BEHIND THESE SUCCESSFUL CHEFS STAND WOMEN

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING IN MOST ORGANISATIONS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. SHATTERING IT IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY LIKE FOOD AND BEVERAGE IS RESERVED FOR A SELECT FEW. THESE HOSPITALITY HOTSHOTS HAVE MADE THEIR MARK WITH PERSONAL DRIVE, CHARISMA, CREATIVITY, INITIATIVE, INNOVATION AND ONE MORE INGREDIENT TERRIFIC TEAMS. THEY SHARE THEIR JOURNEY, INSPIRATION AND THE INTEGRAL ROLE THEIR CHEFS PLAY WITH HELLO!

- PRIYA PATHIYAN

PANCHALI MAHENDRA 

From Mohalla in the UAE to Inja in New Delhi, the entrepreneur balances her soaring ambitions with moments for sketching, table tennis and leisurely walks with her husband

In November 2008, when terrorists attacked several spots across South Mumbai, the world stopped to commiserate. Those who survived after witnessing the carnage first-hand suffered long after the terror unfolded. A young Panchali Mahendra was working at The Oberoi, Mumbai, at the time that the gunmen stormed the hotel, threatening guests and employees and shooting indiscriminately. The atmosphere of abject terror and the sights were what the worst nightmares are made of. "It took a toll on my mental health. After trying to continue there for six months, I decided I had to move away and took up a job in Gurugram," she admits.

But, Panchali, a sturdy sportswoman with Bihari blood, who had grown up in Hyderabad and Lucknow, was made of sterner stuff. As a day scholar at La Martiniere College, Lucknow, she had played basketball for India, ran relay races at the national level and participated in table tennis at the state level. Additionally, she showcased her skills in high jumps, javelin and triple jumps. Now, she dug deep, channelling that inner determination into her career.

OBSTACLES HAVE PROPELLED HER HIGHER

Be it the terrorist attacks or setbacks on the personal front when she moved to Dubai in 2012, Panchali treated each hurdle as a stepping stone which helped her achieve greater heights. Her strength comes from strong family ties. She fondly speaks of her late parents — her father, a real estate professional, and her mother, an eminent educationist specialising in counselling and admissions. Smilingly, she mentions her husband of nine years, an ex-US Military sniper now training the UAE armed forces.