Hemant Oberoi, celebrity chef

Weekends hardly mean respite for me. In fact, I’m busier during the weekend as it’s usually the time when restaurants are packed. And this, for me, means being on my toes to ensure that every customer walks out with a smile. But it’s not as hard as it may seem. It keeps me going despite the sweat.

I travel extensively and whether I’m in India or abroad, it’s the same story. For instance, a few weeks ago, I was in London. My weekends were taken up with a busy work schedule — changing some items in the menu of our Bombay Brasserie restaurant. The only thing I could look forward to was again a work-related visit to the Fat Duck restaurant, though I did plan on visiting some new trendy outlets.

Usually, through the week, food trials, planning and conceptualising dishes keep me engaged. But I do try to reserve Sundays for some relaxation. My mornings are usually spent chilling at home, though by noon I start work again. What I regret though, is that I rarely get to spend time with my family.

When I am not abroad on a trip, most of my weekends these days, are spent on working on my next project. We’re in the process of opening a new chefs’ studio in Taj Mumbai. It’s an exciting project as it will be one of its kind, with state-of-the-art equipment like plasma screens, cooking demos and more. The food will be served in designer crockery: no less than Versace. Shaping this up is consuming most of my time on weekends. So, you see, weekend or weekday, it’s almost the same for me.