Celebrity Chef Suresh Pillai Recalls His Rough Journey, Reveals He Once Earned Rs 450

Chef and restaurateur Suresh Pillai’s life is nothing short of a rags-to-riches story. The celebrated chef was born in Thekkumbhagam in Kerala to a family of coir labourers. He did not let the circumstances of his birth stop him as he went on to excel in life. Today, he is the co-owner of RCP Hospitality which runs a number of high-end restaurants in India and around the world. On Tuesday, the famous chef shared a wholesome story of how he got his first real job that sparked his curiosity towards cooking and hospitality.

Suresh Pillai spoke about Mr Mani who hired him at his restaurant Chef King in Kollam’s Jerome Nagar. At the time, Suresh Pillai was just 17 years old and in desperate need of a stable job. He had previously worked as a security guard and at a small tea shop. He recalled his first meeting with Mr Mani and wrote, “Wearing my worn-out slippers and a weak smile plastered to my face, I walked up to the reception to ask for a job, ANY job for that matter.” Mr Mani hired him at the spot with a monthly salary of ₹450! Suresh Pillai would later realise that “there was actually was never a vacancy” and Mr Mani hired him “out of the concern and care he had for a young boy.” It was at Chef King that Suresh Pillai learned how a restaurant kitchen operates.

Earlier this month Suresh Pillai opened his restaurant Sanchari in Palakkad. He invited Mr Mani to the opening ceremony. This time, he asked Mr Mani if he would join them as he had retired from his restaurant. Mr Mani said yes and joined as Sanchari’s Public Relations Manager.

This heartening post got over 59,000 views since it was shared on June 9. An X user commented, “Very heartwarming. Wishing you enormous success. With these values, you’ll never lose your way in life. Sri Rama Jayam.”

Another person wrote, “Wow. You remember the person who held his hand for you to climb up to the sky. That is why you’re successful. Be humble and kind and please lend your hand too to someone who is really in need. Best of luck.”

Someone else commented, “Love how Chef Suresh Pillai remembers the people who were instrumental in his journey as a chef and holds them close. And how he has kept being the ‘Mani sir’ in other people’s lives when he is in a position of power. Everybody needs just one chance to prove themselves.”

Over the years, chef Suresh Pillai has worked at places like The Leela Palace, Kumarakom Lake Resort, and UK’s Veeraswamy. In 2021, he founded RCP Hospitality and worked there full-time.