'Tough times don’t last, tough people do': Abhi Umesh Mehta, MD, Little Italy Juhu
The Proust Questionnaire is a questionnaire about one’s personality. It has its origins in a parlour game popularised by Marcel Proust, the French essayist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature
Abhi Umesh Mehta is Managing Director of Little Italy Juhu in Mumbai. He started his culinary journey at 17 when he would accompany his mother to the restaurant where she would teach him all about running a restaurant. Later, he did a post-graduate degree in Hotel Management and Entrepreneurship from Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, Switzerland.
Little Italy Juhu is the second restaurant in Mumbai to introduce Italian cuisine. Abhi aims to use his expertise to introduce newer products to people across multiple cities in India. The hotel will be launching a vegan dessert menu on the occasion of their 25th anniversary.
Here are his responses to our Proust questionnaire…
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Happiness is when you are content with yourself, have peace and get a good night’s sleep.
What is your greatest fear?
Not trying to achieve something and stopping after failing.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Anger.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Disloyalty.
Which living person do you most admire?
Mukesh Ambani.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My Bali vacation.
What is your current state of mind?
At peace.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Truth and selflessness.
On what occasion do you lie?
When I am in trouble and when I want to surprise someone.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Nothing really, I love myself the way I am. Big, bald, brown and well built.
Which living person do you most despise?
I don’t have the time to despise people.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
When they do what they say.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
The loyalty and determination to get things done.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Tough times don’t last, tough people, do.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My mom and dad.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Acting and surfing.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Anger.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Yet to come.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A rich man’s dog.
Where would you most like to live?
Bali.
What is your most treasured possession?
Little Italy, Juhu.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
When you don’t have anyone to talk to at night.
What is your favourite occupation?
The hotel business.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Warm and welcoming.
What do you most value in your friends?
Being there for me on any day and at any time.
Who are your favourite writers?
J K Rowling and R L Stein.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Black Panther.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Julius Caesar.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My dad.
What is your favourite name?
Abm Hospitality.
What is it that you most dislike?
Lying and cheating.
What is your greatest regret?
None, I’ve lived a guilt-free life.
How would you like to die?
With my near ones and my dogs.
What is your motto?
Wipe your own tears because if you have someone else’s shoulder to cry on, they’ll expect a favour in return.
Edited by Kanishk Singh