Antara Bhatia is the Pizza Baking Queen
As I often chat with executive chefs from different hospitality services, I decided to switch things up and talk to a junior chef who truly left me in awe – Chef Antara Bhatia! This former Oberoi Cordon hireling has made her mark at Indore Marriott by introducing a unique kind of pizza – a Calzone Pizza – that reminded me of my Southern Italy trip where the local chefs effortlessly churn out the most delicious warm festive flavours in a folded pizza. When I learnt that Antara bakes over two hundred pizzas at Indore Marriott every day, I was curious to know what inspires her!
In a delightful tête-à-tête with Antara Bhatia, I got to learn of her early days in the pantry section; her fondness of pizza-making in the kitchen was apparent. She is thankful to all the experienced chefs who contributed to her skill improvement. Today, at Indore Marriott, she fires up hundreds of pizzas every day – with an impeccable balance of crispiness and delectable fillings. What a blessing for Bhatia – the hotel is the go-to place for pizza-baking, and it’s the perfect platform to showcase her baking skills. Here’s what I learnt in my short but sweet conversation with her.
1: What is your favourite food to eat?
A: You may think that if she’s baking a pizza every day, Italian cuisine might be her favourite, but no, Antara Bhatia says her favourite food is home-cooked lentils and rice.
2: Why did you choose to become a Chef?
A: Bhatia says she cooks to see her guests smile, and nothing makes her happier than a delighted guest.
3: What is your favourite cuisine to cook? Why?
A: While I was hoping to get a preview into her inclination towards Italian cuisine, Bhatia surprised me when she told me that she loves to experiment with Indian cuisine because she grew up with its fascinating flavours. In the future, Bhatia wants to take her Indian cooking skills to the global kitchens. Well, I hope Indore Marriott reads this and assigns her to a culinary division of her liking.
4: Give me an example of a meal you would prepare for me?
A: A calzone pizza bursting with flavourful ingredients of your choice.
5: What do you do to ensure the quality of the food going out to customers?
A: I use fresh ingredients and maintain high standards of quality while creating and serving dishes
6: Tell me about an accomplishment that you are most proud of?
A: I won a gold medal in Indian food in the national competition held by GICC in Mumbai.
7: Tell me three of your culinary strengths?
A: Dedication, quick learning skills and flexibility to work in different sections of the kitchen.
8: How much do you really love cooking?
A: Bhatia says she loves cooking beyond everything else! When I asked her to elaborate, she just smiled and nodded.
As our conversation came to a close, Bhatia presented me with a calzone pizza made with cottage cheese and a variety of vegetables – it was delicious! She has taken the liberty to spice up her pizzas by adding the popular Indian Chatpata flavouring, although I personally find it to be a bit of a disservice to traditional Italian cuisine. For the little ones, Bhatia whips up something special on special occasions – a chocolate pizza laden with nuts and Nutella. So if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary for your child’s birthday party, Bhatia’s got you covered!
That sure was a yummy post!
Nice post, enjoyed reading.
Thanks for sharing the art of folded pizza
mastered by Chef Antara Bhatia. The interview section was nice to read ?