Chef Vedangi Gawde Triumphs as India's Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024

Chef Vedangi Gawde Triumphs as India's Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024

By Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on May 30, 2024

The prestigious Callebaut Pâtissier of the Year 2024 competition, showcasing India’s finest pastry talent, recently concluded in Mumbai. This year, Chef Vedangi Gawde was crowned the winner, with Chef Yash Chhabria as the first runner-up and Chef Sandeep Sharma and Chef Nilesh Dewulkar sharing the second runner-up spot.

Callebaut, famed for its high-quality Belgian chocolate, organized the event in collaboration with Taj Lands End as the Hospitality Partner. Now in its third edition, the competition aims to provide a platform for India’s top pastry chefs to showcase their innovative use of chocolate in bakery, pastry, and confectionery creations.

The journey to the finale was marked by remarkable talent and creativity. Pastry chefs from across India participated in regional qualifiers held in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. The eight finalists—Chef Krishanu Dey, Chef Milan Shoran, Chef Sandeep Sharma, Chef Vedangi Gawde, Chef Anshul Grover, Chef Nilesh Dewulkar, Chef Shashi Kiran, and Chef Yash Chhabria—competed fiercely for the top honors.

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Chef Vedangi Gawde, Chef de Partie at Sivako, emerged victorious. Chef Yash Chhabria, Pastry Cook and Co-Founder of Cacaobleu, was the first runner-up. Chef Sandeep Sharma, Demi Chef de Partie at JW Marriott Kolkata, and Chef Nilesh Dewulkar, Pastry Chef at Sofitel BKC, tied for the second runner-up position.

Dhruva Jyoti Sanyal, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut Cocoa & Chocolate Ingredients India, expressed pride in the event's success. He highlighted the competition’s theme, "Craft Your Signature," which encouraged chefs to express their authentic selves through their creations. He praised the participants for their exceptional skill, talent, and passion displayed throughout the competition.

Chef Pratik Deshmukh, Head of Chocolate Academy Mumbai, was thrilled with the level of talent showcased. "Overall, we had a great turnout for the competition. We had the opportunity to taste some really unique flavor combinations as well. The Chefs truly pushed their boundaries through the competition and proudly crafted their signatures. The level of pastry skill has indeed evolved, which was displayed throughout the competition, be it with newer, more efficient methods of working or flavor pairings and techniques used to craft bonbons, entremets, and other creations."

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Global Callebaut Creative Lead Chef Minette Smith, who judged the event for the second time, echoed these sentiments. She appreciated the contestants' creativity and their use of local ingredients. She remarked on the difficulty of selecting a winner due to the high level of competition and wished all participants success in their future endeavors.

Chef Vedangi Gawde said, “I am very happy to win the title of the Callebaut Patisserie for the year. This is a very special title for me, and this win means a lot to me.”

The grand finale featured contestants creating exquisite signature dishes across various categories, judged by culinary experts including Chef Minette Smith, Chef Romain Renard, Head of MENA Chocolate Academies, and Chef Arvind Prasad, Ambassador for Callebaut Chocolates in India.

The event was supported by several partners: Taj Lands End as the Hospitality Partner, The Chocolate Academy Mumbai as the Knowledge Partner, KitchenAid as the Appliance Partner, Unox as the Equipment Partner, Elle & Vire Professional and Delta Nutritives as the Ingredient Partners, BW Hotelier as the Media Partner, Zee Zest as the Lifestyle Partner, and VBev as the Celebration Partner.


Sweet Truth Celebrates Mother’s Day with ‘Sweet Mom of Mine’ Campaign

Sweet Truth Celebrates Mother’s Day with ‘Sweet Mom of Mine’ Campaign

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 7, 2026

Sweet Truth, a desserts brand from Rebel Foods, is celebrating Mother’s Day with its heartfelt campaign ‘Sweet Mom of Mine’. The initiative focuses on the small, everyday acts of love that often go unnoticed but play a big role in shaping our lives.

Built around the idea that the most meaningful memories come from simple and consistent gestures, the campaign highlights moments like packing tiffins, staying up late, or remembering little preferences. These everyday actions form the emotional core of the campaign, bringing attention to the quiet ways in which mothers care for their families.

At the centre of the campaign is the ‘Receipt of Love’ Mother’s Day card, a creative take on a retail bill. The card lists familiar gestures, each marked at ₹0, symbolising that a mother’s love has no price. It ends with the word ‘Priceless’, capturing the message in a simple yet powerful way. This card will be included with every order from Sweet Truth across its 380+ locations PAN India, turning each delivery into a thoughtful experience during the campaign period.

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Commenting on the campaign, Nishant Kedia, CMO at Rebel Foods said, “At Sweet Truth, we believe that the most meaningful expressions of love often lie in the smallest, everyday moments. With ‘Sweet Mom of Mine’, we wanted to celebrate these quiet gestures that shape our lives in profound ways, even if we don’t always recognise them at the time. The ‘Receipt of Love’ is a simple yet powerful reminder that a mother’s care is truly priceless, and we hope it inspires people to pause, reflect, and express their gratitude this Mother’s Day.”

Along with the campaign, the brand is also encouraging customers to celebrate with its range of desserts. From specially curated Mother’s Day cakes to dessert boxes, the idea is to create a complete “sweet + sentiment” gifting experience, suitable for both at-home celebrations and surprise moments.

The campaign will also extend to digital platforms, where short films and social media content will highlight relatable “mom moments”, those small yet meaningful experiences that stay with us over time. Adding to this, influencers and content creators will share their personal stories, recreating memories and presenting the ‘Receipt of Love’ card along with desserts, inviting audiences to reflect on their own journeys with their mothers.

With this initiative, Sweet Truth brings together emotion and indulgence, making Mother’s Day celebrations more personal and memorable across the country.


Harajuku Bakehouse Celebrates Alphonso Mango Season with New Menu

Harajuku Bakehouse Celebrates Alphonso Mango Season with New Menu

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 7, 2026

Harajuku Bakehouse brings the joy of mango season to life with a thoughtfully curated menu that celebrates Alphonso in its most delightful form. This limited-time offering features seven desserts, each blending the finesse of Japanese pastry techniques with the richness of India’s most loved summer fruit. Made using fresh Alphonso mangoes, every creation reflects the signature detail and warmth the Bakehouse is known for.

The menu features a range of desserts that feel both comforting and exciting. The Hokkaido Mango Milk Cake stands out with its soft vanilla sponge soaked in mango-flavoured milk and topped with fresh Alphonso. The Mango Rose Tart pairs an almond sablé base with mango vanilla pastry cream, finished neatly with pistachios. Each dessert is crafted to bring out the natural sweetness and freshness of mango in a simple yet memorable way.

Other highlights include the Mango Mochi, where soft Japanese dough wraps around fresh mango and vanilla cream, and the Mango Roll Cake, made with light chiffon layers and smooth mango cream. The Puru Puru Pudding adds a playful touch with its delicate wobble, served alongside cookie crumbs and mango sauce. The Mango Fraisier and Mango Bento complete the menu with rich layers and satisfying textures that stay true to the season.

For those looking to try just one, the Mango Rose Tart comes highly recommended, bringing together pistachios, Alphonso mango, and a pastry cream that truly stands out.

This special menu captures mango at its best, fresh, vibrant, and full of summer character, making it a must-visit experience for dessert lovers.

  • What: Mango Seasonal Menu
  • Where: Harajuku Bakehouse, Mumbai
  • When: Limited time during the mango season


Dandy & Dandy Opens in Hyderabad, Blending Dining and Nightlife

Dandy & Dandy Opens in Hyderabad, Blending Dining and Nightlife

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 7, 2026

A new space in Hyderabad is rethinking how people experience dining and nightlife. Dandy & Dandy enters the city with a concept that blends both worlds into one fluid experience. Built on the idea of “Two Dandies. One Door. Same Room. Two Moods,” the space moves away from the usual divide between a restaurant and a bar, offering a setting that evolves naturally through the day.

Instead of separating occasions, Dandy & Dandy is designed around how people actually spend their time today. It creates a space where afternoons can flow into evenings without interruption, allowing guests to stay, unwind and shift with the mood without needing to move elsewhere.

At its core is a clear sense of duality. One side focuses on a more refined and ingredient-led approach to food, keeping things simple, seasonal and balanced. The other side brings in a more social and energetic vibe, where cocktails, music and interaction take the lead. Both identities exist together, complementing each other rather than competing.

The shift from day to night happens gradually. During the day, the space feels open and relaxed, making it ideal for long lunches and easy conversations. As the evening sets in, the mood changes subtly. Lighting, music and energy build up, turning the space into a more lively and immersive setting where the bar becomes the centre of attention.

Design plays an important role in this transition. A central bar anchors the space, while lighting and colours shift through the day to create different moods without changing the structure. Shades of deep red, black and warm tones give it a clean look during the day and a more dramatic feel at night.

The food and beverage experience follows a similar flow. The menu is globally inspired but easy to enjoy, with shareable dishes that suit different moods and timings. The cocktail programme is designed around a gradual progression, starting with lighter options and moving towards stronger, more layered drinks as the evening unfolds. Music is also curated to match this rhythm, beginning softly and building into high-energy sets later in the night.

Speaking on the concept, Kaushik Rachapudi, Managing Director, Dandy & Dandy shares, “Dandy & Dandy is built around how people actually live today. There’s no clear divide between work and social life anymore. We wanted to create a space that respects that fluidity where you can begin with intent and naturally move into something more expressive, without ever needing to change your environment.”

He adds, “The idea is deceptively simple: the same space, different energy. But delivering that seamlessly requires discipline. If you’re doing both day and night, you have to do both with equal conviction; there’s no halfway.”

With nearly three decades of experience, Rehan Guha brings a strong understanding of hospitality and evolving consumer preferences, helping shape a space that feels natural and easy to connect with.

Positioned as an accessible premium destination, Dandy & Dandy caters to a new generation that prefers thoughtful experiences over loud settings. It offers a balanced space that feels just as comfortable in the afternoon as it does late at night.

In a city where dining and nightlife have mostly remained separate, this new concept creates a middle ground that feels seamless and relevant. Here, the experience doesn’t ask you to choose between day and night , it invites you to stay for both.

Location: 5th Floor, THE LOFT, Nexity, HITEC City, Hyderabad, Telangana 500032.

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