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ith a passion for food, a radiant smile and above all, self-determination to succeed in the male dominated world of the kitchen, Oryx Rotana’s executive sous-chef Monica Tungjungsari, is clearly making a name for herself. “What I want to prove to myself is that I can do even better than a man in this job. The famous chefs are always male, but if they can do it, why can’t I?” says the 29-year-old, taking a break from the kitchen to speak to Ohlala! Qatar. “At home it’s the mother that cooks, so I don’t see why it should be any different in the professional world,” Monica tells us defiantly.
Working in a male dominated world “Actually, we have a lot of women in the kitchen in Rotana, but most of them are men. I treat them with respect, so I get the respect back. When I first started they were looking at me thinking, ‘What can she do, she’s just a woman?’. After that I showed them that if they can carry a big pot, I can do the same. I don’t want special treatment because I’m a lady. That’s why, they opened their minds and thought, ‘Ok, she is like one of us’.” Monica also had the blessing and benefit of a strong female role model in that of her mother, who was always at the stove of the family catering business. She elaborates, “I always saw my mother busy preparing food and I knew this was for me. I told my parents that I wanted to study to be a chef, and then went on to complete my diploma in food production management at the Hotel and Tourism Institute in Bali.” On graduating, Monica worked for a year in a restaurant in Bali before getting a job at the Hilton, and then the Holiday Inn, both in the Maldives. “I enjoyed it but also knew it wasn’t for me in the long term. It is not healthy living a resort life in a remote place,” she tells us, “so I decided to move to Abu Dhabi, and got a job at the Anandara Resort. But I did not realise it’s almost the same because the location is in the desert far from the city. After a few months I decided I needed to go, and I started applying for jobs. I saw a post for a vacant position at this hotel, chef Rainer replied asking if I was interested in joining the hotel as chef de partie, but he then offered me a better position as sous chef. For me, if I move, it is either for position or salary. And now I’ve been here for two and a half years.” Monica explains the role: “A sous chef is in charge of an outlet, so I was the one who opened the Cellar and the Jazz Club, and now I am in charge of Choices, but recently Chef Rainer promoted me to be the executive sous chef, second to Chef Rainer.”
The best thing of all Aside from getting to taste delicious food, the best thing about it all, she admits, is that she doesn’t consider it a job. “It's more like I have a hobby making food for others,” Monica tells us, “being a chef I am doing what I love but also with the financial benefits of working in a professional kitchen at this level. “The other benefit of being a chef is that even if you cannot find a job, you can always use your skill to do something, like start a business. There is always a need for cooking and food.
“Working with the Rotana is something that I am really proud of. I’ve worked with several large chains of hotels but I feel that Rotana has a big heart in the way they deal with their team members. Working here also means I have a great opportunity to grow in my career. Several new properties will be launched in the next two to three years, which will open doors for me and for my colleagues to take on new challenges and develop ourselves.” Down time Monica likes to spend her day off with her husband, often going out and enjoying a meal “with the competition”. “Usually my husband will say ‘don’t start to complain, just eat it’. But I do always appreciate the food, whatever is on offer.”
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