The Art of Experimentation: Chef Vanshika Bhatia on Chocolate, Sustainability, and Innovation
From mushroom-chocolate macarons to sourcing from local farms, Chef Vanshika blends innovation with responsibility in her desserts
Chef Vanshika Bhatia is a trailblazer in the culinary world, known for her innovative approach to sustainable food practices and experimental cooking. In an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle, she shares her insights on balancing unique flavours, sourcing ingredients, and creating meaningful dishes.
How do you balance experimenting with unique flavour combinations, like your signature mushroom and chocolate macaron, while still appealing to a wide range of palates?
The key is to have some favourites and all round bestsellers on the menu as well. Customers are more prone to trying new things when they know that if the flavour doesn't sit well, they can always go back to a flavour they know they love. It could be a brownie, or a croissant, or a chocolate chip cookie.
Experimentation is an absolute must. And most times, the unique flavours are utterly delicious and go on to become bestsellers. Sometimes a little time, and teaching customers how to anticipate and enjoy certain flavours does the trick.
What inspired you to incorporate chocolate into savoury dishes, and do you have any tips for home cooks looking to try similar experiments?
Chocolate and savoury flavours have been paired together forever, especially in cuisines like mexican food, where a special mole is made using dark chocolate and different kinds of chilies. The earthiness of the chocolate works wonderfully in creating depth and umami flavours. It is very interesting to try such combinations and experiment with unexpected yet wonderful results.
I think the simplest way for a home cook to try using chocolate with savoury flavours would be to try chocolate with some cheese, maybe funky blue cheese or a smoky aged cheddar. The trick lies in finding the balance between the bittterness of the chocolate and how an ingredeint might work with that.
Which of your chocolate-based desserts, such as the Callebaut Chocolate & Sea Salt Brownie or Chocolate Orange Pie, do you think will be in high demand on Chocolate Day?
The Salted Caramel Pie for sure. Also the Sea Salt Brownie is a well loved dessert.
How do you source your chocolate and other ingredients to ensure sustainability in your desserts, and what practices do you think are essential for the industry to adopt?
· We use Callebaut chocolate for all our desserts, which is one of the top makers of good quality chocolate, using the best of the cacao beans and butters.· We work with farmers directly and source our flours directly from Tijara Farms.
· We work with seasonal fruits and the pies change accordingly.
· Working with the freshest produce and sourcing through farmers and producers that work to make use that their produce is grown using sustainable practices should be the way forward for the industry.
Can you walk us through your creative process when developing new chocolate-based desserts, and what role does experimentation play in your kitchen?
Experimentation is everything. An idea is usually developed, maybe through research or maybe a fruit that is in season. Then we work with trials in the kitchen to try out different textures, flavours and the bringing the concept to life. The process can take 4-5 days, and depending on the season, the dish can last on the menu for a couple of weeks.
