Indian Bakery Industry Poised for Significant Growth

Chef Mohammad Sameer, currently an Executive Pastry Chef, Umbrella Cafe II Paco, Saudi Arabia, did his hotel management from IHM RIG Greater Noida, Diploma in Hotel & Tourism Management from AHLEI (American Hotel Lodging & Educational Institute) and Higher Diploma in Tourism & Hotel Management from HTMI Switzerland. After graduating he was involved in pre-openings of hotels and restaurant and eventually landed a job as a pastry chef at a high-end hotel. He is associated with the pastry industry for over 10 years.

Chef Mohammad Sameer, Executive Pastry Chef, Umbrella Cafe II Paco, Saudi Arabia

What inspired you to be a Pastry Chef?

I was inspired by the pastry shops in the hotel lobbies, whenever visited a hotel, watching the creative delicious treats. I was always fascinated by the way chefs transform simple ingredients into something so beautiful and flavourful.

What are the challenges you face in your day-to-day working as a Pastry Chef?

As a pastry chef, we face multiple challenges and impediments on a daily basis. Some of these challenges are creative, while others are operational or personnel-related. The most common challenges are:

Long working hours

Working within a tight budget

Meeting strict deadlines

Managing a team of staff

How much importance do you give to the health quotient in your baked and pastry creations?

We believe that healthy eating should not mean sacrificing taste or enjoyment. At the same time place a great deal of importance on the health quotient in baked and pastry creations. We believe that everyone deserves to enjoy delicious food that is also good for them. That's why we use only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients and make everything from scratch.