Chitkara University hosts culinary demonstration with Chef Sambhavi Joshi, Le Cordon Bleu – London
Chitkara University, Punjab organized a culinary demonstration on December 9th, 2021 for the students of Hospitality and Culinary Arts with Chef Sambhavi Joshi, alumna of Le Cordon Bleu – London and Founder, Casareece Artisanal Pasta. She was accompanied by Ms. Saima Siddiqui, Sales and Marketing Manager – India, Le Cordon Bleu. Le Cordon Bleu, founded in Paris in 1895, is one of the world’s largest network of culinary and hospitality schools, with more than 35 institutes in 20 countries. Le Cordon Bleu’s certifications, diplomas, bachelor’s and master’s degrees blend innovation and creativity with tradition.
Chef Sambhavi Joshi trained in Classic French Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu, London. In 2019, under the coveted Bahaman Samandari Scholarship. Sambhavi returned to Europe- Paris to study the nuances of culinary management. She got accepted at 3 Michelin restaurant by Chef Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice for her internship. During her time at Le Cordon Bleu London Campus, she was first introduced to a pasta recipe – Open saffron lasagne with lobster and the joy of rolling her very first batch was an exhilarating experience for her. It was during her stint at ‘Le Cirque’, New Delhi that she truly fell in love with artisanal pasta of all varieties and flavours. During the lockdown, she started hand rolling pasta. She realised that the majority of the pasta served in Indian restaurants today is Italian-made and store-bought. This gave birth to her home grown brand ‘Casarecce’, meaning ‘homemade’.
Casarecce is an amalgamation of traditional methods of making pasta with global flavours and the best of Indian grains, all nurtured with love. Sambhavi has curated the brand and has worked and customised artisanal pastas for top notch restaurant The brand works with a variety of grains and flours, ranging from semolina, whole wheat, and khapli flour to indigenous millet, rice and quinoa. Everything is sourced right from the farmers to make sure that the ingredients are fresh and organic. She is currently also working with pastas which are gluten free and vegan. Her journey till now is peppered with inspiration, perspiration and a whole lot of determination. She said “It’s the constant process of experimenting and learning that inspires me everyday.”
The workshop witnessed enthusiastic participation of the students. During the workshop, Chef Sambhavi passionately talked about experimenting with flavours, ingredients, presentation and colours. She demonstrated how to make Black Pepper Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Parmesan. She interacted with the students and discussed the various types and techniques of making pasta. Talking about her experience with Chitkara University, she said “It was an absolute delight interacting with the students. Their vigour to learn is unmatched. They are so passionate about what they are doing and that is what sets them apart.”
It was Ms. Saima’s third visit to Chitkara University. Reminiscing her 2019 visit she said “It is always a pleasure to be back at Chitkara University. We visit every year for Chef Demonstrations. But, this is our first event post Covid 19 pandemic. We are happy to be back here. Everyone at Chitkara University is so supportive. It’s good to see a lot of changes here every year. This year, their collaboration with George Brown College will ensure that students get a truly global experience.”
Chitkara University makes relentless efforts to ensure that students are exposed to the best learning experience. It is the strong academic heritage of the University that has seen it grow from strength to strength in such a short span of time.
