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He is India’s first certified bakery, pastry and chocolate expert. Chef Sahil Mehta is also the face behind the growth and popularity of many legendary bakeries we know of today, including The Artful Baker, L’OPERA, Rennaissance, Cravity, Honey and Dough and Tesu. Having spent most of his early years in Paris, creating magic with chocolate came naturally to Chef Sahil. He went on to study in prestigious institutions such as Lenotre which is also regarded as the Harvard of bakery schools to hone his skills.
After winning several national and international laurels for his exquisite creations, Chef Sahil came to India around the year 2010 and gave the bakery scene of Delhi a massive facelift. He has also partnered with ace culinary schools of the country, Tedco School of Culinary Arts wherein he will be taking a Masterclass on French Patisserie.
We caught up with the chef for an exclusive rendezvous, here are the excerpts.
1. What is the toughest thing to work with chocolate and the easiest?
The toughest part in a hot country like ours is to get the tempering right, the easiest is that dark chocolate mostly blends well with various flavours.
2. One baking hack that you would like to tell all budding bakers?
There is no hack when it comes to baking. It’s all in the passion. Lockdown has unleashed the baker in all of us. Every household had a new baker. It is important to master basics, delve into the craft and keep perfecting it.
3. Describe to us the toughest dessert you have worked on?
The sacher torte, no one in India does it right.
4. The easiest dessert you would recommend making.
A good brownie is not that tough to crack. Make sure you measure the ingredients correctly.
5. How important is it for pastry chefs to be well-travelled?
It is very important for pastry chefs to be well-traveled because it is very important to know what is happening across the world and we are way behind.
6. What is your go-to dessert?
Anything made with my favourite Manjari chocolate by Valrohna
7. The first dessert you ever made and you were proud of?
At Lenotre, I had to make a fruits schuss which at that point, as a learner, was a task to make.
