How does baking help me?

Never in a million years, I would’ve thought that I could be switching my career.

I switched from being an animator to a baker and graduated with a degree in BSc.Animation and was very happy with the assignments.

I was given to work on but in the animation industry due to some personal reasons, I was losing interest in what I was doing.

My peers who had chosen different and more financially strong career paths didn’t really support me. They were always tried to pull me down by stating that it’s not a profession.

She was deeply hurt by these comments and started working at a news firm as a graphic designer but the inside me was never satisfied with the work I was doing.

I went into depression and couldn’t see the light at the end of that tunnel.

 

I was spending my days and nights watching ‘Zumbo’s Just Dessert’ which was telecasted on the TLC channel.

The women who appeared on the show mesmerized me with their life-changing stories.

Their life-changing stories had a great impact on my life.

I decided to take up some of the available baking classes in the city, and that was one life-changing experience for me.

Loved baking so much that I wanted to pursue it not as a hobby or thing that one does when all the options for profession close, but as a respected profession and with the support of my parents,

She earned her degree in Diploma in Bakery and Patisserie and started working professionally.

She was offered a job at Westin Pune. I was a trainee chef under renowned chefs and learned some of the best tips and techniques.

The work at a five-star hotel is never easy.

It may look like it’s all easy peasy but it is not.

I had to work almost 12-13 hours a day, help the chefs prepare meals, desserts, plating and entertain the guests during my work.

A lot of my colleagues who joined with me gave in to the pressure and left for something easier but I wasn’t ready to give up.

Worked late-night shifts and early morning shifts too but all of the grilling sessions at the hotel made my focus stronger and determined.

Those were the days I look back and pat my shoulder to see myself walk a mile. (I do now)

 

After six months of working as a trainee chef.

switched to a more specialized job, as a head chef at ‘Rosarte’ in New Delhi and the environment of the bakery.

I learned so much under the head chocolatier. The team helped me to be a better baker and a human being.

We use to sit and brainstorm ideas for new desserts and try them on.

Sometimes we failed to execute them the way it is supposed to but I wasn’t ready to give up.

Due to the pandemic, I had to return back to my home city.

The days without work were driving me crazy.

I had absolutely no idea when I will be going back to my job.

So I decided to quit my job and start my own venture.

I’ll be honest, starting up one’s own venture in a pandemic is not at all easy.

People who believed in me kept me going.

Here I am, after three months of baking and making people happy.

I have finally found a way to my peace.

I finally found something that makes me, I am really proud of it.

 

 

It is never easy to start something from scratch.

As the people who haven’t known, you won’t believe in the things you believe in or might even trust you with their food preferences.

But by the grace of God, I have received a good response.

I’d love to serve my favorite desserts to each and every citizen of the capital city.

There was a time, where I felt that I had been living out for a really long time.

People won’t be very accepting of my work but they did.

It’s still a struggle to ask people to be supportive but baby steps make one reach Everest right?

 

Author: Harneet Ahluwalia