The Malaysia-based Academy of Pastry Arts has set up its first institute here, offering global exposure to young practitioners
Pastry art is a long-practised tradition in India but there’s hardly any formal education dedicated to this art. But the excitement of making pastries have refused to fade away. It’s a specialised craft and involves many textures, colours and flavours. “Pastry art is growing fast with hotels and stand-alone pastry shops taking a lead. lots of potential students pursue it as a full time or alternative career. With connectivity and sharing of information becoming easier, we get a lot of opportunities to tap the market,” says Niklesh Sharma, MD, Academy of Pastry Arts.
The art is not about how difficult or easy the process is. It is about passion, focus and dedication of the person, Sharma points out and adds, “Skill will come when you practise it. But what makes it special is a vision and creativity.”
Today, amidst the multiple offbeat career options that youngsters are enrolling for, pastry art seems to have carved its way in. According to Jean-Francois Arnaud, MOF of the academy, anybody can do pastry art but it is better if one goes through basic training process. “Professionals have their own way of doing it as they are specially trained. Even experienced pastry chefs prepare same products in different ways. Or you can work as apprentice under a good pastry chef, which is a conventional way of learning. But in good pastry schools you are trained and groomed in all areas,” he explains. It is the thrill of creating something unique with basic ingredients that pushes him to create something different every time. For further ideas, he visits local pastry shops, checks their buffet and keeps a tab on the ongoing changes and new developments. “Ideas are just a part of the creative process,” he adds.
Not just that, pastry shops at major hotels, too have decorated artworks and designs on their cakes and desserts. Sharma believes that pastry was first adopted successfully by small confectioners and pastry shops, which customised and decorated small cakes and muffins for their customers. The trend then travelled to big bakeries and to a point where it stopped being just a craft. “India is a great emerging market and pastry scenario is going to develop lot more. There will be more pastry chefs coming up in next few years. Pastry enthusiasts looking forward to do online business,” Sharma concludes.