Pastry Chef Victor Choudhury has been leading the pastry team of Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel, since early 2019. With over 12 years of experience in the industry, Chef Victor is equipped with an exceptional sense of taste and knows how to marry flavours and textures and is constantly innovating and creating delectable pastries. We spoke to him about his craft and more …

Pastry Chef Victor Choudhury

ON HIS PASTRY CHEF JOURNEY
“I was in the third semester of my hotel management course when I got an opportunity to work on a pastry project with my seniors. That was the turning point for me. I was keen on joining F&B services after my course, but the project changed my direction. I am also someone who enjoys art and believes that it has many forms. Pastry making is a blend of science and art and I found myself in my natural environment in a pastry kitchen.”

ON OMAN AND HORMUZ GRAND MUSCAT
“During my stint in Saudi Arabia, I met and interacted with people from across the GCC countries. I learnt a lot about Oman, its people, and heard so much about its famous hospitality. So, I was excited when Chef Thierry Quintric, Executive Chef of Hormuz Grand Muscat offered me the opportunity to work in the Sultanate. Hormuz Grand Muscat has given me such a wonderful platform to showcase my skills through its various restaurants, and luxurious banquets. I am particularly excited about the new pastry menu and high tea selection we are introducing soon at Hub, the lobby lounge.”

Omani Halwa Cake

ON PASTRY, ART, AND INSPIRATIONS
“I always get motivated by architecture, modern designs, and how designers use different shapes, sizes, and textures. Whenever I start designing a dessert plate or a cake, I don’t really think much. I start with one idea and then I keep going with the flow and connecting the dots as I go along. I don’t stop till it meets my satisfaction. For palettes, I always try experimenting with different layers of textures and complex flavours that are locally obtainable.”

ON MINDFUL COOKING AND HEALTH-CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS
“In today’s times it is a real challenge to be keep things simple and healthy at the same time. “I say ‘challenge’ because we cannot really fall back on recipes from the past anymore. We are constantly evolving our recipes to match the trend. At Hormuz Grand, we are making an effort to cut down on sugar and fats as much as we can without compromising on tastes and textures. We use fresh ingredients such as berries and seasonal fruits to incorporate natural sugars. We have replaced gelatine with agar and pectin, and milk with almond milk in many recipes. We have also created vegan and gluten free options for our guests.”

ON ARABIC SWEETS AND FAVOURITE INGREDIENTS
“I think that the balance of nuts and sugar syrup used in the preparation of Arabic desserts make them unique. Sweetness doesn’t overpower the natural flavours of nuts. The desserts are simple but need high level of expertise when preparing them. Take the baklava for example, it’s a very simple dessert but it’s really hard to make. “As far as ingredients go, for me, pistachio is the best ingredient available in Middle East. I like pistachio because it’s rich in flavour with high nutritional value and has a unique taste which allows it to be paired with different fruits.”

 

by Signature Team