Observed by Muslims worldwide, Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. During this holy month, food, water, and cigarettes are forbidden from sunup to sundown. How challenging is that when you're working in a professional kitchen? We decided to ask Kamran Gill, a sous chef at Pijja Palace, a popular Indian/Italian/American sports bar in Echo Park, as he observes Ramadan.
Kamran Gill, a sous chef at Pijja Palace, gathers with his family during Ramadan. Photo courtesy of Kamran Gill.
His responsibilities include overseeing quality control of everything that's prepped in the kitchen, keeping people on task, and helping to manage the overall flow of the restaurant. Anything that gets prepped during the day and any plate that goes out during the five-hour dinner service has to be tasted. But during Ramadan, Gill is unable to do either of those tastings. Instead, he carries around a pocket full of spoons and hands one to a colleague.
"I have to put a lot of trust in my cooks and my prep team," he says, "and if they think something needs to be adjusted, then I'll trust them."