Bake Off The Professionals finalist, Bharat Chandegra is bringing the luxury end of patisserie to Birmingham with the launch of XO Patisserie.
The online service brings the stunning presentation of flavours seen and loved in the high-end patisseries of France to the homes of Birmingham.
Typical XO Patisserie creations include Mango, chilli and mint and Peanut butter jelly macarons, Raspberry and rose and Salted caramel eclairs, petit gateaux in a range of flavours and melt in the mouth orange scones. Prices start at £16 for a range of six eclairs. Afternoon teas can also be ordered with starting at £25 per person.
Born and educated in Birmingham, Bharat started his culinary studies at what was then The College of Food at the age of just 16. He qualified with NVQ levels 1, 2 and 3 in Food Preparation and Pasty but it was pastry that he loved the most.
Following a successful period of work experience at the RAC Club in London’s Pall Mall he was offered a permanent position. He spent a year working at the private members club under Phil Corrick before leaving to further his experience at Rushton Hall Hotel and Spa in Northamptonshire and the Sir Charles Napier in Oxford, among others. Bharat returned to Birmingham to join the team at Resorts World where he worked with pastry chef Darryl Collins for four years.
It was Darryl who captained the team to the finals of Bake Off The Professionals, aired on Channel 4 in July 2018. Judges Benoit Blin from Le Manoir aux’Quat Saisons and Cherish Finden of The Langham were impressed with the flavours of all Darryl and Bharat’s creations.
For the team to have reached the final of such a highly pressurised competition was a huge achievement. Competing in the contest provided Bharat with an incredible experience and pushed him outside his comfort zone in terms of what he could achieve in a tight time frame.
Bharat says, “I’ve always wanted to go it alone but I wanted to do it the right way, develop the skills set and build my confidence. Darryl was a great mentor who helped me get to the stage where I’m ready. As well as taking my patisserie work to the next level, he also taught me how to manage. Reaching the final of Bake Off The Professionals with him has given me the confidence to realise my ambition.”
He continued, “Ladurée, Dominique Ansell and Maitre Choux have been popular in
London for a few years now. We have a fantastic food scene in Birmingham but there’s a gap in the market for high-end patisserie. With XO Patisserie, I want to bring the experience of such luxurious treats to the city.”
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