I, Mahesh Shukla along with my team delighted to extend a warm welcome to Gaurav Bathla, Executive Chef at the F&B division of ValueManage which proudly holds brands viz. Gypsy Chinese, Iwok & Boxeats.
Chef Gaurav, with an unwavering passion for culinary excellence and a wealth of experience in the culinary arts, brings a unique blend of creativity, expertise, and dedication to the table. His exceptional talent and innovative approach will undoubtedly elevate dining experiences to new heights at Gypsy.
As we welcome Chef Gaurav into the ValueManage family, we anticipate a transformative journey ahead, with delicious gastronomic adventures in addition to our signature menu. His expertise, combined with the enthusiasm of our talented team promises to result in an extraordinary culinary experience for our guests.
Best regards,
Mr Mahesh Shukla Managing Director, ValueManage
Biography: Mr Mahesh Shukla, MD - ValueManage
Every entrepreneurial journey has its ups and downs. My entrepreneurial journey is no exception. In 2005, the idea of outsourcing processes was in a nascent stage. Every organization was of the view that any process, be it core or non-core, they will build their own teams for better control and economies of scale. So initially it was hard to explain how outsourcing services could help them save costs. One of our first customers in the beginning was a large mortgage house. We worked on a long-term project for the health check of the documentation. Later Lehman Brothers and the meltdown happened. This meltdown had a profound effect on every organization’s approach towards managing their processes as well as teams. We started growing rapidly as an effect of this meltdown. We deal with reputed local banks and insurance companies. We are proud partners with Etisalat for SME products and services, we are partners with Zoho and many other technology companies. We have grown into a managed services company and a sales organization. We as an SME One Stop Shop!
We ventured into F&B in 2011. Now we own 3 brands – Gypsy Chinese, Iwok & Boxeats. We have 4 physical outlets and 9 virtual outlets. Gypsy Chinese has been one of the most revered brands in IndoChinese cuisine for 40+ years. We are on an expansion spree now and looking at UAE as well as regional markets such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and global markets viz. United States of America to open casual and fine dining restaurants. We have also received a lot of interest from investors in the UAE to obtain the franchise of our flagship brand Gypsy Chinese. Sensing the opportunity, we are reviewing a few of the proposals for franchise operations in UAE & Saudi Arabia. The journey so far has been extremely rewarding. Our learning curve has been consistently growing since then.
Biography: Gaurav Bathla, Executive Chef
It has taken precocious new Executive Chef just over a decade to achieve the kind of culinary success that most chefs take their entire careers to achieve. Known for its boundary-pushing, modern Indian comfort food dishes, the forward-thinking restaurant group wanted a young and innovative chef to take charge of Gypsy’s culinary vision. Step forward master of flavours Gaurav Bathla, an Indian-born chef who will be responsible for overhauling the menu.
He says, “My love of cooking comes straight from my mother’s kitchen where, even as a kid, I used to relish helping her with the smallest of tasks. My passion started to grow at that first moment and has been growing ever since.”
Born in Bengaluru, Gaurav gained a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management at Christ College before quickly nabbing his first role as a Kitchen Executive at The Park Hotel in his home city. He remained there for two years, absorbing the secrets of a well-run establishment before moving up to Kitchen Executive to Junior Sous and Sous Chef posts at Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore and Sofitel Mumbai over the next few years.
In 2017, his budding talent caught the attention of the team at Sofitel Hotel Zallaq Thallasa Sea and Spa Bahrain who asked him to join the team as Senior Sous Chef. This was Gaurav’s first taste of cooking for an international audience and overseeing a team of sous chefs underneath him. It was here he became known to Farzi Cafe in Kuwait City and wowed Kuwaiti locals with the restaurant’s contemporary take on traditional Indian dishes.
Experimenting with innovative flavours and presentations, constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional and contemporary cuisine. Chef Gaurav had the privilege of working with a team of talented chefs and professionals at a massive restaurant ( Farzi Cafe) who shared the same zeal for culinary excellence.
As the Chef embarked on the next chapter of his culinary career, he made the transition to Gypsy Chinese, an Indo-Chinese cuisine restaurant that has its unique charm and character. This move has been a delightful journey where he continues to expand his horizons and explore the diverse and vibrant world of Indo-Chinese cuisine.
At Gypsy Chinese, Chef Gaurav has the opportunity to blend his knowledge from Farzi Cafe with the rich culinary traditions of Indo-Chinese cuisine.