Amirul Mandal

Find your Venue of Opportunity

“A stroke of luck may or may not present itself to us – so, we should not depend on it.  Instead, find your own venue of opportunity and apply the maximum hard work.  If it doesn’t pay off as expected, do not stop, instead, move to another venue.”

In July 2012, Amirul Mandal joined QSS as a Cook for our university cash sales operations  at the Qatar Foundation. 

In November 2015, a year after the project at Qatar Foundation was completed, Amirul was transferred to our catering project at the Ministry of Interior. It was here that Amirul demonstrated his capacity for large-scale food production and learned to manage waste and control the cost by strict monitoring of the consumption of raw materials. As a result of this significant advancement in his profession, he was promoted to Senior Cook in July 2017.  It didn’t take long and again, he moved up to a Head Chef level.    

How was your life back home?

Because of the long-standing financial difficulties in our family, I was unable to pursue higher education. I had my parents and three younger brothers living with me in a very small house. The quality of life was anything but comfortable.

What was your driving force to leave your country and work abroad?

Being the eldest son, I had to shoulder significant responsibilities.  Unfortunately, higher education could not become a key to a new door of opportunity due to financial struggle.

As a result, I moved out of school and took a job as an Assistant Cook. But my job was not enough to give my family a comfortable life.  So, I made the decision to travel abroad, gain valuable experience, and build my career so that I could improve both myself and my family's situation.

I moved to Oman and worked as a Cook for two years.

How did you land a job in Qatar Star Services (QSS)

I stumbled onto a newspaper ad while looking for career opportunities in the Middle East. Qatar Star Services was hiring cooks. I went to the G GHEEWALA Consultancy office for the interview.  Luckily, I passed and was selected.

What are the lessons you learned from life’s transition?

I realized that you must move forward and seek for possibilities in life. To bring about change, you must endure going out of your comfort zone.  If you wish to improve your life financially, you need a higher income.

Not everything in life will be fair. You will not always be lucky enough to be provided with an opportunity.  So, as soon as it comes, grab it and value it.

How did QSS change your life?

I began my journey in QSS as a cook in a project for Qatar Foundation. The pressure was high because it was crucial for the company to mobilize impeccably. I was fortunate to be a part of a team comprised of seasoned Chefs who helped me develop and refine my culinary skills. I also developed a solid awareness of the value of food safety throughout this time. I must admit that the level of food safety and hygiene I was familiar with prior to moving to Qatar was not even close to 10% of what I discovered while working on the QF catering project. 

After the project was completed, I was transferred to a new project at the Ministry of Interior to oversee the production of an average of 5000 man-days per day. That was the biggest turning point in my career.  My professional growth and character development were immense that I became a Chef, and a leader, more than just a hands-on Cook in the kitchen.

QSS did not just open my eyes to a rewarding career path, but also, aided me financially in order to fulfill some goals that were put off due to the lack of good opportunity.  I finally had the resource to get our small house renovated so that we could all fit in comfortably. I was able to build a new house where my wife and children currently reside. I helped two of my brothers with their dream wedding expenses and presently, I am still able to support the educational expenses of our youngest brother.

What lessons can you impart to others who are striving to establish their own success story?

We cannot just rely on luck.  We have to find our way to go somewhere.  Consider every opportunity as a “dream opportunity” and work hard to enrich it. If it works, keep on upgrading – never slide back.  If it doesn’t, move and find another venue where another opportunity may be waiting.

QSS was the venue of opportunity I found. QSS opened the door of a paradigm shift for me – the job which I have always been passionate about, the promotion, and the opportunity for knowledge and training. Our aim should be to make the most of the opportunities provided by QSS and utilize them in the right manner to enhance our professional and personal lives.

WHAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE YOU TO KEEP AIMING FOR A BETTER LIFE?

Simply put my desire to keep learning and growing professionally.