Van Lavino bows down to Master Patissier Christian Barthlomot for the month of April as their latest Resident Chef. At a lavish grand finale at the stylish bakery, Hyderabad got its first taste of the unending array of mouth-watering delights: cloud-like madelines, rose and lychee isphana, raspberry profiteroles, scrumptious lemon tarts and the show-stealing paper thin yet flavourful crepes.
Parisian Chef Christian looks on proudly as he explains each of his creations, “I love working with the talented staff at Van Lavino, focussing on every single step — from conception to creation to presentation. Technique is important in pastry-making and this is what separates the good from the great.” Chef Christian also shared his knowledge with curious minds at the event, relaying that eggs should be mixed at 30 degrees, that weight is instrumental to portion size and other facts that had foodies leaning in.
Undoubtedly, the desserts seem run-of-the-mill at first but all it takes is one indulger and the rest follow suit, in exclaiming at how Chef Christian has brought new twists to timeless classics, such as fondues, truffles and croissants. The cultural verge between India and France is celebrated tastefully in each dish; hints of alphonso mango, lychee and other locally-heralded fruit. Within no time, desserts are swiped off the elegant displays as Hyderabad’s foodies are unable to describe their pleasure.
Ashwini Pai Jhabakh, a partner at Van Lavino, shares how they connected with Chef Christian, “My partner Harish met Chef Christian at a food festival in France, and was immediately impressed with how knowledgeable and approachable he was. So Harish invited him to come to Hyderabad to show us the artisan way of dessert-making.”
Check out Van Lavino’s new legacy of desserts at Road no. 36 Jubilee Hills.
