From FCI Ajmer to 5-Star Hotels — My Pastry Chef Journey
Everyone sees the finished cake. Nobody sees the burns, the tears, the 16-hour shifts, and the moments when I wanted to quit. This is the story of how a boy from Rajasthan became a pastry chef in India’s finest hotels.
It started at the Food Craft Institute in Ajmer. I was eighteen years old and I had never seen a commercial kitchen. The first day, the instructor handed me a knife and told me to julienne a carrot. I did not know what julienne meant. I cut the carrot into rough chunks while everyone else produced thin, uniform strips. That humiliation — standing alone with my ugly carrot pieces while the instructor held up someone else’s perfect work — became fuel. I went back to the hostel that night and practiced cutting vegetables until midnight. Within a month, I was the fastest in my batch.
I used to think “mise en place” was a French dessert. Turns out it just means “stop being messy” 😂
The FCI Foundation
FCI Ajmer taught me fundamentals — food safety, basic cooking methods, kitchen hierarchy, and most importantly, discipline. The training was rigorous. We woke at 5 AM, cleaned the kitchen before class, cooked through the day, cleaned again, and studied theory at night. There were no shortcuts and no excuses accepted. But it was in the bakery and pastry module that something clicked for me. The precision of measuring, the chemistry of baking, the artistry of decoration — I found my calling. I knew I wanted to be a pastry chef.
First Steps — HK Clarks Amritsar
My first real hotel posting was at HK Clarks Amritsar. I was a commis — the lowest rung of the kitchen ladder. I peeled fruits, washed equipment, measured ingredients, and watched. I watched everything. How the senior chefs tempered chocolate, how they checked oven temperatures by feel, how they knew a sponge was done just by pressing the top. I absorbed knowledge like a sponge absorbs water. The pay was almost nothing but the education was priceless.
Growing Up in Goa
Heritage Village Club Goa was where I grew from a follower into a contributor. For the first time, I was trusted to create desserts for actual guests. The Goan environment was different from North India — tropical fruits, Portuguese-influenced flavors, outdoor dining in humidity that challenged every chocolate and cream preparation I knew. I learned to adapt. I discovered that what works in an air-conditioned kitchen in Amritsar does not always work in a beachside buffet in Goa. It was at Park Hyatt Goa that I reached a turning point. The standards were international. The executive chef had worked in Europe and expected European-level precision. I was pushed harder than ever before, and I became better than I thought possible.
The Rajasthan Chapter
Jaipur Marriott, Rajmahal Palace, City Palace — these names carry weight in Indian hospitality. Working in heritage properties taught me something beyond technique. I learned that food is not just nutrition or even pleasure — it is storytelling. When a guest dines at Rajmahal Palace, they expect a culinary experience that matches the architecture, the history, the grandeur around them. I created desserts that told stories — a rose-flavored entremet inspired by Rajasthani gardens, a saffron panna cotta that paid tribute to Jaipur’s golden colors. At Rajmahal Palace by RAAS, I refined my style further, blending classical French pastry with Indian ingredients and aesthetics.
What Nobody Tells You About This Career
I have burned myself hundreds of times. I have worked through festivals, birthdays, and New Year’s Eves. I have stood in kitchens so hot that my chef coat was soaked through within an hour. I have thrown away batches of dough at 2 AM and started over. I have been shouted at in three languages. And I would do it all again.
Surprising fact: The average pastry chef in India walks 8-12 kilometers during a single shift just moving between stations, the walk-in, and the pass. We are athletes who smell like vanilla.
This career is not glamorous most days. It is early mornings and late nights. It is physical labor disguised as art. But when a guest closes their eyes after the first bite of something I made — that moment makes everything worth it.
Where I Am Now
Today, through Cooking Depth, I share everything I have learned across a decade in India’s top kitchens. Every recipe on this blog carries a piece of every hotel I have worked in, every chef who taught me, every mistake that made me better. I am not just a content creator or a blogger — I am a working pastry chef who believes that professional techniques should not be locked behind hotel kitchen doors.
FAQ
How do I start a career in pastry?
Enroll in a Food Craft Institute or a reputable culinary school. The foundation matters enormously. Then take every hotel opportunity you can, even if the pay is low. Experience in real kitchens is irreplaceable.
Is pastry a good career in India?
Yes, but be realistic. The first few years are tough financially. Senior pastry chefs in 5-star hotels earn well, and the growth into executive roles or entrepreneurship is real. Patience and skill development are key.
What is the most important skill for a pastry chef?
Consistency. Anyone can make a great cake once. Making it exactly the same way a hundred times — that is what separates professionals from hobbyists.
Save this tip 📌 — share this with anyone who dreams of becoming a chef.
What is your dream career in food? Tell me in the comments — I would love to hear your story!
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Read more about my cooking philosophy in my Black Forest Cake recipe and Chocolate Truffle Cake — both carry techniques from my hotel years.