Exclusive - Laughter Chef' fame Harpal Singh Sokhi on his journey: I wanted a career where I could earn quickly and support my family

Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi says that the field of hotel management initially attracted him because he knew he could get a job right after completing the course. However, he fell in love with it within months.“I agree that a career path is not always planned. Many times, it comes to you in a different format than expected, and you end up doing something you never thought you would. In my case, I wasn’t really prepared for hotel management. Honestly, being born and brought up in a place like Kharagpur — known for IIT, the railways, and the air force — one usually plans a career in those streams, especially as a boy. But being the youngest, my elder brother suggested, ‘Why don't you take a skill development course that gives you immediate employability and luck?’By chance, one of our neighbours had done hotel management and was immediately employed after graduating from the Calcutta School of Hotel Management.

That struck us as a course with good job prospects, and that led me to choose hotel management as a career.”He adds, “Honestly, I had no clue what hotel management was all about. I had never stepped into a five-star hotel until I was 18 or 19 years old. I didn’t know what a hotel looked like, what subjects were taught, or the terminology used for the various roles within a hotel. I discovered all of that only after joining the course.

I started studying, and that’s how my journey in hotel management and the hospitality industry began.

”Ask him if there was any other motivation, and he says, “Actually, nothing else really motivated me. My only goal was to choose a course that would quickly get me a job so I could support my family. That’s why I chose hotel management. But within the first three to four months, I felt a deep connection with the career of being a chef.

That’s when I decided this was what I wanted to do. Even though I faced a lot of external pressures and family expectations, it was clear to me that I wanted to become a chef.

I stuck with hotel management to achieve that goal, and I’ve never looked back.”He adds that he has always relied on meditation and connecting with the Almighty to solve his problems — even at the start of his career.“For me, honestly, there wasn’t much guidance or ideation from family or friends. I’ve always believed in God. Even today, when I’m stuck, I take a step back, meditate, engage in soul-searching, and speak to God, asking Him for the right answers. Believe me, I’ve always received the right guidance from the Almighty. I’m very grateful that whatever I am today is because of this simple process — when life becomes indecisive and you’re unsure of what to do, step back, pray, and talk to God.

You’ll get the answer,” he says.