Paris Cafe, that quaint little cafe opposite Modern High School which transports you to Paris, completes a year. A t2 chat with its young owner Sneha Singhi.

When did the idea of Paris Cafe take seed?

Ever since I was seven, I’ve always wanted to be a chef. It was something I always knew I was destined to do. Going to Le Cordon Bleu and working in cafes in Paris and London, all just helped strengthen my conviction.

How much did the course at Le Cordon Bleu help you?

It was very helpful! Basically, I decided to go into baking because of it. My mother (designer Radhika Singhi) has always been such an ace in the kitchen, but she could never actually bake. So with me going into baking, it has now come around to us being a complete package.

Once in India, how did you go about working towards your dream?

First and foremost, I wanted a clear perspective on an Indian who visits a cafe. I wanted more experience because I had a very clear idea about the European and the British customers but none on the Indian customer. So I worked in Hyatt (Regency, Calcutta) for six months learning the subtle nuances of actually running a bakery here. After that I catered from home for three months to test the waters, and here I am finally!

In the initial few months, was there something you weren’t prepared for?

I was 19 when I started working on opening my own cafe. It was a little difficult at first to decide everything by myself — like the menu, the recipes and other things here and there. In fact, what I noticed then was that people weren’t very fond of desserts that were different. They’d prefer ones that they were used to, like a Black Forest. So I started doing a fusion of typical French desserts with popular Indian and American desserts. It is difficult at first but once you get a hang of it, it’s smooth.

So has Calcutta finally embraced the new?

Thanks to TV programmes like MasterChef Australia, things have changed so much! I feel I am so indebted to shows like these for actually showing people something new. Though, much to my despair, people do walk into the cafe and declare that most of my desserts are inspired by the show. But at least there is acceptance. There’s been a drastic change in just one year. Customers now want things they have never tasted before.

How has your role changed over time?

I still work behind the counter and also serve our customers. I don’t tell them that I own this place, I’m more like a gracious host employed by the cafe. I think this helps me connect with our customers at a very personal level.

What advice do you have for someone starting out young?

Definitely go for it! It’s going to surprise you in a lot of ways. You have to put more than 100 per cent into it because it’s a 24x7 job. However once you settle down, at the end of the day you will be doing something that you love, which is very important.

Riddhima Khanna

Pictures: Pabitra Das