CHENNAI: The air in VR Mall was filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies. Seated in the central atrium were a large number of Chennaiites who were there to experience a baking masterclass by Mumbai-based chef Pooja Dhingra on Sunday.
Hosted by the app CRED, Dhingra taught the audience how to prepare no-bake peanut butter bites and chocolate chip cookies. “She’s a very innovative chef and always adds an interesting and unique element to her dishes. She doesn’t stick to the usual, and always tries to bring out the best in the food,” said Tabasum Fathima, a homemaker and baker who participated in the event. The session concluded with a question and answer segment.
We sat down with the chef for a tête-a-tête after her class. The owner of the bakery chain Le15 Patisserie explained that her aunt was the one to teach her how to cook. “I used to be very impatient as a child. So to keep me occupied for some time, she taught me how to bake. The first dessert I baked was a brownie. I was amazed by how the ingredients could be transformed into this delicious food,” she said. Following that, she began baking with her aunt every weekend.
It was when she was studying at Le Cordon Bleu in 2009 that she stumbled upon macaroons. “I remember taking a bite out of it — it was incredible. I thought it was beautiful, and I couldn’t understand why we did not have such confectionaries in India. I then made it my mission to bring it to India,” said Dhingra.
She encouraged budding bakers and entrepreneurs to stay patient and persevere towards their goals. “Cooking taught me a lot of patience, and now, it’s almost therapeutic to me. I get into these zones sometimes. When my mind starts racing, cooking always helps ground me to the present,” she said.