Chef Gauri Varma On Defying Norms, Carving Path For Women In Culinary World

For most people, the best part about baking is the irresistible aroma of fresh-off-the-oven cookies or warm bread cake lingering in the kitchen. However, for one chef from Delhi, the magic of baking comes from something entirely different. Despite losing her sense of smell in a swimming accident years ago, self-taught pastry chef and food technologist Gauri Kaushish Varma has never let it hold her back. Instead, she has turned the challenge into a unique strength, honing her skills through taste, intuition, and sheer expertise.

Chef Gauri is the founder of Confect, a confectionary that locally manufactures baking essentials like fondant, sprinkles, edible glitter, colour, etc. In an interview with SheThePeople, she recounted her journey to pursue her dream career, the struggles she faced, and the relentless drive that kept her moving forward despite the odds. 

Chef Gauri's Story

Chef Gauri Kaushish Varma grew up in Delhi as a third-generation entrepreneur. Her family strongly focused on education, encouraging her to study at some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. She studied commerce at Lady Sri Ram (LSR) College and then earned a Master's in Management from the UK's Oxford University.

"In fact, I had scored only 66% in 10th standard, and my family told me they would get me married. To avoid that, I started competitive swimming to get into college through the sports quota. Within 11 months, I reached the national level and got into LSR. For my post-grad, I made it to Oxford; At 21, I was the youngest in my class," Chef Gauri recounted

She started her career with Deloitte in London and then built an impressive portfolio in the corporate world of India and abroad. While working in Mumbai, she met her now-husband. Although her family was against her marrying someone of her choosing, she stood her ground and had an intimate wedding in Las Vegas, USA.

It All Started With A Disappointing Wedding Cake

Chef Gauri and her husband had their wedding reception in India, complete with their loved ones and a custom Vegas-themed cake. However, the ₹36,000 cake, which was meant to be a showstopper, turned out to be a disappointment. "The cake had been on my bucket list, but it turned out to be a disaster. I was really upset about it," she said.

Lucky for Chef Gauri, her motto has always been, 'Turn something messy into something magical, ' and this is how she set out to start her own home bakery. "It was really difficult. There I was, 30 years old, Oxford grad, worked in the UK, and then I was selling cupcakes at bake sales," she recalled. "Many people judged me, but I took it in my stride." 

As a pastry chef who cannot smell, Gauri's approach to baking has been unique. "When I was training to be a swimmer, I had an injury and lost my sense of smell. I have anosmia. So I am disabled in that way... As a pastry chef, I completely rely on my other senses, which is great because I have a refined palate. It makes my confectionaries better, as they are just the right amount of sweet."

As an upcoming baker, Chef Gauri noticed the gap in the production of quality essentials like fondant in India. "I realised that the products in India are all imported. As a country that produces some of the largest bulk of sugar in the world, why were we not making it? I told myself, 'G, if you crack this, you'll be able to grow on a huge level!'"

Chef Gauri began scouring the wholesale markets of Delhi for research and raw materials to make confectionary locally. After many months of hard work and dedication, her efforts snowballed into a trusted business called Confect. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she earned the license to export her products outside India.

Women In The Culinary World

Right from being one of the handful of women in the wholesale markets to dealing with unsolicited comments and doubts about her abilities, Chef Gauri noticed the stark gender imbalance and bias against women in culinary. This pushed her to change the game and create an encouraging space for more women in the male-dominated industry.

"In my company, I don't hire any people from the industry. I hire and train women from labour camps around Okhla, which is an industrial area in Delhi. When they come in for an interview, they often tell me, "I am not educated." But I tell them, 'You know how to manage time, you're hardworking, and you know how to manage money,' So I bring them in. That's how the entire force at Confect has been built. We have a community of our own over here."

Chief Gauri's effort to make space for women in the workforce goes beyond their employment. "I teach them about contraception and sanitary pads. I have set up two bathrooms for them because many of them don't have bathrooms in their house; they have to go to the community one. So this is the sort of support we have built at the office."

Chef Gauri expressed how her staff has fostered a camaraderie, creating a supportive space for each other. "If we have any pareshani (problem) some day, we can just talk it out. We always have these sessions where we just discuss our problems and realise how most of us are just dealing with the same issues. It makes us realise none of us are alone in this."

Looking ahead, Chef Gauri envisions bringing more Indian-made baking essentials to more international markets while continuing to empower women in the workforce. Her story of reinvention and resilience reflects the present landscape of entrepreneurship, where unconventional career paths and second chances are increasingly being embraced.