Why Tandoor Tina’s Trisha Henault will never lose her passion for cooking

How did you get into the hospitality industry?

Born and brought up in Delhi, India, in a household where every meal was full of surprises, infused with my mother´s love, started my love for food. My foray into the culinary world was not something I had planned on taking professionally, I was eyeing fashion design as my forte.

My passion to cook eventually took over and the stars aligned for me to clear the rigorous selection process of Oberoi´s programme for Kitchen Management. The stringent three-year training programme at Oberoi taught me to understand that perfection is in the details and perfection is the only entity.

I had the opportunity to handle shifts independently in various kitchen departments, from making wood-fired pizzas to preparing meals in the continental kitchen at night. In all of this, I was captivated by the love of all things pastry. I haven’t looked back since then, and all I’ve ever wanted to do is excel, no matter what challenges I face.

How did you end up where you are today?

After my stint at Oberoi, I joined the pastry kitchen at The Leela Palace in New Delhi, India as a commis. I had the honour of being nominated by The Leela chain of hotels’ corporate pastry chef to compete against seven other extremely talented femake pastry chefs from all over the country. Although I wasn’t the champion, I was the third runner-up, which opened my eyes to the world of competitions and motivated me to hone my skills even further.

In the wake of my experience in India, I got an opportunity to work in Dubai as demi chef de parties at Habtoor City. As a pastry chef with a passion for chocolate, I took advantage of an opportunity as the chocolatier at the Bvlgari Resort during its pre-opening period. As a result of my constant interaction with guests at Bvlgari Hotel, I was recognised multiple times for exceeding guest satisfaction.

It gave me purpose and joy in my work and I was nominated for the Marriott Awards of Excellence, representing the Bvlgari Resort, Dubai. After working there for three and a half years, I needed a new challenge, which led me to work as a pastry and chocolate head in a standalone restaurant. I am now the creative culinary director at Tandoor Tina and the executive pastry chef of 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central, where I continue to strive for excellence.

Have you had any mentors in your career so far?

Since childhood, my mother has been a source of inspiration for me. She worked hard to ensure that her daughter was given every chance to succeed. When I was a commis, chef Avijit Ghosh, who was the corporate pastry chef at Leela Hotels put his faith in my work. He inspired me to compete in the international contest Pastry Queen India.

Do you face any challenges in the new role?

Working on sustainability. It’s not a challenge I expect to face, but one I keep challenging myself with, about how to be my true sustainable self. It is always imperative to me that I keep sustainability in mind when I work. I consider different ways to reduce food waste and reuse the ingredients that we use in the kitchen every day.

Tell us how a normal day will go for you.

Each day I arrive at the hotel early, brief my team on their tasks for the day, and keep them updated on the activities taking place in one of the busiest hotels in town. Tandoor Tina is under my supervision, and I ensure everything runs smoothly at the restaurant and that the sweet desires of the guests are being fulfilled across the hotel.

Any advice to your fellow chefs?

It is not just a job, but a passion for me to work in hospitality. Passion is the key to success. Follow your calling and you will succeed.

What is your ultimate goal in hospitality?

I strive every day to provide guests with seamless experiences that make their visit enjoyable. I’m doing my part and embracing each day as it comes.