Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata Appoints Prasanta Nandi as Director of Food & Beverage

Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata Appoints Prasanta Nandi as Director of Food & Beverage

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 30, 2026

Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata and Ozone Convention Center have announced the appointment of Prasanta Nandi as the new Director of Food & Beverage. With more than 15 years of experience across luxury and upper-upscale hospitality brands, Prasanta brings extensive expertise in operational excellence, guest experience, commercial performance, and strategic Food & Beverage leadership.

Prasanta started his hospitality journey in operations, building hands-on experience across guest service, restaurant operations, bars, banqueting, and outdoor catering. This operational foundation continues to influence his leadership approach, giving him a balanced understanding of both guest-facing experiences and backend management.

Over the years, he has worked with some of the hospitality industry’s leading brands including Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood, and The Leela Group. His professional experience spans restaurant management, beverage operations, large-format banqueting, outdoor catering, sales strategy, and departmental leadership.

Before joining Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata, Prasanta served as Director of Food & Beverage at Hyatt Centric Ballygunge Kolkata, where he managed the hotel’s restaurants, bars, banquets, and overall dining strategy. During his tenure, several of the hotel’s dining concepts received industry recognition. Cal-On and YAYAvar were honoured at the Times of India Food and Nightlife Awards in 2025 and 2026 respectively, while YAYAvar also received recognition at the Telegraph Food Awards 2026.

Cal-On further earned accolades including Best Microbrewery/Taproom in the People’s Choice category by 30 Best Bars and ET F&B Leaders East, along with recognition from the NDTV Food Awards and The Economic Times Restaurant and Nightlife Awards in 2025.

Throughout his career, Prasanta has led multi-outlet Food & Beverage operations, managed large-scale banqueting and high-profile events, improved operational efficiencies, and delivered strong commercial performance. His contributions have also been recognised with awards including the BW Hotelier National Zone Winner – Head of F&B 2024–25 and the F&B Manager Award by IHC London and IIHM in 2023.

Outside of work, Prasanta enjoys travelling across rural India, where he draws inspiration from regional cuisines, local cultures, and culinary traditions. He believes hospitality is shaped through meaningful human connections, storytelling, and memorable food experiences alongside operational excellence.

In his new role, Prasanta will focus on strengthening the Food & Beverage offerings at Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata through enhanced guest experiences, operational consistency, market-relevant dining concepts, and improved commercial performance. His vision is to position the hotel as a dependable and approachable dining destination for both hotel guests and the local Kolkata audience.

At Ozone Convention Center, he will work towards strengthening the venue’s positioning as a preferred destination for weddings, conferences, corporate events, and social celebrations. Leveraging his expertise in large-scale banqueting and event management, he aims to create seamless and memorable experiences through thoughtful planning and personalised service.

“We are delighted to welcome Prasanta Nandi to Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata and Ozone Convention Center. His extensive experience across leading hospitality brands, combined with his strong operational expertise and progressive approach towards Food & Beverage, will further strengthen our dining and events landscape. We are confident that his leadership will bring fresh perspectives, elevate guest experiences, and contribute significantly towards positioning Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata and Ozone Convention Center as preferred destinations for both dining and celebrations in the city,” said Somrup Chanda, General Manager, Fairfield by Marriott Kolkata and Ozone Convention Centre.


Ravi Patil Appointed Director of Engineering at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

Ravi Patil Appointed Director of Engineering at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 19, 2026

JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar has appointed Ravi Patil as Director of Engineering, strengthening its leadership team with a focus on operational excellence, sustainability and infrastructure management. With over 16 years of experience across luxury hospitality, Patil will oversee the property's engineering operations, technical services, asset management and infrastructure development.

In his new role, Patil will focus on improving operational efficiency, strengthening preventive maintenance practices, advancing sustainability initiatives and ensuring the long-term performance of the property's infrastructure. He will also be responsible for supporting the smooth functioning of the hotel's technical operations.

Before joining JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, Patil served as Director of Engineering at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. He has also held engineering leadership positions with Marriott International across Mumbai and Pune. His international hospitality experience includes roles at Fairmont Dubai and Fairmont Hamilton Princess in Bermuda.

Known for his attention to detail and problem-solving skills, Patil has led engineering teams and managed maintenance, refurbishment and infrastructure initiatives. His work has focused on improving reliability, maintaining safety standards, enhancing energy efficiency and optimising resource use.

Speaking about his appointment, Ravi Patil said, "Engineering in hospitality is about creating systems that are reliable, efficient and sustainable, while ensuring they work seamlessly in the background to support the guest experience. I look forward to bringing this approach to JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar and working with the team to further strengthen its operational and engineering standards."


Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa Appoints Ramkumar Arumugam as Chief Engineer

Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa Appoints Ramkumar Arumugam as Chief Engineer

By Hariharan U

Published on October 19, 2026

Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa has appointed Ramkumar Arumugam as Chief Engineer, strengthening its engineering leadership with a professional who brings over 18 years of experience across hospitality, engineering, operations and maintenance.

Ramkumar has worked with several hospitality brands during his career, including Taj Deccan Hyderabad, Courtyard by Marriott Bhopal, Four Points by Sheraton Chennai OMR, Park Plaza Chennai OMR, ITC Fortune Select Palms Chennai OMR and Marriott Whitefield Bengaluru. His experience also includes pre-opening assignments and project work with Marriott hotels.

Focus on Engineering and Operational Efficiency

In his new role, Ramkumar will oversee the resort's engineering operations, focusing on the reliable functioning of hotel facilities, preventive maintenance, energy management and cost control.

His responsibilities will include supporting the upkeep of engineering infrastructure, managing equipment performance and ensuring that essential systems operate efficiently. His previous experience spans preventive maintenance planning, energy-cost reduction, budgeting and coordination with different hotel departments.

These functions play an important role in maintaining operational continuity across a hospitality property, supporting both guest comfort and the day-to-day requirements of hotel associates.

Building on 18 Years of Hospitality Experience

Ramkumar's career across multiple hotel brands and assignments brings experience in engineering operations within different property environments. His exposure to pre-opening projects also adds to his understanding of the technical planning and coordination required to establish and maintain hotel facilities.

At Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, he will focus on engineering efficiency, reliable services and operational excellence, supporting the resort's broader objective of delivering a seamless experience for guests and associates.

His appointment marks another milestone in a career built around hospitality engineering, maintenance and operational management.


Chef Thirumal Mohan Leads Culinary Operations at Lemon Tree Hotel Whitefield

Chef Thirumal Mohan Leads Culinary Operations at Lemon Tree Hotel Whitefield

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 17, 2026

Lemon Tree Hotel Whitefield, Bengaluru, is strengthening its culinary offerings under the leadership of Executive Chef Thirumal Mohan, who brings extensive experience across luxury hospitality, regional Indian cuisine, banquet operations, convention centres and airline catering. Known for his expertise in South Indian specialities and regional culinary traditions, he oversees the hotel's culinary operations, menu development, food quality and kitchen management.

Chef Thirumal Mohan has previously served as Head Chef at Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar and Chef de Cuisine at The Leela Bhartiya City, Bengaluru, where he handled convention centre and banquet operations. His professional journey also includes culinary roles at Marriott Whitefield, Bengaluru, Aloft Bengaluru and LSG Sky Chefs, where he supported Lufthansa's airline catering operations in Bengaluru.

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Over the years, he has developed expertise in culinary team leadership, menu planning, maintaining food quality and consistency, and creating dining experiences for diverse guest segments. His experience across hotel restaurants, large-scale events, banquets and airline catering has given him a broad understanding of kitchen operations and the changing expectations of the hospitality industry.

A key part of Chef Thirumal Mohan's career has been his participation in food festivals celebrating South Indian and regional Indian cuisines. Through these initiatives, he has showcased traditional ingredients, authentic cooking techniques and distinctive regional flavours to guests across India and international destinations.

His culinary festival portfolio includes a South Indian Cuisine Festival at Fairfield by Marriott, Kathmandu, Nepal, and a food festival at Courtyard by Marriott, Kathmandu, both in 2018. In 2017, he participated in the Karnataka Cuisine – Flavours of the Coast festival at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Powai, and a South Indian Cuisine Festival at Goa Marriott Resort and Spa.

In 2016, his engagements included a Kerala Cuisine Onam Festival at Marriott Bengaluru, a Karnataka Cuisine Festival at Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar, and a Tamil Nadu cuisine showcase at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurugram. His earlier initiatives featured South Indian cuisine at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu in 2015, a Karnataka-themed Indian Culinary Route at Marriott Bengaluru, and a Chettinad Cuisine festival at the same hotel.

His regional cuisine showcases also took him to Courtyard by Marriott, Bilaspur, and Aloft Bengaluru, where he presented South Indian food festivals in 2014 and 2012, respectively. In 2011, he showcased South Indian cuisine in Belgium through an initiative associated with Lufthansa German Airlines.

At Lemon Tree Hotel Whitefield, Bengaluru, Chef Thirumal Mohan brings together his knowledge of regional cuisines, menu innovation and operational management to strengthen the hotel's food and beverage offerings. His experience in South Indian specialities, supported by his background in large-scale kitchen operations and international culinary showcases, contributes to a dining approach that balances regional authenticity, consistent food quality and contemporary guest expectations.

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