According to a survey done on World Diabetes Day, India will have the largest number of diabetes patients in the world by 2030. It is not a good sign and needs immediate lifestyle changes.
For me it’s a clear indication that Indians love desserts. I know people who diet day and night to lose those extra kilos but a small piece of chocolate cake ruins their effort in minutes. Even during summer vacations the cooking course that has maximum students is the patisserie section. With all the Master Chef competitions, the craze for learning has gone to another level, and Indian students now want to study abroad to master the art of making cakes and desserts.
Now when I ask young IHM students what their goal is, they promptly reply, “We want to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.” So what could have been better for them than a visit by the Le Cordon Bleu ambassador Chef Olivier Mahut. He was in India on a three city tour which culminated in New Delhi. Chef Mahut, who was born in the Alsace region of France, started as a home cook and is currently a Michelin star chef who specialises in chocolate and ice cream making.
As this was Chef Mahut’s first visit to India he was surprised to see students going crazy to attend his master classes. He said, “I didn’t expect such a response from young students who are tremendously talented and would do wonders if trained well.”
He further expressed, “India is a country which loves desserts and has a good market for it. A little bit of refinement is needed along with some presentation skills and it will graduate to the next level.”
Talking about his food experiences in India, he said, “I have fallen in love with mishti doi, kulfi faluda and paan. I will go back to my country and when I return in 2015 I will present these three desserts in my way.” Apart from sampling street food, he also dined at Le Bistro du Parc, a French restaurant in Delhi, and called it the finest French restaurant of Delhi. “I didn’t miss France at all when it came to the authenticity of the cuisine after I dined at Le Bistro Du Parc.”
Chef Mahut’s visit will really work wonders to inspire young chefs to represent the country on a global platform.
