Having great knowledge and experience in the profession, Chef Swetha has worked with most prestigious organizations like Ritz Carlton- Doha, Future Group- India, etc. Currently, she is the Head of Bakery & Confectionery for Compass Group for India which is a Fortune 500 Company. She says it is one of her greatest achievements & will be always dear to her.
Catch Chef Swetha in a candid conversation on her journey, challenges, and making the right choices.
Namita Nayyar:
You have been recognized as the Youngest Female Executive Chef in India in reference to Google. Please share your journey as a chef.
Chef Swetha:
Life is all about choices and sacrifices. Being very passionate about cooking, at a very young age, I decided to join a culinary school with built-around hurdles with parents not supporting pursuing my passion in the male-dominant industry. As there was no one in the family in this profession to guide me along. My drive to strive in the industry made me research the hospitality industry. As every cloud has a silver lining so did I, with time, dedication, passion & my love for my work convinced my parents to understand my true potential and supported me in doing BHM. Later supported in pursuing Masters’s In European Cuisine and Patisserie from Cesar Ritz Culinary Institute, Switzerland.
The support from my friends along with colleagues made me a successful proud youngest Female Executive Chef in India.
Namita Nayyar:
The first time when you realized that being a chef is something you wish to pursue as a career? The best compliment you ever received?
Chef Swetha:
Both my parents are great cooks, which made me even more interested in cooking & to gain much more knowledge about it. I started cooking at a very young age & even baked when I was at school. I made my first Baked Alaska at an age of 16 without any training, was self-taught then. This interest in baking was caught me from then & made me take my career seriously to become a Chef.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you go about balancing your work & family life?
Chef Swetha:
Every day of a Chef is always hectic & busy with lots of physical tedious work to do for long hours, that’s at least 12-14hrs a day. The work is never over as it mostly depends on the number of orders or pax involved which have to be completed with absolute perfection, quality & finesse. Fortunately, I got hitched to a Chef who understands the importance of my work & pressures that come along with being a chef which made my professional life much easier. With his support in my daily routine, I can easily balance my personal & work life.
Namita Nayyar:
Presently you are the Head of Bakery & Confectionery in Compass Group India which is a Fortune 500 Global Company. Define your role and do you go about planning products for varied food preferences.
Chef Swetha:
As a Head for Pan India, I take care of the Menu designing, its execution, Training, and Costing, for Compass Group. I plan in advance for any events, festivities, or bulk orders for each & every site by the calender because the bakery team from each place in India has to be briefed & trained accordingly for the same. I even do product customization according to our client’s requirements, for example, it can be budget-friendly, vegan, eggless, or even gluten-free products.
Namita Nayyar:
According to you 5 key aspects that go into making a winning chef?
Chef Swetha:
To be a winning chef or a successful chef you have to have the following aspects:
- dedication with passion
- be very organized
- always ready to work hard
- be physically strong &
- lastly, be patient.
Namita Nayyar:
Your personal food preferences? What kind of diet do you follow?
Chef Swetha:
I always prefer food with no added preservatives or chemicals in any given product. I always believe that the food needs to be fresh & made with quality ingredients, at home or at work. I don’t follow any particular diet. Always be hydrated, have balanced nutritional food, avoid ordering food from restaurants, and have home food as it hardly takes time to cook at home however busy your lifestyle is.
Namita Nayyar:
5 myths related to Bakery products being high in calories & low in nutrition?
Chef Swetha:
- Eating Bread will make you gain weight: Bread is not inherently fattening, eaten in moderation as part of a nutritional dense balanced diet, you can most definitely enjoy bread.
- Gluten-free bakery products are healthier: They can be higher in sugar & packed with nasties like additives such as xanthan gum, corn starch, or extra fat to give a similar texture or taste. So beware of gluten-free products just as you would any processed food.
- Brown bread is healthier than white: Actually, they contain higher levels of sugar to make the bread more palatable. A number of brown versions have additions of caramel or treacle to make them darker or for the illusion of wholesomeness.
- Bread is bad for your blood sugar: Had alone can be bad but combining it with high protein or fat options like hummus, nut butter or cheese can reduce your glycaemic load of that meal.
- Bread makes you feel bloated: It depends on each individual & how their body reacts to it. Commercial bread that produces cheap fast bread using enzymes & flour improving agents makes some individuals sensitive but artisan bread makers don’t.
Namita Nayyar:
Your future upcoming plans?
Chef Swetha:
As every baker’s dream, I would love to have a business of my own or a baking school too someday. As I am inspiring many youngsters to drive their passion to become successful chefs today & will continue to do so.
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