The Global Culinary Journey of Chef Rajkumar “Raj” Holuss

Photo Credit: Dan CutronaAt Sails in Naples, Florida, Executive Chef Raj Holuss draws on a life of culinary lessons—from a childhood on his family farm in Mauritius to the world’s top Michelin-starred kitchens. Now, with discipline, humility, and global perspective, he’s quietly reshaping the city’s fine dining scene—one plate at a time.

“Food wasn’t just something we ate to survive. It was a way of life—a way to bring people together, to show respect for the land, and to create memories” says Holuss. 

When guests dine at Sails in Naples—perhaps savoring a butter-basted Dover sole, a honey soufflé infused with local Florida honey, or octopus slow-braised and perfectly caramelized—they’re tasting far more than refined technique. They’re tasting a life’s journey: one that began on a farm in Mauritius, wound through the legendary kitchens of Le Gavroche, The Waterside Inn, Alain Ducasse, and The Ritz London, and today informs every plate Chef Rajkumar “Raj” Holuss sends to the dining room.

His story is one of global influences, meticulous craftsmanship, and a deep, abiding respect for food and those who prepare it. “To me, this isn’t just a profession,” Holuss says. “It’s my life’s purpose. Every dish carries the lessons of where I’ve been and the people who taught me.”

“I grew up on a farm in Mauritius with my family—my parents, four sisters, and my brother,” Holuss recounts. “We produced almost everything ourselves. Fresh eggs. Goat’s milk. Chickens, turkeys. There was no waste. Everything had a purpose.”

But as a child, the farm was off-limits. “It wasn’t until I was about 11 or 12 that I was allowed near the machinery. I remember that first day vividly. The smells were overwhelming—coriander, fennel, all these herbs growing wild. It felt like stepping into a world I hadn’t known existed.”

Holuss’ father explained that many of these herbs were planted to keep animals away. “That fascinated me—the idea that these plants could influence both nature and flavor,” he says.

One formative lesson came from a close family friend from Tamil Nadu. “She used every part of the plant, even the roots most people discarded. Watching her peel and clean those roots, then turn them into something more flavorful than the leaves—it was revolutionary for me. It taught me: nothing should go to waste.”

Another came from his mother, whose bread-making shaped his respect for patience and craft. “She baked in a wood-fired brick oven, using dried cow dung during hurricanes to create a clean, blue flame,” Holuss says. “I saw how fire transforms flavor. It’s something I still think about today when I’m butter-basting a piece of fish.”

And then there was Dholl Puri—Mauritian street food made from chana dal-stuffed flatbread. “It was my favorite dish as a child,” he says. “Simple, but deeply meaningful. It brings people together.”

Photo Credit: Dan Cutrona

A Life-Changing Opportunity

At 18, Holuss entered the Hotel School of Mauritius, where discipline and precision were drilled into him. He then apprenticed at One&Only Le Touessrok, starting in the butchery. “I didn’t choose it—they placed me there. But it was a blessing. I learned how to break down fish, venison, lamb. How to make sausages from scratch. How to use every part of the animal to build stocks and sauces.”

Those skills would form the backbone of his culinary philosophy: “Technique matters. But true mastery comes from humility and a willingness to learn from anyone, at any station.”

Then fate intervened. “Michel Roux Jr. came to Mauritius to open a restaurant. I didn’t even know who he was—we didn’t have the internet. He told me, ‘I like the way you work. Would you consider joining my team in London?’ I was stunned.”

Without telling his family, Holuss accepted. “Michel arranged everything—visa, paperwork. Suddenly, I was in London, immersed in a level of precision and passion I’d never experienced.”

At Le Gavroche, cooking was no longer a job. “It was a craft. I realized: this is what I want to dedicate my life to—not just to cook, but to create.”

Mentorship

From London, Holuss went to New York, training under Daniel Boulud. “It was an intense 18 months,” he says. “We served 600 guests a day with an 80-person kitchen team. The pace was relentless. But I learned how to maintain excellence at scale, under pressure.”

Later, Alain Ducasse’s restaurant in Mauritius taught him restraint. “With Ducasse, it wasn’t about showmanship. It was about extracting the essence of each ingredient—whether it was chicken paired with licorice or chocolate with chili. He barely spoke, but you could feel his presence. That taught me: mastery is often about observation, intuition.”

Michel Roux Sr. brought Holuss back to the UK, to The Waterside Inn—then the longest-running three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world. He stayed 15 years, rising to First Sous Chef.

“That kitchen taught me everything about consistency,” Holuss says. “It’s not about impressing with truffles or caviar. It’s about elevating humble ingredients—a carrot, a snail—through perfect technique, every time.”

One standout memory: transforming escargot. “We’d mold the snails into balls with nettle purée and finish them in breadcrumbs. Vibrant, complex, yet grounded in tradition.”

A key moment came when Roux Sr. asked him: “Do you think you’ve achieved enough in life?” It pushed Holuss to enter a prestigious UK competition, where he created a deboned, mosaic-stuffed chicken and a technically demanding French conversation tart. “Winning wasn’t the point. Growth was.”

Next came The Ritz London, where Roux Sr. sent him to build management skills. “It was a real-world MBA in hospitality,” Holuss says. “We served 1,200 covers a day—afternoon tea, fine dining, room service. I managed inventory, payroll, staffing. It taught me: being a chef is about more than technique. It’s about structure, responsibility, and care.”

As Head Chef at Skindles, a Roux family brasserie, Holuss ran the kitchen for five years. “It wasn’t just about executing food. It was about managing teams, mentoring young chefs, crafting menus seasonally. And it was about relationships—treating purveyors with respect. If a farmer brought imperfect carrots, we didn’t reject them. We honored them.”

Photo Credit: Dan Cutrona

Journey To Naples And Crafting Sails’ Menu

In 2022, it was Holuss’ son who sparked the family’s move to Florida. “He was playing a game and kept picking Florida. He asked, ‘Can you find a job there?’”

Holuss researched Naples and was intrigued. “It reminded me of Mauritius—the seafood, the produce, the community.” After thoughtful conversations with Sails co-founder Veljko Pavicevic, he made the leap.

“When I visited Naples, it clicked. I sent videos to my family. They said, ‘If you’re happy, we’re happy.’ That sealed it.”

Photo Credit: Dan Cutrona

“When I joined Sails, I made a conscious choice: don’t rush,” Holuss says. “For three months, I didn’t change anything. I observed, listened, learned from Veljko and Corinne.”

Then, he began introducing new dishes, including pea soup with garlic potato foam and Australian slipper lobster, a savory goat cheese soufflé, honey soufflé, gluten-free, made with local honey and housemade ice cream, and slow-braised then grilled octopus with fennel, carrot, and lemon.

Photo Credit: Dan Cutrona“Even with proteins like Dover sole or lamb, I apply classic techniques—low flame, butter basting, natural caramelization,” adds Holuss. 

“At Sails, consistency is everything,” Holuss emphasizes. “Anyone can serve a great dish once. We must deliver it flawlessly, every time.”

He insists on cross-training. “Everyone should understand every station—from fish to dishwashing. Leadership isn’t handed out. It’s earned through knowledge and humility.”

He often asks sous chef candidates: “Do you understand pastry?” It’s a litmus test. “Pastry teaches discipline, precision, respect for ingredients. If you can master that, you can lead.”

Sails’ menu reflects Holuss’ philosophy: “Classic French technique, global sensibility, seasonal ingredients.”

Standouts include a bounty of seafood delicacies such as Australian slipper lobster, Mediterranean Dover sole, New Zealand langoustines, and local stone crab and red snapper; a beetroot dish designed to look like a blooming flower; a Garra fish with French-style zucchini-garlic sauce; crisp and richly layered pork belly.

“My goal is simple,” Holuss says. “Cook with intent. Source with care. Let the ingredients tell the story.”

One of his proudest achievements? Mentoring a former apprentice who now leads the kitchen at The Butcher, Sails’ sister property. “That’s what leadership is about—lifting others as you climb.”

“The future of Sails is about consistency and evolution,” Holuss says. “You don’t build a great restaurant by changing everything at once. You do it service by service, plate by plate.”

And his personal philosophy? “Take your time. Don’t rush. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.”

He smiles. “With the right ingredients, the right people, and the right philosophy, we’re building something lasting here in Naples. And I’m proud to be part of it.”

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