standout niche for herself. A skilled head hunter, she has the fore sense to be able to map out candidates and place them in suitable required job roles.
She is a recruiter than one can count on and who follows the much needed ethics of the recruitment industry.
She specialises in senior hiring, recruits candidates who make a difference to society and contribute to the upheaval of an organisation.
Background
Vilina is the Director and Founder of Docens Training and HR Consulting Pvt. Ltd in Bangalore, Karnataka. She was formerly the Senior HR Manager at Sourcebits, an app design and development corporate based out of Bangalore. She handled the entire HR life cycle at this organisation, right from the employee induction program to their exit from the company. She spearheaded the Learning & Development vertical for them and was also instrumental in implementing employee engagement programs.
Prior to her stint in the IT field, she was the Head of HR of the prominent 5 Star hotel “The Chancery Pavilion” in Bangalore. She played a vital role in perfecting the statutory compliances of the organization and also played a key role in nurturing internal talent by driving best practises and values across the establishment, in the process enabling employees to showcase their positive potential and talent whilst improving the standards of the hotel.
Vilina commenced her career with the hospitality sector with India’s iconic talent acquisition establishment, Ma Foi Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (now known as Randstad India). She incubated the Media, Entertainment and Hospitality line of business for the company, in the capacity of her role as a Regional Manager – South and when the time came to move on she exited as the Business Development Manager for India in the same vertical line.
Professional and Other
Vilina has completed her MBA at the prestigious Christ University, in Bangalore and has a degree of Human Resources to her credit. She pursued her Diploma in Industrial Relations through the Rajendra Prasad University of Mumbai / The Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan Institute. A graduate with a Bachelor of Arts from the Mount Carmel College she specialized in Industrial Psychology, Economics and English.
Her start up, Docens Consulting, has just but recently won the “Times Hospitality Icons 2019 Award” as the “Iconic F&B Recruitment Company” in the city.
She has been recognized by an online business magazine “The Bangalore Insider”, as one of the Woman Entrepreneur’s to look forward to in 2019 – 20.
She is associated with innumerable NGO’s in the city and incorporates the “Back to Society Movement” of the eminent “Soulbath Peace Foundation “.
Niteen Anantbhat
Consultant – Engineering Services
Hotel professional having over two decades of experience, result-oriented leader with proven track record in Engineering O&M, Project Management, Pre-opening, Renovations and MEP services.
Has headed the Engineering Departments of 5-star Hotels (International and National brands) like The Leela Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Ramada Renaissance, Accor Hotels, Lalit hotels and resorts etc.
Guided the growth & integration of all the Engineering operation functions.
Always ensured HLP & OPEX within hotel budget contributed effectively to the bottom line.
In depth knowledge of green measures, contribution towards reduction in atmospheric carbon footprints, compliance with brand standards, energy audits, FLS, HSE audits etc.
Project planning in coordination with contracts & design teams.
Can guide and assist implementation of energy conservation aligned with the budgeted financial targets.
Can direct preparation of property improvement plan (PIPs), renovations and guide energy savings by adopting new technology in high side and low side equipment installations, Green field projects etc.
Expertise in tendering contracting, awarding various MEP packages including their installation, testing, & commissioning.
Can help and assist in Green Globe Certification ,Installations of LEDs, Heat pumps, Dimmer panels, timers for exterior lighting ,water tap aerators, plastic bottle free initiative by installation of bottling plant , implementation of Bio-diesel ,VFDs for pumps, Interconnection of Energy saving device and FCU,Solar lights installation, Implementation of Solar & wind energy etc.
Hotel Pre-opening Engineering set up including re-commissioning of plant and machineries.