Toddy goes global

Hemant Kishore has always loved his food. It is a little after graduation and dabbling with a sales and marketing job that he realised his passion lied in being in a kitchen, making what he loved. He didn’t wait. He got admitted to the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York, going away from India, from his home in Thiruvananthapuram, where he grew up. He got an Associate’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, worked in New York restaurants before opening up his own place in Las Vegas, and earning the title of six-pack chef.

“Last year, I decided to take the plunge and start my own restaurant. I leased a kitchen inside a sports bar to test the concept out. That concept is Toddy Shop. I was serving South Indian drinking food inside a smokey dive bar. It was the least expected place to find Indian food in Vegas,” says Hemant. He calls the place Toddy Shop by The6packchef.

Hemant narrates the six-pack tale. “Being a chef, I'm blessed to be around great food all the time. But the downfall is that when you are in the kitchen 16 hours a day, you don't eat the right food at the right time and barely have the time or energy to workout. This lifestyle took a toll on my health adversely, I gained a lot of weight and my blood levels were off the charts.”

And being physically unhealthy has effects on your moods, he says. “I wasn't feeling my best at this point and decided I had to make some changes. Did my research about weight loss and learned about the benefits of weight training coupled with eating healthier meals at the proper time.  I was amazed at the results and wanted to help and inspire others who were struggling with weight problems. I created my Instagram profile called The6packchef™. This actually landed me some fitness modeling opportunities that helped me market myself as the Healthy Living Advocate in Las Vegas.”

Soon, his restaurant was named Best New Restaurant in 2016 by Thrillist , #1 Indian Restaurant by Time Out Las Vegas and A Hidden Gem by Las Vegas Weekly. “I was also invited as a guest chef to host dinners at famed restaurants like Forte which is a European Tapas Bar and Honey Salt,” he says.

Working in a faraway land had its challenges too. “Converting my Student Visa to Work Visa to a Green Card took me 10 yrs. It definitely is a challenge to be away from home and family, especially when you miss your mom’s food.”

He is now in the process of moving and expanding Toddy Shop to an independent location. “We currently do not offer toddy, but will have toddy inspired drinks.”

Through his tale, he wishes to encourage young people to pursue their dreams, no matter how big they seem, or how stupid it sounds to others. “Dreams do come true, maybe not at the exact time as you'd like, but if you refuse to give up - it will all fall in place at the right time, making the journey all the more sweeter,” he says.