A pastry chef and a businesswoman by profession, Bani Nanda is the owner of Miam a patisserie that does some fabulous cakes and macarons and has already become a favourite in the Fashion circles started back in 2015. A tryst at Dalloyau, one of Paris’ oldest pâtisserie dating back over 400 years, brought out Bani’s passion in French pastry and desserts.
Check out Chit-a-Chat with MIAM fame Chef Bani Nanda:
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Your love affair with pâtisserie goes back to when you first experienced a taste of your mother’s delectable homemade cakes. Share with us the series of events that led your passion in French pastry and desserts to open MIAM.
Chef Bani Nanda
I was studying Physics Honors in Delhi University and in my second year, I started interning at some of the finest 5-star hotels in Delhi and it gave me a lot of clarity. I decided to pursue a course in French Pastry after graduation. I went to Paris in 2012 to study at Le Cordon Bleu. After my course I worked at Dalloayou and came back to India in 2014. I worked for a year before starting Miam in 2015.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Being a pastry chef and a businesswoman by profession, you run Miam Pâtisserie along with your husband, Akshay. How did you plan to start your dream venture and who was your first consumer and complement you received?
Chef Bani Nanda
I started Miam alone in 2015 from home. I hadn’t met Akshay then. My first few customers were friends and family and then my clientele began to grow. Word of mouth and social media really helped me establish Miam. Akshay and I started dating in 2017 and got engaged a year later. The idea of him joining me and expanding Miam really resonated with the both of us and with. our families too. We shifted Miam a massive base kitchen in Lado Sarai and there was no turning back!
Ms. Namita Nayyar
“Contractors don’t like taking instructions from a woman. It hurts their ego” Share the early challenges you faced while running your business.
Chef Bani Nanda
So, patriarchy is splashed all over the place and a lot of my vendors and associates didn’t take me seriously. They thought I was just another entitled ‘home baker’. It was hard for me to make them understand my vision for Miam. Now, they see all the progress Miam has made.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Being a chef requires putting in hours of physical work that sometimes might leave you fatigued. Share your daily exercise & fitness routine?
5 Stress-busting tips for working women?
Chef Bani Nanda
Being a chef is a workout on its own. I don’t really have a regular routine, but it is usually a combination of running, cross-fit, swimming and outdoor training.
5 Stress Busting Tips-
- Spending time with dogs.
- Cooking for friends and family.
- Hosting dinner parties.
- Kicking back with some gin and tonics.
- Getting out of town often.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
According to you “My periods have never come in the way of my work or goals. It’s not the best time of the month, but I’ve learned to be strong about it,” Foods or supplements that help you manage PMS. Your piece of advice for women with PMS.
Chef Bani Nanda
I don’t think any of us can ever have a definitive solution to PMS. I always let my husband know that my date is coming- almost like a warning. He keeps up with my tantrums and is very accommodating. He also likes to feed me chocolate when I am PMSing.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
How do you take care of your health while at work? Share your daily diet routine. 5 must-have recipes or desserts
Chef Bani Nanda
I don’t binge at work. You will find me eating sweets and freshly baked things at work. It takes a lot of control. Overall, I prefer having a salt- dinner. I love oatmeal. It is very filling and low in calories.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Your First tryst with baking?
Chef Bani Nanda
I can’t pin-point a specific recipe, but I used to watch a lot of Nigella Lawson on TV. She inspired me to cook!
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Your daily hair care & skin care routine?
Chef Bani Nanda
I don’t have any specific skin care routine. I use chemical free cleansers and use multani mitti. I am a big advocate of Juicy Chemistry. I use all their products.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Women fear feasting on cakes with the fear of weight gain. Do you offer healthier options to match present lifestyle? Please throw some light on healthier cake options & tips to enjoy them.
Chef Bani Nanda
Yes, the Miam menu has a few light options. But since I am a purist, cakes should be the way they were meant to be. People should have them in moderation or compensate with a workout.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
If you were to sum up your journey as a chef, how would you do that?
Chef Bani Nanda
I would sum up the last 10 years as a chef with- hard work, risk taking, innovation, thinking out of the box and being absolutely original and fearless.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Your future upcoming plans & projects?
Chef Bani Nanda
My husband and I want to expand deeper into the delhi market and maybe think about expanding to other cities!