Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2013
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Restaurant Chef In-Charge at Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg (formerly a Four Seasons hotel)

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River; Four Seasons Hotels Dubai; IDAM by Alain Ducasse, Qatar; Four Seasons Hotel Lion Place St. Petersburg (formerly a Four Seasons hotel); W Hotel, St. Petersburg; Hyatt Regency Ekaterinburg, Russia; Cantinetta Antinori, Russia; Sports and Sky resort Uktus, Russia; IL Patio, Russia; Lancelot, Russia; Uralski Dvor, Russia

Education

• High Red Diploma from the Culinary College in Ekaterinburg, Russia

Birthplace

• Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia

Languages Spoken

• Russian, English

Twenty years of passion to prepare dishes that instantly put a smile on people’s faces has catapulted Ruslan Shipunov's career, which has now taken a dramatic turn, as he dons the Executive Chef’s hat at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Known for his commitment and courage, many well-wishers of Ruslan admire him for the way he has achieved what he had planned. “I have always loved the activities involved in a professional kitchen,” he says, with enthusiasm. “I love fusing ingredients together, smelling the scent of fresh food, preparing it with devotion, and finally watching people savour every spoon.”

As an intern, Ruslan entered a professional kitchen for the first time as a 17-year-old in the year 1998. The much-talked about Russian cuisine that he had earlier read about in books came alive as he immediately lay his hands on suckling pigs, roasted geese and beluga caviar. “It was an unforgettable day as I was assigned to butchery. I de-boned around 500 chickens and prepared the Chicken Kiev Cutlet,” he reminisces, adding that this internship translated into a job as he served for three years at Hotel Uralski Dvor, Russia. “From the very beginning, I found what I wanted from life - to cook,” he smiles.

The chef in action spent a decade of his professional life mastering his skills in Russian gastronomy whipping up delicacies in places such as the Hyatt Regency Ekaterinburg, W Hotel St. Petersburg, and more. Ruslan’s tenure with Four Seasons set about in 2013 when he was part of the pre-opening team at the former Four Seasons in St. Petersburg. He then took a step outside his comfort zone to get a taste of international exposure, culture and cuisine. After a brief seven-month tenure at IDAM by Alain Ducasse, Ruslan was back in the Four Seasons fold.

Ruslan’s strength lies in learning about demanding palates and intricate techniques specific to the region. It is no surprise that he excels in creating new recipes and designing wholesome menus. “I am always hungry to learn and that has helped me create a fare that is soaked in local culture, even if I am an outlier,” he says. That apart, Ruslan’s attention to detail makes him a great organiser at work.

Quality control and hygiene are paramount for any master chef and this all-rounder has a bigger fish to fry as Executive Chef. “Most in the hospitality industry do not care about food wastage.  My dream is to best utilise the waste and create a zero waste environment,” he shares. Four Seasons Koh Samui boasts of a kitchen that adopts a sustainable approach with menus dished out from scratch. “I’m happy to be working with the gardeners to see what we can do together,” he smiles.

If he’s not putting his culinary skills to use, Ruslan is busy swimming or motorcycling. Ruslan believes that confronting fear head-on gives power. And that’s exactly why he wants to try his hand at skydiving. Well, will there be pie in the sky?