John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, said in 1959, “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis’. One stands for danger, the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger, but recognize the opportunity.” More than sixty years later, his words are more relevant than ever, especially in current times of US visa rejections and immigration crackdowns.
What John F. Kennedy said in 1959 rings true about Saransh Goila, a celebrity chef and entrepreneur in India. Aiming to encourage thousands of Indians navigating US visa interviews and immigration challenges only to face rejection, Chef Saransh Goila shared an interesting anecdote on Instagram. How his life tumbled after he was denied a US visitor visa in 2011, how he overcame the feeling as if there was no tomorrow, and how it became a turning point resonated with many Indians.
In his 20s, Saransh Goila was fascinated with the idea of traveling to the US and making it to Food Network. He gathered all his savings for flight tickets to Los Angeles, but the US visa rejection crushed his hopes and made him feel like this was the end of his world. However, “what happens, happens for good” – is what he believes now. The closed door to America led him to the other end of the tunnel where a better opportunity was awaiting him.
Exactly one month later, life surprised him. He got a call from Food Food TV for audition that turned his fortune around unpredictably. What appeared like a bolt from the blue was actually a response to the email that he had sent to the channel in 2010. He was shortlisted as a contestant for the FoodFood Maha Challenge 2011 hosted by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Bollywood diva, Madhuri Dixit. He won the competition and became a household name in India.
In a 2016 interview with Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor at Travel Beats, a leading community portal for Indian Diaspora, Chef Saransh Goila gave a sneak peek of his 20,000km food marathon across India as part of Food Food channel’s ‘Roti Rasta aur India’ program. He documented his observations, experiences, and insights from the culinary food trip in the book titled “India on My Platter.”
His growing popularity earned him invitation to showcase Indian Cuisine in the United States in March 2012. This was the time he realized that good things happen at the right time.
Chef Saransh Goila had a completely different experience during his US visa interview the second time. “Why was your visa rejected the first time? I can’t understand,” a young interviewer at the US Consulate told him. With a gentle smile, the consular officer also told him that the chef did not need to carry any newspaper clippings to prove himself. Rather, he said, “Can you teach me more about Indian food?” A surprise to Saransh beyond his imagination!
After making a name for himself on Indian Television, Saransh Goila went on to build something of his own- Goila Butter Chicken, a brand that has now grown to over 100 locations across India and London. He is also planning to take his signature butter chicken to the USA very soon. In 2019, Saransh was featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list. He was recognized as the youngest Celebrity Chef in the list of Top 10 Chefs in India.
Reflecting on the journey, he wrote on social media, “If I had gone earlier to the US, who knows I might have struggled all my life. My rejection made me who I am today.” Saransh Goila’s journey from the first-time visa rejection to the invitation from USA reminds us that rejection does not always mean failure. Not all visa rejections are utter disappointments. In fact, for some, it is the push they need to find success in ways they have never imagined.
