Having great knowledge and experience in the profession, Chef Swetha has worked with most prestigious organizations like Ritz Carlton- Doha, Future Group- India, etc. Currently, she is the Head of Bakery & Confectionery for Compass Group for India which is a Fortune 500 Company. She says it is one of her greatest achievements & will be always dear to her.
Catch Chef Swetha in a candid conversation on her journey, challenges, and making the right choices.
Namita Nayyar:
You have been recognized as the Youngest Female Executive Chef in India in reference to Google. Please share your journey as a chef.
Chef Swetha:
Life is all about choices and sacrifices. Being very passionate about cooking, at a very young age, I decided to join a culinary school with built-around hurdles with parents not supporting pursuing my passion in the male-dominant industry. As there was no one in the family in this profession to guide me along. My drive to strive in the industry made me research the hospitality industry. As every cloud has a silver lining so did I, with time, dedication, passion & my love for my work convinced my parents to understand my true potential and supported me in doing BHM. Later supported in pursuing Masters’s In European Cuisine and Patisserie from Cesar Ritz Culinary Institute, Switzerland.
The support from my friends along with colleagues made me a successful proud youngest Female Executive Chef in India.
Namita Nayyar:
The first time when you realized that being a chef is something you wish to pursue as a career? The best compliment you ever received?
Chef Swetha:
Both my parents are great cooks, which made me even more interested in cooking & to gain much more knowledge about it. I started cooking at a very young age & even baked when I was at school. I made my first Baked Alaska at an age of 16 without any training, was self-taught then. This interest in baking was caught me from then & made me take my career seriously to become a Chef.