At 17, when most boys and girls are still figuring out what to do next in their life and career, Zahan Gafoor is whipping up a storm in the kitchen by baking brownies. The young man, who was adjudged the ‘Most Organised Chef’ at the IIHM Young Chef India Schools 2018 competition in June this year, has founded his own baking enterprise Bread n’ Batter (B&B).
Less than a month old, Zahan’s baking company is already on delivery platform Zomato and has garnered more than 3,000 fans on its Instagram page. It is B&B’s delicious brownies that have made this young man’s enterprise so popular.
When asked what made him want to set up his own business, Zahan says, “I first baked a few brownies three years ago after watching a YouTube video. My friends loved it. I have been experimenting since then. When I baked some brownies for a friend’s birthday a while later, someone said they would like to order the same brownies from me. It was then that I had the idea of setting up a business.”
But Zahan’s cooking journey began when he was just 11 years old. He started his culinary experiments by cooking what he liked to eat. “My mother bakes well, but she doesn’t cook that well. I always wondered why the pasta at the restaurant, Fava tasted better than what my mother made. I Googled the recipe and made a pasta on my own,” says Zahan.
Zahan’s menu includes brownies with options such as Salted Caramel, Kitkat, Nutella, Double Chocolate Oreo and Dark Chocolate Fudge. “When I started, for the first five to six days, I had to throw away a few batches of brownies till I perfected it. A big learning is that all ingredients must be at room temperature and I add very little flour — just enough to bind the ingredients, so the flavour of the chocolate is prominent,” he explains. Another tip he shares is that he likes slow baking.
B&B takes orders for as less as six brownies and your order is delivered to your doorstep. Zahan will be updating his menu with additions like bread rolls and more brownie varieties by next month.
Rs 300 upwards. At Frazer Town
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