‘Dada’, was chef Rego’s son’s last word

‘Dada’, was chef Rego’s son’s last word
The 23-Yr-Old Junior Chef Was Shot Dead At Taj, Mumbai
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Urbano do Rego, who is popularly known in Goa as chef Rego, heard the desperate dying words of his 23-yearold son early on Thursday morning and then the call ended abruptly.
In the evening, the family learnt that Boris do Rego, a junior sous chef at the Taj, Mumbai had been shot dead by terrorists that morning.
Recollecting that last harrowing call, chef Rego said that about 4.30 am on Thursday he received a call from his son Boris. “My elder son picked up the phone. After talking to Boris he looked tense and suddenly collapsed. I rushed and picked up the mobile suspecting something fishy and I heard my son cry out ‘dada’ and then the phone went dead,” said chef Rego.
“After that we tried calling him several times. But he didn’t pick the phone,” Urbano said. At 3.30 pm, the family received news that their son had been killed by terrorists. The body will arrive in Goa on Friday. Along with Boris, four other chefs were shot dead.
Chef Rego, who is corporate chef (Goan cuisine, all India operations) said his son went through several desperate and anxious moments. “When we made the first call at 9.30 pm on Thursday, he said, ‘Dada don’t worry, everything will be okay.’ But by the time we made the second call, he sounded tense as he said, “I saw a few people firing at the Shamiana restaurant and a waiter was killed’,” the father recalled.
“We couldn’t understand what was happening, but we knew he was not safe. Throughout the night we called him, sometimes he picked up, but sounded tense. At 2 am he told us that the terrorists had taken them to the basement and an hour later he said they had been brought back to the kitchen to prepare sandwiches for the guests,” recollected the father.
Proud of Boris’ culinary skills, Urbano had hoped his son would carry on with his legacy. “I wanted him to continue with my legacy and I knew in my heart that he would be better than me,” the father said. He said that though his son was not keen on going to Mumbai, he forced him to go to Mumbai as he had also started his career in Taj, Mumbai in 1970 as an apprentice. Boris had joined Taj, Mumbai in June this year to fulfil his dad’s dream, “to be the best Goan cuisine chef ”. But the dreams are now just memories for the family. “It is all over,” said chef Urbano.

28 November 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition