Chef Paul Fernandes
Faculty, Chef
Following his dream, Paul Fernandes started his career in the kitchens of Taj Intercontinental in Colaba, steadily moving up the ladder to the top, filling roles that offered him a wide range of skills. He has worked with major luxury cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International, and also garnered experience with shore operations at Sandalwood Hotels, Acacia Palms and Taj Hotels. To round out his skills, he studied management at leading institutes in Austria and Miami before moving on to sharing his experience as a recruiter and trainer at culinary institutes.
Chef Playton Dias
Faculty, Bakery & Pastry
Chef Playton Dias is a master of cuisine and an expert in efficiency. With over 18 years of culinary experience, Chef Playton has established himself as an exceptional bakery and pastry chef. He has been passionate about culinary arts since a young age and has honed his skills over the years, turning himself into a highly skilled, efficient and detail-oriented individual.
With a desire to make the industry more gastronomical, Chef Playton Dias utilized his time off to train young chefs in the art of preparing delectable meals....
Chef Sayed Sameer
Faculty, Bakery & Pastry
Sayed Sameer is a seasoned bakery and pastry chef with over 15 years of rich experience in food and beverage operations, specializing in bakery production and team management. He is currently working as a Pastry Junior Sous Chef with Carnival Cruises and has previously held leadership roles at Le Canapé Bakery, TajSats, Qatar Airways Catering, and other prestigious establishments. His expertise spans across kitchen operations, recipe standardization, quality control, and training. He is also a certified professional in food safety and fire safety, with international exposure and experience in cruise lines, hotels, and educational institutions.
Chef Pratiksha Dessai
Faculty, Chef
Pratiksha Dessai is a seasoned chef with 4 years of experience working in international five-star hotels and 7 years of teaching Food Production at hotel management institutes. With a strong academic background in Hotel and Tourism Management, Pratiksha is known for her systematic and organized approach, excellent teamwork, and time management skills. She is passionate about upgrading her culinary skills through ongoing education and industry engagement. Her career spans roles as a chef and lecturer, demonstrating her dedication to both the culinary arts and education.
Chef Ashley N. J. Furtado
Faculty, Hot Kitchen
Ashley N. J. Furtado is an accomplished culinary professional with over 12 years of experience across leading cruise lines and luxury hotels. He brings hands-on expertise in food production, kitchen operations, hygiene standards, and international cuisines. Ashley has worked with Saga, TUI, and P&O Cruises, as well as The Leela and Hyatt. His strengths include staff training, menu planning, and compliance with global culinary standards. A graduate in Hotel Management, he also holds UK Level 2 & 3 certifications in food safety and is passionate about mentoring future hospitality professionals.
Berlina Dias
Faculty, English Communication
Berlina Dias is a highly driven and motivated professional who combines her international experience in client relations, training and coaching to provide students with holistic language development. With 15+ years of experience in offering world-class customer service, Berlina has proven herself to be an exceptional professional. Her people skills, dedication, and patience enables her to bring hands-on, real world experience in language, administration and technology to the table....
