Women's Day Special: French taste for the palate

At an age when most people are starting out their careers, Pooja Dhingra started her own business — a patisserie that specialises in gourmet desserts.

Dhingra, 26, says that everyone but her knew that she would do something associated with baking. “When I was in college, people would keep asking me when would I start my own chocolate shop. I had not given it much thought then,” she says.

Dhingra even enrolled in law school but dropped out after two weeks.

Studying hotel management in Switzerland and then pastry-making at Le Cordon Blue in Paris helped her carry forward her dreams.

After returning to India, a small research helped her discover that people did not really know about French desserts. “There was no standalone dessert shop that offered gourmet desserts. You would find such desserts only in a five-star hotel,” says Dhingra.

Since Dhingra set up Le15 in March 2009, orders have been pouring in from all over the country for cakes and macaroons. With two outlets in Mumbai doing roaring business, she now plans to open another one in Bandra.