A Sugary tête-à-tête With Ace Pastry Chef Deepak Yadav

You may whip up a quick one minute microwave mug cake or a bowl of cookie dough and feel like a bakery feather has been added to your hat. But baking and pastry making – as a profession – is more than an easy bake oven, a mug cake, and some cookie dough. We got talking to ace pastry Chef Deepak Yadav of Courtyard by Marriott, Downtown Gurugram and found out what it takes to be a superhero in the kitchen. Take a look!

When did you start baking? What pushed you towards the culinary world?

Since I have been a child, I was very creative and had hobbies like carving, painting etc. And that became one of the reasons that led me to become a pastry chef. I had an option to choose between modeling and culinary however since I was more inclined towards culinary, I chose the latter.

Is there anyone who has inspired your journey?

Chef Nitin Upadhyay whom I met during the pre-opening of a restaurant has inspired me immensely. He is to be credited for whatever I am today as he taught me the basics and motivated me to take up my interest in carving and use it while designing cakes.

How’s a typical day at work for you?

From the outside, being a pastry chef seems like a pretty sweet job. From developing and testing new and inventive dessert recipes to sampling some of the world’s finest ingredients, confections, and sweets, there is, admittedly, much to love.

In the course of a typical day on the job, we are called upon to perform many tasks, some of which are purely administrative and logistical and don’t involve actual food preparation like preparing menus, budgets, procuring ingredients, Overseeing the training and work of apprentices and assistants.

What inspires you to bake?

The best part about being a pastry chef is that nothing can limit your creativity. Since I have an interest in carving, I can showcase my designs on cakes, pastries etc. In the end, when guests appreciate the finished product is something that words can’t explain. This inspires me to bake every day.

Is there an (favourite) ingredient you like to work with?

As a pastry chef all the recipes are special to me, as each of them require a lot of time and also a lot of ideations are used to make it look visually appealing. Making desserts often require several ingredients that must be assembled separately and then brought together to create the final product.

Every ingredient has to be measured precisely and added in the correct way and in the correct order. Good pastry chefs are always organized. Creativity is an important quality, more so than for any other type of cooking.

That said, if I had to choose one it would definitely be Dry Fig and Walnut Cake. I love this recipe because of its health benefits. Figs are rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper and are a good source of antioxidant vitamins A, E and K that contribute to health and wellness. And whilst it’s still a rich delicious dessert, it definitely is packed with a lot of goodness.

How important is healthy food to you? Do you believe in sugar free desserts?

Healthy food is of utmost concern for everyone in today’s world. We receive many requests from guests who prefer healthy options; hence we have made some alterations in the ingredients that are used. Ingredients with a low calorie count and with high nutritional value are used in baked products. Healthy grains such as oatmeal, quinoa, flaxseed, sesame seeds etc. are incorporated in many recipes in order to increase the health quotient.

One food item (apart from breads and pastries) that you can’t do without?

Designer candies are one of the hot selling items that guests prefer and keep coming back for more. Hence we look forward to preparing them regularly.

What’s Your comfort food?

My comfort food will be a plain cake because to prepare one is in itself a very relaxing activity. It has always been a slow process of measuring, sifting, and stirring; waiting as the dough rises in the oven and the house becomes saturated with the scents of butter and flour and chocolate; pulling the pans out of the oven and finding the dough transformed into something golden and perfect.

A city we would find you dining in? Why?

Today, I get to eat the cuisines from all over the world right here in Delhi and that too of world-class quality. It’s tough being born in a city, which offers such a rich diversity of cuisines.

Delhi is known for its culinary delights. Why should someone go anywhere else when you get everything here whether its food, new trends etc. If there is one thing that keeps the Delhi food scene ticking, it’s the Street Food. With a variety that is unmatched, eating on the streets of Delhi will take you back through the history and culture of the place.

Apart from that DLF Cyber Hub in Gurgaon offers a variety of amazing restaurants and bars for fun times with friends and family.

Your favourite pastry recipe?

Many baked goods start by creaming together butter and sugar, which is made easier with gently warmed ingredients. My favourite recipe is the Gooey Chocolate Cheese Brownie. It is because the combination of chocolate and cheese is amazing.

Featured Image: Dr. Odd