HORILAL PAL is better known as Chef CHOTU.

 

From a town near New Delhi, he came to Panama in 2002, hired to work in the homes of families from India living in Panama.

He worked in Colón for two years and then in Panamá, as a freelance cook, for up to 6 families the same day. After making some capital, he decided to start his own business.

He studied cooking in India, but his knowledge, rather than from school came from the restaurant kitchen of his father.

"He even made me do the dishes at his restaurant," he recalls. His father told him this was going to serve him later in life. When having his restaurant, he realized that this was true, because on the day that any employee fails him, he can go forward with no trouble.

 

Now, in the same way his father did, he passes his knowledge to his first son Suraj Pal who is also venturing as Chef at this new restaurant.

 

Today, Chef Chotu owns two restaurants, SABORES DE LA INDIA, which opened in March 2010, and SABORES DE LA INDIA opened in June 2015.