Vinod Sehdev
Owner | Invitation Restaurant
Noordwijkerhout, South Holland (THE NETHERLANDS)
Ancestry
Ucha Pind, Jalandhar (Punjab)
Birthplace
New Delhi (India)
Residence
Noordwijkerhout, South Holland (THE NETHERLANDS)
The Magic of Hard Work: An Invitation to the best!
He knows Gayatri Mantra by heart. He follows the Geeta. He loves home-made paranthas. Yet, he is the leading Indian businessman in Holland, and serves the best food to the country!
Often in quieter moments of reverie, I see my life flash before me from a country boy in a nondescript Indian village to the well-loved, most feted, restaurant-owner in Noordwijkerhout, a faraway place in the Netherlands, cocooned by tulip fields. I’d call myself a university dropout turned into a super successful restaurant owner with a lot of hard work, honesty and parental blessings.
I was born the youngest of four siblings on 12 December 1963 in Delhi. Being the youngest, my parents and siblings, a brother, Som Nath, and two sisters, Neelam and Veena, doted on me.
A self-employed person, my father, Bachhan Singh, was working at Scientific Corporation, engaged in supply of machinery and equipment to hospitals and offices. My mother, Kamala Rani, was a simple and devoted housewife, her hands always full with the care and upbringing of four children, by no means an easy task. But she was always happy and smiling and touched everybody’s lives in the household with her positive energy. I loved them equally perhaps but for different reasons. Mom was always there to administer to our every need even before we could ask for it: delicious food or snacks to our hearts’ fill, freshly washed clothes for school or elsewhere and other things children tend to demand on an impulse.
Dad was indulgent but he made us work for whatever we wanted. I would ask him for 5 paisa. He would say, “Well, all right. But first you’ll have to run 5 km and then drink a litre of milk and after that you can have the money”. I remember we often sat down on the rooftop and eat bucketsful of mangos together while it was raining.
My parents instilled in us the values of honesty, hard work, sincerity, love and respect. Watching them in their daily lives, we learnt to be humble and treasure what nature offers. As for grandparents, I only got to see my dadi1, Smt Puran Devi, and nani2, Smt Chanan Devi Bagga, both of whom told us mythological stories and inculcated in us a belief in God! From the former, I learnt that my ancestry goes back to a small village, Ucha Pind, though my grandfather was on the other side of Punjab. Post-partition, he took everyone back to his village, Ucha Pind, wherefrom Dad had migrated to Delhi, though he found it difficult to adapt to the new life. Through hard work, all his children were able to reestablish themselves.
Face challenges boldly
Until the age of 10, I attended the Molar Basti School, Delhi. Thereafter, from grades 6 to 12, I studied in Salwan Public School and went to Hansraj College for graduation, where I started playing Cricket for Mohan Meakin Company. I can never forget my college principal, also my Hindi teacher, Mr Bori Lal. He made me realise the power of teachings of parents and teachers. My sports teacher, Mr Dabas, always motivated me to have a positive attitude, exercise regularly and never miss out on a daily run to stay fit. He always asked us to boldly face every challenge. Thanks to those lessons, I still walk, jog, run and play active sports. It enables me to stay focused on things I want to do.
Although I was a good student, I had to discontinue my studies because of family circumstances. Dad’s health problems and my elder brother, Som Nath’s prolonged hospitalisation after an accident compelled me to seek employment to keep the home fires burning. I had started working with a small restaurant, Shehnai, in New Delhi, but soon enough got an 8–6 job as an accounts officer with Mohan Meakin through sports quota. Although the things were good at home soon, I realised one job wasn’t enough to make ends meet. So I found myself an evening job as manager in Mughal Mahal Restaurant. The working hours here were from 7 pm to 1 am. At the same time, Mohan Meakin started Ambassador’s Sky Chef to cater to the Indira Gandhi Airport and moved me there.
After nine years, in around 1998, finally came my magic moment. Mr Meharban Singh Sethi, my boss at Mughal Mahal, sent me to Amsterdam, Holland, to take charge of a restaurant, Guru of India, opened in 1979 in partnership with his friend, Harry Singh Bahal. Boss said, “I’ve always found you to be honest, hard-working and sincere. You are also dynamic, intelligent and trustworthy. I think you are the best person to manage my restaurant abroad.”
My family couldn’t have been more glad; Som Nath too had recovered well by now, so I could explore new horizons confidently. I looked forward to the change and progress this assignment would bring. Before leaving, I took a precautionary step of taking six month’s leave from Mohan Meakin. I finally took charge of my new assignment in the Netherlands on 4 June 1989.
I started working hard, finding new ways to market the restaurant and within a short span of time, its popularity shot up considerably. Everybody loved our Indian cuisine range; new offerings on the menu from my side added to the excitement and range of flavours. The restaurant certainly profited from my nine years of experience in the hospitality industry back in India. We were able to introduce a lot of improvements and innovations in the cuisine and in the style of hospitality and services.
Impressed by my hospitable and courteous treatment, a director of Playboy magazine decided to feature me in a two-page exclusive interview in the magazine. Once in print, the popularity, of both the restaurant and mine, shot up sky-high; sales increased by 50 per cent. I felt like a celebrity. I was called the Best Man from the hotel industry.
This was probably the best phase of my life. In 1991, I received yet another award – my daughter, Kanika – I couldn’t have been happier! I suddenly realised what parents feel for their children and ever since I have been visiting my parents in India every year. I also got a better sense of responsibility and started looking for opportunities to venture out on my own. It was soon to be.
Magical tulip blooms
The very next year, in 1992, I decided to open my own restaurant; I had already helped a friend, Romy, open his in Delhi. I opened Invitation, an Indian restaurant in Noordwijkerhout District. I received well wishes from everyone, including the mayor of Noordwijkerhout, Jan Andol, who in fact called it the ninth wonder of the world; I needed it, this was the place where the owners of five previous restaurant owners had gone bankrupt. That was 20 years ago. Invitation, surrounded by tulip farms, is thriving beyond words today. High-profile to common people, both come in equally. I find it to be a sheer magic! At Invitation, I serve India ethnic culture as well. I have served 67 countries all at once here!
Settling abroad always comes with its own share of challenges. The main challenges were the cold weather, their cultural leanings and the social customs. However, I’ve been able to blend the best of Indian and Dutch cultural and social values, especially with a two-week festival that I help organise, The Concertgebouw. The things intrinsic to my ethnic identity are my country, family values and commitment to my work. From the Dutch, I’ve imbibed their fighting spirit, to keep going on and commitment. In all these 30 years, the only problem that I encountered was of language, though I was able to gradually learn Dutch too. The Dutch are warm and friendly, and most importantly everyone knows English.
In 2017, after around 30 years of commitment and labour, the Dutch government presented me an award in recognition for my services, after my work was scrutinised by 30 ministries. In 2004, an IIFA event was hosted at the Invitation. Also we’ve hosted events around Dutch and Indian festivals. I have personally attended upon the Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, former Indian President, Abdul Kalam and former PM Manmohan Singh.
I also try to bring the Indians and Dutch closer under one umbrella and one platform. My friend, Patricia Haveman, highlighted my 30-year work on paper and forwarded it to the Dutch Ministry which brought me recognition with Knighthood from the Ministry and King’s office. I also work with charities for cancer and special needs. I have tirelessly popularised yoga here. For the past five years, I’ve been appointed Chairman of the Days of Netherland, the oldest social organisation in Holland. I also participate with the overseas wing of the BJP.
The beauty of my life
Kanika is studying Space Engineering and the younger one, Visheshta, is completing her Masters in Sales and Marketing from the University of Netherlands. Whatever I learned from my parents, I have passed on to my children. And now I know, children become exact replicas of their parents. It is the teachings of my parents that have helped me to become what I am today. I don’t have any expectations. Hard work always brings with it its commensurate rewards.
Philosophy
Spread peace!
I love…
India, and everything about it.
Success Mantra
Work for it, give it your heart and nothing can stop you short!
I’d suggest the youth…
To respect and share. Honesty, like they say, is actually the best policy.
The world doesn’t know that…
I own tulip farms too and have ventured into catering, events, tours and destination wedding all over Europe.
Gallery
ISBN : 9788193397695