KOCHI: Established in 1931 by master baker Kunju Asan after his voyage to Sri Lanka taught him the skill of baking, Kunju’s Jam Rolls is a familiar name in Kochi. Multiple generations have relished and loved the legendary jam rolls which give the establishment its name. After almost 90 years of expertise and unmatched popularity, Kunju’s Jam Rolls continues to be a humble home bakery consciously straying away from the frills and excesses of a commercial establishment as a way to maintain both the quality of its confections and the long-standing goodwill among customers.
Currently helmed by Dr Jayan Kunju, the founder’s son, Kunju’s Jam Rolls has however embarked on a new journey through Kunju’s Baking Academy. The initiative empowers aspiring bakers with various techniques of baking through an intensive three-month online course.
“During the lockdown, we found that many people lost their jobs and were looking for an avenue to learn a new skill to start their own venture. We also realised that several women who are homemakers wanted to experiment with baking post the pandemic outbreak. That prompted us to, in a way, democratise baking which is often considered hard to master. Our attempt is to train home entrepreneurs,” says Jayan.
The academy which is currently running its second batch conducts sessions on weekends lasting close to five hours. While two chefs demonstrate the recipe, Jayan himself along with trainer Cincy Babu Varghese detail the process and answer doubts of the participants. “We have our in-house chefs for the demonstration as well as star chefs we associate with.
The course is designed in a way that at least three international desserts are introduced in each class. Weekly progress is monitored through WhatsApp. There are about 12 regular participants in each batch who attend all the classes but we also accommodate another 12 who have the option of signing up for just one session depending on the preparations scheduled for that week,” adds Jayan.
But are the iconic jam rolls part of the curriculum? “The brochure makes it clear that two proprietary recipes will not be taught. One is jam rolls and the other is the lemon quiche. These were developed by my father and we want them to remain in the family,” says Jayan.A native of Kakkanad currently staying in Hyderabad, Sitara Philips got to know about the academy through her cousin who participated in the first batch. With plans to start her baking venture oned day, Sitara saw it as a perfect opportunity to learn how to make sweet treats from across the globe.
“My home is quite close to the Kunju’s bakery so I have grown up eating their jam rolls. When I got to know about the course, I enrolled in their second batch. We have been taught a wide selection of preparations from different countries. My experience has been wonderful. I am more confident about baking and experiment on my own. In fact, I am sad that classes are ending in a couple of weeks. In just a few sessions we have become a family,” says Sitara.