It just brings me sheer joy to be in my kitchen with fresh ingredients, ideas and seeing it all come to life and most importantly this job brings a smile to people's faces. You're giving people a reason to smile by being a part of their happy occasions through cakes and pastries
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I'm a pastry chef as well as a chocolate maker. Founder of Dzurt Patisserie and Cafe, Cut chocolate cake; Co-founder at All Things. I have done business management from the Royal Holloway University of London. Then I went and did a certificate course from Leith school of food and wine, London.
I worked at Trident Gurgaon in the kitchen as a trainee for a few months and then got a job in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a project manager for a culinary school. Post that, I went to Le Cordon Bleu, Paris.
2. What led you to take up this career path?
I was always inclined towards baking and my constant need for running away from academics made me fall in love with the world of cooking hahahahhahaha.
On a more serious note, I love the glamour behind pastry making and it just brings me sheer joy to be in my kitchen with fresh ingredients, ideas and seeing it all come to life and most importantly this job brings a smile to people's faces. You're giving people a reason to smile by being a part of their happy occasions through cakes and pastries etc.
3. What does your typical day look like?
I am currently responsible for 3 company's and my daughter, so my day is mostly crazy. From leaving the house at 11:00am after finishing all my home chores and ensuring my daughters day is in the order I either go to Dzurt or to the All things factory every alternate day.
On weekends I make videos for my youtube channel and on every alternate Sunday, I take workshops. I come back home, unwind and chill with my family.
4. Does one's approach change when cooking professionally and at home?
Oh yes, for sure. Home cooking is so much more relaxed. In a professionally run kitchen, you are responsible for your team and what's going into the client's stomach.
From organising daily production to executing everything perfectly is a lot to deal within a day and in a matter of a moment, your reputation can be tarnished if you're not alert at all times.
5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
I can't think of one in particular but I'm mad about macarons and choux pastry both filled with good quality Dark couverture.
6. Can cooking be learnt at culinary schools or natural talent is required?
It can easily be learnt in a culinary school but where your natural talents play a role in how creative you are with the pastry you're making, from the flavour profile to the presentation all of these things will set you apart from others.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I love So Good Magazine. It has all the latest pastry trends of the year.
Tejasvi Chandel
Pastry Chef | Chocolate Maker| Founder
Interviewed By - Shruti Kaval
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