Sikandar Mohammed: Stirring up the Taste Buds of Sweet-Tooth Lovers

Chatting with Chef Sikandar Mohammed of Indore Marriott this weekend over a delicious chocolate hazelnut mousse, I was captivated by his creative cooking and captivating stories. As a pastry chef specializing in desserts, pastries, bread and other specialities, he is an invaluable asset to the restaurant kitchen. With a passion for baking passed on from his talented father who is also a chef, Chef Sikander’s desserts are as sweet as the stories from his childhood. His elaborate recipes and creative presentation make his desserts truly unique – something I was fortunate enough to experience first-hand!

Sikander Mohammed’s sweet tooth was nurtured early. As a child, his father served up delicious desserts for the holidays, and Sikander knew right away that he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps as a pastry chef. With a degree in hotel management from Pusa in New Delhi, Sikander set off around the world, honing his culinary skills in Russia, Dubai, Qatar, Oman, and Riyadh. Now, Sikander is a ‘sweet assassin’ just like Adriano Zumbo, renowned for his unique ingredients and desserts. As the head of the pastry section at Indore Marriott since 2016, Sikander has certainly achieved his childhood dreams.

As a child, Chef Sikander was mesmerized by his father’s incredible cooking and plating prowess. What truly captivated him was the special smile his father had every time he made something special for the family. This was a reminder that the most essential ingredient in any dish is, indeed, love! Chef Sikander embraced all the positive traits of his father and applied them to his own cooking. Nowadays, pastry chef Sikander pays attention to how flavours, colours, and presentation influence a customer’s palate and he tweaks his creations accordingly.

The decadent chocolate hazelnut mousse he prepared today is a shining testament to his remarkable culinary talent. Intrigued by his culinary genius, I decided to challenge him with a lightning-round game to get to know him better. Let’s find out what drives Chef Sikander Mohammed’s passion for cooking!

1. What is your favourite food to eat?

A: I enjoy eating Chinese and Indian cuisine the most.

2: Why did you choose to become a Chef?

A: I have always loved trying different cuisines. But, what ultimately inspired me to take up this profession was my father’s passion, to bake exquisite cakes at home. I chose to become a pastry chef so that, I, too can bake customised desserts alongside beautiful light cakes.

3: What is your favourite cuisine to cook and why?

A: If you are asking me other than desserts, then, I’d say Indo Chinese fusion.

4: Give me an example of a meal you would prepare for me?

A: I will cook you a delicious Indo-Chinese meal which will include a sweet corn soup, chicken fried rice, Manchurian of your choice, egg fried noodles and I will top it up with a special dessert that is a Chinese Darsaan with Vanilla ice cream.

5: What do you do to ensure the quality of the food?

A: As soon as I receive the raw material, I check the labelled dates to know if the product is good to use. From time to time, I also train staff to prepare and present meals more dependably. Most importantly, I always ensure that all meals leave the kitchen at the right temperature.

6: Tell me about that one accomplishment that you are most proud of?

A: Of all my accomplishments, the closest to my heart is the one when I first cooked an Indo-western Rasmalai mousse dessert and served it to my father. He loved it, and so did all the guests.

7: Tell me three things you consider to be your strengths?

A: Bakery, Pastry, and Sugar work

8: How much do you really love cooking?

A: Cooking is my ultimate passion. It is an art of preparing food with love, fresh ingredients, and well-thought presentation. Creativity and having the power to make people smile is the key to my success.

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