Great Potential in Bakery: Devendra Bungla

DEVENDRA BUNGLA, Corporate pastry chef, Hyatt Regency Delhi has recently crafted French menu after exploring the ‘City of love’. BW Hotelier got a chance to interact with the Bungla while having the delicate French platter at The Sidewalk, the hotel's pastry and bakery outlet.

Over a career spanning 35 years, Bungla has mastered the art of desserts, and he relies on his authenticity, techniques, tradition and finally his intuition to invent each of his delectable creations. He went back to his past while serving his special creation, fresh coriander lemon praline and said, “I started my career as a Trainee in Asoka Hotel. Then I shifted to Hyatt and now it’s been more than 32 years, and Hyatt like a family to me. I have not just for Hyatt Regency Delhi but Hyatt International as well.”

Hailing from Nainital, Bungla spoke more about his past, “Earlier I was put into the butchery department. But I was never very much fond of non–vegetarian. That made me shift to bakery.” The day Bungla started working in pastry department, he has been experimenting with his genre each day. “this is my everyday routine, I’m doing one or two item every day,” he added.

His 32 years of experience has witnessed a lot of development in food. “Every year while visiting new places, I notice things changing from cooking style to the ingredients. Recently I visited France and saw people using fresh flowers and smoky oil which I want to introduce soon in Hyatt,” he told us.

Sidewalk restaurant holds the authentic as well as the newly styled French collections, according to Bungla. While tasting the mille feuillet slice, he explained, “I have presented mille feuillet slice in two different forms, both carries same taste with the different presentation style”.

Speaking about the technology empowering the kitchen, Bungla recalls his old days where there were no rolling machines and he used to roll the pastry sheets himself. “Nowadays we have blast freezers and equipment like thermometer, inch tapes, weighing machines is now being used. However this is good for us. The sugar work, the chocolate carving is creating new dimensions in pastries. The use of silica gel has now become so essential for us,” he said.

India is a country with its very own confectionary history, how difficult is it to get acceptance of French delicaties, we asked. “The internet has done so much, people are aware of pastries and cakes. I’ve noticed people preferring them more than Indian sweets. You can say health consciousness is a factor, but I’ve seen changing taste buds, and the pastry department is flourishing more,” according to Bungla.

He believes India has a great career future in bakery. “The whole idea about food is changing. Earlier in Delhi, IHM Pusa was the only known institute but now Delhi has many good institutes. Technology and Internet is providing a platform to know more about this field and taking it forward as a career option.” he elaborated.

On asking about his future plans of opening up his own pastry shop, Bungla smiled and said, “there is too much competition in the market and right now I’m saving money to open one.”