5 bakers, 5 stories threaded by the collective resolve to share their knowledge with the up and coming

Remember the excitement we'd all share on 5th September during our school days? The heavy prep that would go on for at least a month to ensure that our beloved tutors would feel cherished on Teacher's Day? Those days are long gone, sure but our never-ending process of learning and growing is here to stay. This Teacher's Day we thereby speak about five of our many favourite bakers who have decided to walk the mile and bestow upon the enthusiastic learners the intricacies of mastering the art of baking wonders. Their adherence towards constructing a wholesome community of learned artisans deserves a mention all-round the year and a little more on this very day. We asked them what motivated them to explore the routes of teaching and what would their advice be for the younger budding culinary artists to understand what motivates them to share their skills and their responses have given us a newfound appreciation for teachers, mentors, and educators all around the world. Take a look for yourself.

Edited excerpts from the conversation.

Minali Zaveri
Chef Minali Zaveri holds her degree in pastry arts from Sophia College (Mumbai) and Ferrandi (Paris). Staged with several Michelin-starred restaurants, including Jean Chauvel, in Paris, she has also worked in a Japanese restaurant Kokoro and has remained the head pastry chef at The Table and Magazine Street Kitchen, Mumbai, and is now the founder of The Crème Company. She has shared with us that embarking upon the journey of a chef who actively chooses to teach has not been an easy one in the first few years. But her willingness to exchange knowledge with fellow enthusiasts and celebrate the glory of their success she continued to tutor. Chef Zaveri says "there's nothing that can replace the willingness to work hard and one must continue to aim for long-term gains, not short-term profits & comfort." She is also conducting a number of kids' special classes that she'll be hosting with us on the 10th and 24th of September. Enroll soon if you'd like your child to experience a slice of the wonders she creates at the earliest!
Price: Rs 1,499 inclusive of GST
Date: 10th September & 24th September respectively (Click on the link for more details)
Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
Location: 310, Adhyaru Industrial Estate, Sun Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai. Landmark - Opposite Phoenix Mills and lane adjacent to Manyawar
Certificate of completion will be awarded to all participants
15 seats available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Hurry and book your spot now!
To sign up click here

Gitika Abbott
Driven by the sheer pleasure of imparting knowledge chef Gitika Abbott founder of Cake Me Over shares with us that she thinks a lot has to be shared amongst her peers and budding artists in terms of developing techniques, methods, and tricks that'll only result in the overall growth of the community of bakers. A through and through team player she knew keeping the treasures of the baking world to herself wouldn't be enough and was compelled to share it with her students. "I think being a cake artist and cake educator has been a true calling for me. It gives me immense joy in imparting knowledge and empowering students to be able to achieve their paths." The journey she reckons has been incredibly fulfilling and very close to her heart that has nurtured the creative person within her in more ways than one. She exclaims, "it's a great joy to see my students excelling. It's been over 10 years and more since I took up this profession and the learning continues every day, which has been the best part!" Master baker Gitika will return to our studios to conduct the third chapter of her super-successful wedding cakes master class. Sign up, for this is an experience we're sure you must not miss.
Date: 29th Sept to 1st Oct
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Location: 310, Adhyaru Industrial Estate, Sun Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai. Landmark - Opposite Phoenix Mills and lane adjacent to Manyawar
Certificate of completion will be awarded to all participants
15 seats available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Hurry and book your spot now!
To sign up click here

Tasneem Shah
Self-taught home baker and owner of The Chocolate Factory, Tasneem Shah is an expert when it comes to wedding cakes. She is known to have attended numerous workshops to refine her inherent skills beyond comparison. Her body of work reflects her deeper interests in nature, her travel experiences, and her love for architecture and culture. With a natural flair for teaching, Tasneem has conducted multiple workshops within the country and across the globe for years. "My journey as a cake artist started almost ten years back when I least expected it and it's been a roller coaster of a ride ever since. And trust me, I would not change a thing about it!" She states to have learned more from her failures than her achievements and intends to persevere and persist in creating exciting content and sharing it with her ever-growing baking community. Check out her class on exotic cheesecakes and sign up as and when you please to whip up some of these delightful desserts from the comfort of your kitchen.
Price: Rs 1,799 inclusive of GST
To sign up click here

Zareen Shaikh
Chef Zareen's journey as a pastry chef began on an impulsive note. Initially a self-taught baker, she went on to complete a course at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, London. Currently, she operates from a studio cloud kitchen in Mumbai and conducts online and in-person workshops. When asked why did she choose this path of teaching she shared, "Teaching curious minds encourages me to improve my work, skills, and techniques to offer my students. Teaching has also made me realise how well I connect with my audience. It just makes me happy". She claims baking brings her joy that cannot be explained and if you'd like to experience a slice of this happiness, we'd suggest you sign up for any of her classes as and when your heart pleases.

Ojas Batheja
Chef Ojas, co-founder and head instructor of The BakeAmore Studio, a pastry school in Delhi moved on to exploring her childhood passion for baking after having completed her bachelor's in business administration (finance) and working with some of the top banks of the country, Chef Ojas and has undergone years of specialised training and possesses extensive practical experience in the culinary art of baking. Before embarking upon this business in 2019, Chef Ojas single-handedly set up a successful home bakery too. She told us, 'learning will always be a part of life and it is an honour to be able to pass on the skills and knowledge that my career and experiences have taught me and in the process, if it helps someone find their own path, it is a double win'. Her one piece of advice to the upcoming lot is simple, "Learn and understand the 3Ps of success - Patience, Persistence, and Practice" and you'll be good to go.
Price: Rs 1,799 inclusive of GST
Date: Friday, 9th September
Time: 2pm to 6pm
To sign up click here

What do you think is the significance of passing the baton in this world of all things gourmet?