NoSugarCoat with Pooja Dhingra

Today on NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to culinary luminary and her fellow MasterChef India judge, Ranveer Brar. From his early days in the langar kitchen at 16 to achieving the title of one of India's youngest executive chefs at 26, Ranveer's culinary journey is a story of passion and perseverance. As the mastermind behind over 35 restaurants, Ranveer helps us understand why the term celebrity chef is deeply misunderstood and how the concept of a restaurant chef is changing.   You can follow Ranveer Brar, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is the godfather of Mumbai’s cafe culture himself, Riyaaz Amlani. He’s the mind behind some of your favourite hangout spots like Mocha, Salt Water Cafe, Smoke House Deli and Social. Riyaaz and Pooja chat about the importance of being adaptable to the ever evolving social culture and how delivery apps are not the enemy of in-house dining, but a completely different experience in themselves.    You can follow Riyaaz Amlani, impresarioindia, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

The guest on this episode of NoSugarCoat decided to take a one-year sabbatical from her tax-consulting career to go on a food adventure with her partner in 2011. It’s been twelve years and she’s still on that adventure, serving up great food at the many restaurants she’s launched since then. Gauri Devidayal is the co-founder of the Food Matters Group - home to restaurants and brands like The Table, Mag Street Kitchen, Mag Street Bread Co, Iktara Mumbai, Miss T Delivery and Mag Street Cafe. What made her take a leap of faith into the culinary world with no background in the hospitality industry? Tune in to find out.   You can follow Gauri Devidayal, thetable_colaba, magazinestreetkitchen, magstreetcafe, magstreetbreadco, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

Pooja’s guest on this episode of NoSugarCoat is her dear friend and salad queen herself, Karishma Dalal, from Bombay Salad Company. Karishma explains the concept of salads as meals, the logistical challenges of running a salad bar and how long it takes for a restaurant to be able to run on autopilot. She also talks about why it’s taken her nine years to start her second venture, Bokka Coffee.    You can follow Bombay Salad Co, Bokka Coffee, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to Annie Bafna, the fearless Founder and Head Chef of Mumbai's iconic eatery, The Nutcracker. Against the odds and without any prior F&B experience, Annie swapped a promising CA career for a culinary adventure. Discover what led her to this brave decision and how she transformed an all-day breakfast cafe into a thriving four-outlet sensation. Join Pooja and Annie for a conversation about following your passion, regardless of the doubts.   You can follow Annie Bafna, thenutcrackermumbai, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

Pooja’s guest on this week’s episode of NoSugarCoat is usually busy mentoring the next generation of great pastry chefs at the Lavonne Academy, Bangalore. Vinesh Johny founded Lavonne in 2012 with the aim of bringing world-class pastry education home to India. Where does India stand globally in the world of pastry? How does one juggle teaching and running multiple cafes? Tune in to find out.   You can follow Vinesh Johny, lavonneacademyindia, lavonnecafe, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode, Pooja’s guest is Anisha Oommen, who quit a stable and successful job in shipping logistics to follow her true calling, writing about food! Anisha chats about food is at the root of everything - history, culture, and our social landscape and how in 2013 she co-founded Goya Media that focuses on stories about food - who cooks it, who eats it and how it is part of the human connection. In the world of “creating content”, what makes a good food story? Find out from Anisha.    You can follow Anisha Oommen, goyajournal, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is the internet's most beloved baker, Shivesh Bhatia. Shivesh and Pooja reminisce about his beginnings in pastry with his internship in the Le15 kitchen and chat about his current status as a social media sensation and acclaimed author of four cookbooks. How does Shivesh strike a balance between life on and offline? Tune in to find out.   You can follow Shivesh Bhatia, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to Yash Bhanage and Sameer Seth, the dynamic duo who met as students at Cornell University in 2010 and now co-own some of Mumbai's most popular eateries. In this episode, they unveil the secrets behind creating an F&B brand that truly sticks. With iconic restaurants like Bombay Canteen, O’Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s, and the innovative food magazine ‘enthucutlet’ under their belt, Yash and Sameer chat about understanding business from a customer's perspective, fostering team unity, and drawing inspiration from the late Chef Floyd Cardoz.    You can follow Yash Bhanage, Sameer Seth, thebombaycanteen, opedromumbai, veronicasbombay, enthucutletmag, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.

On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is a true pioneer of the culinary world and the self-described ‘super bawarchi’ who paved the way for women chefs in a male-dominated industry. Ritu Dalmia is the co-founder of Diva Restaurants with locations across India, London and Italy, that has now expanded to a worldwide catering service as well. How do you strike the perfect balance between being a chef and a businesswoman? Tune in to find out from Ritu.   You can follow Ritu Dalmia, Diva Restaurants, Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visit maedinindia.in.