Think of Goa, and among the many images that pop up in your mind is that of the humble ‘pao’. No wonder, then, that baking is big business in the sunshine state.
While several institutes offer a variety of bakery courses, most weigh heavily on the pocket. With an aim to make Goans self-reliant without breaking the bank, the Parra-based Don Bosco Hospitality Institute recently started some short-term courses—bread-making, cookies and desserts, pastry techniques, and cakes and decoration. Each course is for a period of 10 days, and there is no age bar to join them. All ingredients are provided to the students.
Equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and tools, the Monday-to-Friday course, conducted in the afternoon, is popular both among homemakers looking to start a business in bakery and youngsters who have similar aspirations.
The course is being conducted by chef Siddhesh Morajkar, who has trained scores of students in cooking and bakery for close to two decades. An alumnus of the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Morajkar is associated with several institutes and is passionate about imparting baking skills to students.
© Mohua GuptaTerence Nunes, head of operations at the Don Bosco Hospitality Institute, says: “The bakery course at Don Bosco, Parra, is an attempt to reach out to people of all ages and introduce them to different areas of baking like breads, biscuits and desserts, pastries, and cakes. It also offers an opportunity to enhance one’s skills and start an independent business.”
He further explains, “We are flexible in our approach, and one can opt for any of the above subjects of their liking or do the entire course, which spans a hundred instructional hours over two months. We are very encouraged by the response we have received and intend to make this program a year-round outreach.”
Leave a Reply