Being a Masterchef

For the longest time I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. But a week after taking the course and looking at the thick pile of books, I realised this wasn't my cup of tea. So I sought my parents' permission to quit and re-think my career options. Luckily my parents were understanding and they let me change my career path. I'd always loved baking but never thought of it as a viable career option till I started studying hospitality and business management at Cesar-Ritz Hospitality Management School hotel management, Switzerland. As part of our training programme we had to work in a pastry kitchen and that's when I decided that I wanted to pursue baking as a career. So I enrolled into Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and began my training to be a pastry chef. 

While working in Switzerland and Paris, I got the opportunity to meet some amazing people and working in a professional kitchen changed the way I think. When I got back to India, I decided to start out small from my mother's kitchen. I started by trying out recipes I'd learnt in France and making changes to them to suit the Indian weather conditions. Eventually, I set up a central kitchen from which the small revolution began. I put up stalls and sent out samples and after three years it has now grown 200 percent. Currently, Le15 has three outlets in Mumbai -- two in the commercial district of Lower Parel and one in the tony suburb of Bandra.

For me, my days are varied. I not only work in the kitchen but also run and manage the entire business side of Le15. I teach at my cooking studio ‘Studio Fifteen’ and also spend my time writing and working on new recipes. I recently published a recipe book and I am working on my second one now. So, my days are very unpredictable! The Indian pastry industry is booming and this is the best time to be a part of it. Since it is a vast market, there is space for everyone. One must be creative, innovative and unique to leave a mark in the field. To become a successful pastry chef, it’s integral to have patience, creativity and passion. Set goals for yourself. Decide what you want to achieve and set goals for yourself. Be honest to your work and extremely dedicated.

It's definitely a rewarding job as you get to be a part of people's special occasions. But at the same time work hours are long and pay is poor as compared to other industries. The starting salary here could be anywhere between Rs 8,000 to 35,000 a month. Starting a business brings its own set of challenges. I started Le15 when I was 23 and there were many things that I had to learn along the way. Being a young girl in a mainly male dominated industry was a bit challenging. I learn new things every single day and that’s the best part of my job.  

As told to Patricia Mascarenhas