I am extremely adaptable'

Expat zone

As a child and well into his teens Adrian Peter Mellor never sat idle or wasted his time. It was not only about studying and getting good grades at school but he spent a considerable part of his growing up years experimenting with cooking.

Adrian used to throw in a lot of ingredients and generously contributed to helping his mother... all in an effort to pick up the basics of cooking just to satisfy his thirst for creating something innovative each time.

A native of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England, Adrian recollects doing odd jobs at markets, selling newspapers, doing his rounds as a milk boy and even worked as a waiter in a restaurant while he was studying. As a young man, he worked nothing less than 13 hours a day and amidst this went on to complete his education.

Adrian moved to Bengaluru two years ago to take up a job as an executive chef at the The Leela Palace.

“The experience of working in several places and doing all kinds of jobs gave me the courage to decide to relocate to another country. I am extremely adaptable and it is this trait that has given me the courage to experiment not just in the kitchen but in life as well,” he shares.
Asked why he chose Bengaluru? Adrian explains, “My decision to leave my comfort zone and relocate to India didn’t happen overnight. It took me a long time before moving into another country. I had to come to India to open a new restaurant and that in itself was a challenge.” He adds that the idea of moving to India did leave him excited.

Although, Adrian has worked across the world, he says that he can’t really compare his experience in India to any other country. “Every country has its positives and negatives. This is where the adaptability factor helps,” he shares.

Adrian has a busy work schedule and barely finds time to do the things that he would have otherwise liked to do in Bengaluru.

 He says he finds it hard to plan anything in advance, including a holiday but he has done his share of moving around the City. “The City has a very cosmopolitan feel about it. There are people from across the globe and you don’t really feel out of place when you decide to make Bengaluru your home.

Over the weekends, I make it a point to get together with a bunch of friends and we go restaurant hopping,” says Adrian. He confesses that he loves anything and everything to do with food and the City has enough places to satiate his craving for food.

“I have explored almost all the eateries on 100ft Road in Indiranagar and Sunday mornings are spent on the golf course. I also like hanging out at UB City,” he adds.   Adrian confesses that living in India has had an humbling effect on him.

“I’ve travelled so much around Asia and seen so many different kinds of people that you tend to fall in love with every place and soak every bit in its culture. I’ve also gone on a holiday to Shimla. Haven’t really had the chance to explore more than that,” he says.

Adrian observes that parents in India share a strong bond with their children. Adrian recollects that as a child he barely had his parents spend time with him. “My parents would work long hours and I was left to fend for myself and that made me quite self-sufficient and I was able to distinguish right from wrong very early in my life,” he recalls. 

Adrian makes sure he spends quality time with his 12-year-old daughter. “I missed having my parents around when I was young but I don’t want my daughter to feel my absence so I more than make up for the time lost with her whenever I can,” he sums up.