Growing up in a middle-class family in Nizamabad district of Telangana in India, Jayanivas Goud Mothukuri nurtured dreams that extended far beyond his hometown. Driven by a passion for food and a curiosity about cultures and cuisines, the young chef has turned every kitchen he has worked in into a classroom and every new country into another chapter in a journey shaped by hard work and perseverance. “I always wanted to travel to different places and explore,” he tells in a chat with The Global Indian.
Today, Jayanivas works as a line cook at Fairmont Grand Del Mar in the United States after spending two years at Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa. From Hyderabad to the Maldives and now America, his career has been guided by a desire to keep learning and exploring.
A childhood fascination with food
For many children, home-cooked meals are simply part of everyday life. For Jayanivas, they planted the seeds of a lifelong passion.
He credits his mother, whose cooking left a lasting impression on him. Having spent much of his school years in a hostel from Class 5 onwards, he looked forward to the short holidays when he could return home and enjoy meals prepared by her. Hostel food, he recalls, rarely matched the warmth and taste of home.
Those experiences gradually nurtured his interest in cooking. “That made me feel fascinated to learn cooking,” he says. What also shaped him was a conviction that professions should not be defined by gender stereotypes.
“Cooking is a profession. It doesn’t have any gender,” he says, recalling how some people viewed cooking as unsuitable for boys. Drawing inspiration from stories of Bhima and King Nala from Indian mythology, whom he describes as great chefs, he remained firm in pursuing the career he loved.
Learning the ropes
Jayanivas pursued a Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology from the Global Institute of Hotel Management affiliated with Osmania University. During his training at Taj Club House in Chennai between 2017 and 2018, he gained exposure to multiple departments including culinary, housekeeping, food and beverage service, and customer service.
After graduation, he worked at a café restaurant for around nine months. Then the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted operations and forced many hospitality professionals to put their careers on hold. For Jayanivas, however, the pause proved temporary.
The Maldives experience
In 2022, he received an opportunity to work at Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa, where he served as Commi-1 until 2024. The experience exposed him to international chefs and cuisines from around the world.
“My basic point from the beginning itself is to learn more new skills from different cultures and cuisines,” he says.
Working in a luxury resort environment was demanding. Peak seasons often brought full occupancy and extended hours. Adapting to new colleagues, different work cultures and unfamiliar cuisines became part of everyday life.
Yet he views those challenges as essential to growth. “Every day is like a challenging day in the kitchen. We can learn every day,” he says. The Maldives also gave him his first experience of working with chefs from different countries and broadened his understanding of the culinary world.
Reaching a dream destination
After two years in the Maldives, Jayanivas learned about a J-1 internship opportunity in the United States and decided to take the next step in his journey.
Today, he works and trains in an environment where learning happens through daily practice rather than classrooms. For him, arriving in America marked one of the biggest milestones of his life. “Coming to the United States is like a dream for every Indian,” he says. “I tried my best to get over here and I did it.”
Coming from what he describes as a middle-class family in a small village, the achievement carries special significance. “I was in a middle-class family in a small village and was dreaming big every day to achieve something new and great,” he says.
Lessons from life abroad
Years spent outside India have transformed more than just his résumé. They have broadened his perspective and strengthened his communication and professional skills. Adjusting to different climates, cultures, food habits and ways of working was not always easy. But each experience helped him grow.
“These kinds of changes made me,” he says, adding that he constantly strives to do something better than the previous day. The exposure has also reinforced his belief in continuous improvement.
Jayanivas and his team members
Dreams beyond the kitchen
Despite the physically demanding nature of his work, Jayanivas enjoys watching movies and listening to music. Drawing and reading books were once among his favourite hobbies, though he admits finding time for these activities has become difficult.
Looking ahead, he hopes to eventually settle down in one country rather than keep moving. Australia, he says, appeals to him because of the opportunities it offers for learning and living.
Never giving up
Looking back, one lesson stands above all others for Jayanivas. “Never give up,” he says. “If we give up, we cannot sustain in the industry. We cannot go further.”
It is a principle that has shaped every major decision in his life. “If I would have stopped thinking about coming over from the Maldives to the US, I would have never been able to do so,” he says. “I always try to motivate myself every day that I should never give up on my dreams.”
From the kitchens of Hyderabad to luxury resorts in the Maldives and professional kitchens in the United States, Jayanivas Goud continues to pursue new experiences and sharpen his craft. For the young chef who once longed for precious home-cooked meals during school holidays, the culinary journey has become his greatest recipe for growth.