Flavia Lewis
Salt by Flavia, Mumbai
Did Salt by Flavia start as a passion project, or had it always been planned as a full-blown business? Do you bake at home, or do you have a separate kitchen?
I started baking in 2013 while I was still at the hobby course at IHM (Institute of Hotel Management); that turned into Flavia’s Confectionery in 2014, post pastry school, and eventually Salt this year. My journey has been a reverse one of sorts – it started as a business, as a student fresh out of college without a job and purpose. (There was so much pressure to just be something and to know what you wanted to do for the rest of your life.) Now, nearly eight years later, it’s definitely a passion project. I currently operate from the kitchen at home.
Where did you study baking? What or who inspired you to be a baker? How did this influence your baking style?
I took the three-month pastry hobby course at IHM in 2013 and studied pastry at the Culinary Arts Academy in Switzerland soon after.
I’ve always been in the kitchen. While I was growing up, my family threw many parties, and my father was very meticulous about the menu planning, shopping, cooking, serving – each one was an elaborate affair. Meals at home were also something that we were always a part of, so I took to cooking very early on.
My grandmother died when I was three, but my memory of her is centred around food – through stories and recipes. Both she and my late father have influenced my baking style in the sense that there are always boundaries to be pushed. There are new flavour combinations to be tried; things that wouldn’t work together at first glance, but they actually do. Sometimes they may not, but experimenting is key.
How would you describe your style of baking? Are there any new techniques that you learnt, or are the classical European and American baking styles still relevant today?
My baking style is comfortable: easy to work with, easy to eat, easy to enjoy. There are many new baking styles I’ve picked up in kitchens that I’ve worked in, in addition to the European techniques that I have learned. However, for India, I think it’s very important to adapt to what works for you. Some of the ways we work may be considered sacrilegious to others, but they are influenced by our environment.
How does your baking style connect with your fashion sense?
My fashion sense is also very much centred around being and feeling comfortable, with some small pieces added to accentuate or pop, like earrings or a bright lipstick. Similarly, with my pastry, you will find layers and elements that pop as you take another bite.
What are the clothes and shoes you prefer to wear when you’re baking?
Shorts! It’s almost always shorts and a T-shirt. I have a pair of glittery pink Skechers slides; they feel like I’m walking on clouds. When you’re on your feet for hours together, this is a very important quality to have in footwear.
What are some of the misconceptions people have about baking and bread making in particular? Since it’s more scientific and tedious than cooking.
Yes, pastry is an exact science and may seem more tedious than cooking, but the more you experiment with it, the easier it gets to play around with things and work by feeling. Even with bread, once you have the basics down pat, life gets much easier. Honestly, I don’t see why it is considered so difficult; but then again, some people understand accounting and finance, I understand pastry.
Do you prefer local ingredients, imported ingredients or a mix? What is the most important ingredient in your kitchen?
I try to use only fresh local ingredients. The most important ingredient in my kitchen is butter! Better butter actually makes everything better.
What are some of your specialities? Which has been your most popular baked item?
Years ago, I created the Frankenstein out of leftover bits-and-pieces and scraps – five years later, it is still the most popular item on my menu. The Frankenstein is a layered dessert made of a chocolate chip cookie base, baked cheesecake, caramel and sea salt, and finished with a chocolate whiskey glaze.
Have you experimented with or reinvented any Indian sweets? Do you think Western-style pastries and desserts will ever be as popular as desi mithais in India?
I haven’t experimented with Indian sweets because I think they’re great the way they are; I don’t know enough to try and make them better. I think both pastries and mithais have their own markets; they’re not the same thing.
What new pastry are you working on that you are most excited about? Is there any pastry that you loved but the customers did not appreciate?
I’m currently working on an ode to the drink Cabo Pineapple (tequila, pineapple, lime) that I’m very excited about! I did have a mango cream tart that I was thrilled about, but it didn’t taste as good in reality as it did in my head. Oops!
Are people looking for healthy dessert and pastry options, or do they indulge when it comes to sweet things?
Sometimes I get requests for vegan or gluten-free desserts, but they’re not my forte currently, so I refer those customers elsewhere. But most people are happy to indulge.
Is the day of the elaborately decorated cake done? Are people looking for great taste but visual simplicity?
I think the visual aspect of a dessert is still very important. However, now people are less accepting of something that is only visually pleasing and not also pleasing to the palate. It’s important to have that balance. If a cake is simple but tastes great, then that works too.
What do you think of the current craze for sourdough? Is it just a trend?
I’ve been baking sourdough for years. Especially because my mother is diabetic, and the long process is also very therapeutic for me. Essentially, sourdough is easier for the body to digest, so that automatically makes it a better option than commercially made bread.
Did you continue to bake through the lockdown? What was the demand like?
Yes I did, very much so…. Ordinarily, people would only order whole cakes for celebrations because dessert is something they otherwise ordered from a restaurant at the end of a meal. But because of the lockdown, with people cooking at home, they were very open to ordering dessert from outside. I adapted and offered cake by the box, two pieces only, as opposed to whole cakes. This way they also got to try multiple flavours.
What are your plans for the future?
Currently, I want to keep experimenting and creating an environment for myself where I can play with flavours for customers. I intend on always being a one-woman team; I enjoy working with cake too much.
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