Food brings people together- Rajat Sachdeva

HospiBuz: What inspired you to enter the world of desserts?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:- It’s been 8 years since I joined the industry, having studied my hotel management from Chandigarh. I found it very interesting to have a glimpse of what it’s like to work professionally with one of my great passions – food. I absolutely love cooking, eating, baking – especially baking sweet treats. I love how food brings people together along with emotions that flow within the room after eating and tasting different items. During my childhood, my family was always cooking as I descend from a Punjabi family, the exposure to different colours helped me develop my interest and attraction towards food. I also use to paint and do sculptures which today has helped create chocolate artwork by creating different types of figurines using chocolate. My passion and zeal for innovation have helped me gain mastery to become the Pastry Chef at Sofitel Mumbai BKC.

HospiBuz: You have been a Pastry Chef at Brand Hotels. Please tell us how is the bakery items coordinated for the morning breakfast? Are they prepared a night before or in the morning itself?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:- I have worked with some of the most renowned hotels including The Leela Ambience Hotel Gurgaon, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli, Shangri-La Eros Hotel New Delhi, J.W.Marriott Chandigarh, and The Oberoi New Delhi.
Bakery items such as butter croissant, Danish pastry, pain-au-chocolate, dry fruit cakes and country breads are the most important items consumed during breakfast which are baked live in front of guest and freshly served which gives out the aroma. Butter croissant is a golden combination with omelets and coffee for breakfast by any nationality.

HospiBuz: What is your take on the trend of Naked cakes and Glitter Cakes in the bakery industry?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:- Naked cakes can be prepared for a formal or informal occasion such as birthdays, farewells, baby showers and many more. The naked cakes are classic cakes which are light on frosting but are still surprisingly beautiful. Naked cakes recently became trendy when bakers realized that the real beauty of a cake was in the ingredients themselves, simple golden-brown sponge and frosting which cast an organic, rustic vibe. It is healthier and a little sweet than its fully frosted counterpart.

Edible glitter cakes have been popping up on more and more shelves lately - a natural extension of the childlike rainbow and unicorn trends that have overtaken. At first, it was mostly a cake-decorating product - wedding cakes, frosted cookies and special occasion treats such as anniversary cakes which make it more royal.

HospiBuz: Please tell us about your work cycle at Sofitel Mumbai?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:- My role entails the responsibility to ensure that the pastry team provides consistent quality of food & beverage, in accordance with international standards, enhancing their own ability to create with a purpose of achieving complete total guest satisfaction and organizational profitability. Ensuring an atmosphere of high team morale by handling operations, checking inventory, equipment’s and quality, providing training to the lower management staff, meeting my clients, introducing new menus byways of promotion and social media are a few of my responsibilities tasked to me on a daily basis.

HospiBuz: Gluten-free cakes are not only a trend but a necessity. What is your take on it?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:-  Avoiding gluten means giving up on traditional bread, cereals, pasta, pizzas, and beer. Gluten also lurks in many other products, including frozen vegetables, in sauces, soy sauce, some foods made with natural flavourings, vitamin and mineral supplements.

Gluten-free cakes have now become part of a healthy lifestyle. Gluten-free, along with cutting carbohydrates, and eating more vegetables and fruits, help some people lose weight as we are building a very health conscious society, the advantages and benefits of a gluten-free diet translate to better health.
Gluten-free products such as coconut flour, almond flour, sweet corn flour, potato starch are used as a substitute for the traditional bakery products.

HospiBuz: What is the first thing that you do when you enter a Kitchen?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:-

● Greet my staff to have a good start to the day.
● Check hygiene
● Update myself with all the events in the hotel
● Check with my team and take inventory of all products and accordingly process the procedure
● Monitor the breakfast, lunch and dinner operations
● Implementing and innovating ideas
● Taking briefings, training and guide the team as needed
● Create customize cakes as per request and order
● Create products for themed buffet set-ups
● Personalized amenities
● Meet guest

HospiBuz: Chef, please tell us about the training you get in hotels?

Chef Rajat Sachdeva:-

● Successfully completed training in Chocolate, Pastries & Plated dessert conducted by Felchlin Export Corporate chef Philips in 2016.
● Successfully Completed Shangri-la supervisor excellence certification course, from Shangri-la hotel New Delhi in 2015.
● Attend ISO22000 auditor training at Shangri-la hotel New Delhi 2015.
● Successfully completed Great Food Safe Food Training from J.W Marriott hotel Chandigarh in 2014.
● Successfully completed Oberoi Supervised Development Program in the year 2014
● Successfully completed Train The Trainer Program in Leela, 2017
● Successfully completed the Heartist Training 2.0 at Sofitel Mumbai BKC
● Successfully completed Business Awareness And Improvement at Sofitel Mumbai BKC

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