‘The harder you work, the luckier you get’ – AD Singh, MD and Founder, Olive restaurants
AD Singh, MD and Founder, Olive Bar and Kitchen, recently launched Lady Baga in Bengaluru. He is a known name in the fields of leisure and restaurants. His existing restaurants and new ventures have received much critical acclaim. He is also credited with the introduction of international cuisines and restaurant concepts hitherto unseen in India. Here are his answers to our Proust questionnaire...
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Laughing with your kids.
What is your greatest fear?
Not being around to see my kids grow up.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Being too sensitive!
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Greed for sure!
Which living person do you most admire?
Warren Buffet. The way he has left almost everything to charity is admirable.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Taking time off to holiday with my family.
What is your current state of mind?
Balanced.
On what occasion do you lie?
I never lie! I am too busy to keep track of a lie so it's best to live by the policy of never lying.
Which living person do you most despise?
No-one. I like to spread love.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
A sense of compassion.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
A sense of humour.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
‘To be honest’.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My daughter Zoe.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I would like to be able to sing. If I could sing well, you would find me at a karaoke bar!
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I want to have thicker skin!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
To have lived my life as a good human being.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Most definitely, a chef, given my passion for food!
Where would you most like to live?
I think anywhere close to my close friends… it's not the place but the company that matters.
What is your most treasured possession?
My phones… I've always felt the need to be connected to work at all times!
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
The death of a loved one.
What is your favourite occupation?
Opening new restaurants and bars and definitely my downtime with the kids.
What is your most marked characteristic?
A happy/positive approach to life.
What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
Who are your favourite writers?
Alexander Smith and Camilleri.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Doctor Sri.
Who are your heroes in real life?
It'll have to be regular people who selflessly do good for others.
What is your favourite name?
A D!
What is it that you most dislike?
Cruelty and being rude
What is your greatest regret?
Not signing up with Sachin Tendulkar to open sports bars across India.
How would you like to die?
With a song and smile on my lips.
What is your favourite journey?
Flying home from anywhere in the world.
What is your motto?
The harder you work, the luckier you get! Try it!