Up, Close and Personal with Surbhi Sahni

Surbhi Sahni

From her childhood cooking in India to her fancy desserts in New York, Surbhi Sahni was born to be a chef. By blending textures, tastes, colors and cultures, Surbhi creates irresistible Indian desserts to satisfy her clientele. NAC: We heard you started cooking when you were seven. What began your journey in the kitchen at such a young age? SS: There are usually a lot of responsibilities at home for a girl in India. Moreover, since my mom was an asthmatic patient, she used to frequently fall sick. So, most of her responsibilities fell on my plate. At seven years of age, I was working in the kitchen and taking care of household chores. It's ironic, I never liked this back that then but now my career revolves around my kitchen.

NAC: How did you enter the world of desserts? What makes Indian desserts unique and different from other Asian desserts? Do you have a favorite one for this Diwali and what is its significance in the festival?

SS : While I was taking my hotel management course in India, I developed an interest in cake decorations which gradually led me to become a pastry chef. Authentic Indian desserts usually have a lot of milk in them. They are very sweet and heavy but usually homemade desserts are lighter. Diwali is all about sweets. Sweets for us mean love, respect, and giving. So, sweets are always an important part of the festival. I feel we just need a reason to eat sweets in India. Rice pudding is always a must for diwali. Click here for its recipe>> NAC: How do you balance the authentic taste of Indian desserts and sweetness for health conscious customers? SS: Indians are known to be more prone to diabetes and that could possibly be because of the high sugar level

content in their desserts! I usually reduce the sugar level in the desserts that I create. But, that doesn’t mean that I compromise the flavor by using less sugar. The whole idea of desserts is when you put it in your mouth, it’s not just about the sugar but also about flavors and texture too. So, I balance out the sweetness from sugar with other ingredients but still maintain the same authentic taste of Indian desserts. I’ve never had any customer say the desserts are not sweet enough.

NAC: Your desserts are known to be a blend of textures, tastes and culture. What inspires your creativity? SS: Whenever I read or eat something new, I wonder if I can use that flavor with something else. So, I try out new combinations to create new tastes. I also don’t like to use products that are not in season because they don’t give the same flavor. I’d rather change the menu a 100 times to comply with the products in season. NAC: Having spent your childhood in India, you must be very used to authentic Indian food. What is the food like there? What makes Indian food different in the US and in India? SS: Though India is known for spicy and heavy food, I believe the food in India differs in every house. We always had light and less oily food at my house. When I was young, people had no concept of going out to eat. For me, it was just three meals a day at home and maybe eating out once in every three months. Thus, I wasn’t exposed to outside cooking as such. In comparison to the U.S, I’ve realized that meat is usually overcooked and food is much drier in restaurants in India. I think I’ve learned a better version of cooking Indian food while preserving the same flavors. NAC: Can you tell us what kinds of Indian spices and ingredients are popular with the American palate? SS: Indian ingredients are fantastic. There are tons of varieties that can possibly cater to every palate. Cinnamon, corn and corn products, rice, ginger, garlic, pumpkin squash are some popular products. Everyone cooks differently and unlike in the U.S. where people usually follow the exact recipes of cookbooks, the Indian palate is more open to different flavors and different spices that differ in every home.
NAC: Was it difficult for you to gain recognition as an Asian American female pastry chef? SS: I had my share of hardships. In addition to the 1000 dollars that I my parents gave me, I only had 300 dollars when I came to the U.S. I took three jobs and did whatever I could to pay off my tuition. I was extremely exhausted but I knew I was here to work hard and there are many who go through the same phase. When I started as a chef, there were no books about Indian desserts. I could not even find a single recipe for kulfi! So, there were long hours oftrial and error for the perfect taste. As a female, I had a hard time finding work in India since many restaurants did not allow a woman to work in their kitchen. I had to harden up and keep trying.
NAC: What is it like to work with your husband Hemant Mathur? Do you think it has helped you to have your significant other in the same profession as you are in? SS: I love working with Hemant. We support each other and there’s never anything to complain or argue. It’s amazing how we complement each other at work with even small things like understanding where food goes in the restaurant. I am very lucky and so is he! (laughs).
NAC: The number of Indian restaurants in the U.S. has definitely increased over the past years. How does Devi stand up to its Indian identity? SS: Devi keeps up the essence of home cooking in its kitchen. In many Indian restaurants in the U.S, the home part is not being produced. We are putting an effort to bring that to people’s palate in Devi. We take the Indian taste that is already amazing and give it the right touch of the taste of home cooking. NAC: What is the most challenging part of your job? SS: It’s easier to come up with an idea but it’s difficult to work with it in the kitchen and it’s harder to be able to deliver to other people as a chef. It’s challenging but fun at the same time. NAC: What’s next for you? SS: If I don’t cook again, I d love to pursue a PhD degree in food studies. Going to NYU for my Master’s degree in food studies was an eye opener that allowed me to develop another aspect of the food business. In about 10 years, I’d like to go back to college!