Meet the SHEROES - Pooja Dhingra

Pooja Dhingra, an accomplished chef from Mumbai started out when she was just 23. She quit law to follow her passion for hospitality and food. After studying at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she came back to India, wanting to bring back the taste of authentic French patisserie and that’s how the story began.

Let’s see what Pooja wants to share with us today,

Tell us a little about you. What defines Pooja?

I’m a serial entrepreneur.  I love solving problems. I believe I have a great business instinct. I love people and I love to travel!

How did the idea of Studio Fifteen / Le Patisserie come about?

The idea to start Le15 came about when I was in culinary school in Paris. I’ve always been obsessed with desserts and was studying to be a pastry chef. While living in Paris I discovered my love for macarons. And the idea to bring the macaron back to India started there.

Why quit a profession like Law for baking? Purely because of the love of food?

I just knew instinctively that Law wasn’t for me. I decided to choose my passion and study hospitality and then later to pursue baking.

What future business plans do you have in mind for the company? Any other category of food products or services to be launched in the near future?

Future plans include more stores in different cities, a second book and more collaborations.

What were the initial challenges you faced in this field when starting up?

I started when I was very young. I found that people didn’t take me seriously. It was difficult to find suppliers and real estate agents who were willing to talk to a 23 year old girl. When I started Le15 the idea was to sell something that no other shop in Bombay sells. We were trying to do something new and different and getting people to experiment with their palate was a fun and exciting challenge

As an entrepreneur, what would you say matters most in order to 'get there'?

Follow your gut, work hard and don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot achieve.

What or from whom do you draw your inspiration from?

I get inspired by travel.

What is a usual work-day like at Studio Fifteen / Le Patisserie?

A lot of standing time in the kitchen! For me, my days are very varied. I not only work in the kitchen but also run and manage the entire business side of Le15. I teach at my cooking studio 'Studio Fifteen' and also spend time writing and working on new recipes. I recently published a recipe book and I am working on my second one now. So, days are very unpredictable! 

Any words of advice for our readers?

Everything passes. Try to live in the moment. If it’s too difficult or too good, it will all pass. No need to stress. 

Follow this bakery genius - @Le15Patisserie.