“The moment my creations come to life, a profound sense of fulfilment washes over me. To see tangible results materialise from the abstract thoughts and ideas behind them is immensely gratifying.”
Prachi Dhabal Deb grew up in Doon Valley Dehradun in a locality teeming with exceptional bakeries and cake shops. Cakes, pastries, and other bakery delectables had always been an integral part of the general thoroughfare in her locality during her schooling days. She especially cherished the diverse array of pastries. Though cakes were a common affair during birthdays and parties, their decorations were usually limited in design. As an avid reader of storybooks and fairy tales, Prachi frequently wondered why cakes couldn’t resemble the enchanting cottages, towers, or castles from her favourite tales.
It was these early fascinations that quietly simmered within her, constantly fueling the artist inside.
When The Young Baker Found Her Calling
In a small, sunlit kitchen during summer vacations, a 10-year-old Prachi embarked on a journey that would shape her life in the most unexpected ways. Amidst the scent of fresh herbs and sizzling spices from her mother’s culinary experiments, Prachi found herself drawn to the pages of a new recipe book, one that promised a world full of creativity. With a gleam of determination in her eyes, she decided to try her hand at baking cupcakes using a pressure cooker.
And to everyone’s delight, the cupcakes turned out to be tiny masterpieces of flavour. The pride and joy she collected from everyone in the family, lit a spark within her young heart. She decided to try out more baking. Her aunt’s gift of a small OTG on her birthday made her passion stronger.
When Life Takes An Unexpected Turn
After finishing her higher education at Calcutta University, Prachi took up a job as a financial analyst in a well-known and reputed MNC. She had great prospects, recognition, and work satisfaction. She was doing what she aspired to do. But they say, amid all the plannings, life unfolds its own story. Due to health issues, she had to take an early break in her career.
While acknowledging that this was the biggest turning point in her life, Prachi reminiscences, “During this break, I travelled internationally. I took time to explore baking and cake decoration. I also gained my certification in bakery and cake artistry during this hiatus.”
Quoting one incident, she says, “Once a friend of mine who was an event manager convinced me to make a themed cake for a birthday event. Even though customised cakes and themed cakes were still at a very nascent stage, the cake turned out to be a huge success. It pushed me to venture deeper into the cake industry. The industry welcomed me with open arms as I garnered much acceptance and recognition.”
Exactly a decade ago in 2014, she won the ‘Baker of the Year’ Award 2014 at the baker biz competition in Mumbai. And then there was no turning back.
The Guidance of Sir Eddie
With time, Prachi’s inclination towards cake making, especially the artistic and decorative elements kept growing. She kept on studying and researching about the works of the great cake artists across the world. Eventually, it was Sir Eddie’s book on royal icing that mesmerised her and in the following years, she got a chance to learn from the master himself. It was this pivotal moment that propelled her into a journey as a full-time cake artist specialising in Royal Icing art.
“Designing a cake is not merely adhering to a predefined process; it’s about allowing your imagination to soar. I draw inspiration from nature, its beauty, cultural artwork, architecture and paintings. After settling on a theme, I use complementing design elements to form a base. Then, I decide upon the colour patterns, shapes, and structural planning. With my creations taking form, I take artistic liberty to make alterations and bring out the overall balance,” explains the Cake Connoisseur.
As Long As We’re Walking Uphill, There Will Be Challenges
Prachi entered the cake industry when it was in its nascent stages. She faced several challenges such as very few places providing the correct ingredients, working materials, and equipment. As a baker, Prachi had to do a lot of experimenting. Using trial-and-error methods, she understood which recipes worked. Learning was more of an in-person training for her.
Another challenge was the struggle to get opportunities to learn from great artists, many of whom were either outside the city or the country. Furthermore, managing travel along with initial work commitments and balancing family commitments was a tough row to hoe.
Prachi reiterates, “Most of these challenges have become quite obsolete due to growth in the cake industry and social media influence. On the other hand, now there is more competitiveness, higher standards and new challenges that have come to take their place.”
Along with these challenges, replicating the Milan Cathedral was one of the most memorable and challenging projects for her. It was tough because of its sheer size and complexity and the enormous amount of elements. The project’s timelines were quite tricky due to the climate, which shortened the execution time.
Additionally, there were over 1500 pieces that were hand-piped which were extremely delicate. There were moments of frustration when certain parts of the structure had to be redone and overcoming these challenges taught Prachi a lot and made the project even more memorable.
A Labor of Love
Recalling her mentor’s words, Prachi says, “If you love what you do, then you will never have to work again.” Prachi fully adheres to this notion because she loves what she is doing and sometimes it serves as a relaxing activity for her. Prachi’s heart fills with a great sense of satisfaction when she sees her creations taking a particular artistic form.
Subsequently, when her work resonates with the clients or with any region, culture, country or group and when they relate to the thought process behind the art without the need to provide a description, it serves as the biggest motivator for her.
Prachi believes that the cake industry and its followers are very gracious, and encouraging, praise good work and give due recognition, which motivates artists and craftspersons like her to give their best shot.
A Profession Always Full of Surprises
As an artist, Prachi believes in listening to her creative soul and what her heart prompts her to do. She treats her cakes as a canvas, whenever she is working on any new design or any creation. She feels a lot of positivity when creating a new masterpiece and becomes completely engrossed in it.
Prachi believes, “It is important to take each day as it comes and give value to everything coming your way. There has to be a connection between one’s heart, soul, and mind.” Prachi plans to continue working on royal icing and keep exploring the medium as the versatility of this profession still surprises her in unexpected ways.
Prachi loves to share her knowledge with others, hence she conducts workshops for the underprivileged. Prachi’s story isn’t just about cakes; it’s about the belief that every creation, no matter how small or big, holds the potential to touch lives.
“While signing off, Prachi says, ‘As I sculpt sugar and dreams, I am reminded that creativity knows no bounds, and the future holds endless possibilities.'”
Feathers In The Cap
Prachi has brought glory to India on the global stage through her stunning cake artistry, having registered her name in the World Book of Records three times. Although the list of recognitions and awards is quite long, some of the most coveted ones include:
- Women Achievers in Hospitality from IHC London & IIHM in May 2023.
- Swadesh Samman by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in August 2022.
- Femina’s Most Powerful Achievers in September 2021.
- Felicitated by the Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Bharat Leadership Awards, July 2021.
- Featured in Forbes India in March 2020.
- Best International Renowned Cake Artist Award by Indian Excellence Awards in December 2019.
- Royal Icing Award by Cake Masters Awards United Kingdom in Nov 2019.
World Records To Her Name
Prachi has three World Records to her name, each with its own unique and challenging story.
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WORLD RECORD NUMBER 1
Vegan Icing Replica of The Milan Cathedral
Prachi’s first World Record was the edible 100-kg vegan royal icing construction of the Milan Cathedral.
“Milan Cathedral itself is an imposing sight. With its elaborate architectural intricacies and a multitude of carvings and designs all around the various facets of the building, the structure immediately appealed to me to be built out of royal icing. I took on the project without a thought given to any sort of record at that time. The structure was huge and there were over 1500 individually hand-piped pieces. The sheer volume of piping the intricate designs and patterns for the various panels, windows and other detailing was overwhelming. It took me over a weeks’ time of rigorous hand piping just to prepare the royal icing elements,” mentions Prachi with a big smile on her face.
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WORLD RECORD NUMBER
Maximum Number of Vegan Royal Icing Structures
Prachi has also set a world record for creating the maximum number of vegan royal icing structures. Among her remarkable creations were three grandiose structures alongside two smaller structures. Each one draws inspiration from a fusion of European, Victorian, and Indian architecture.
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WORLD RECORD NUMBER 3
200 Kgs Heavy Indian Inspired Palace
Prachi broke her own record with a giant 200-kg Regal Indian-inspired Palace. It was all hand-piped with her vegan royal icing and inspired by various monuments and palaces from different parts of India. The structure was 10 feet 1 inches long, and 4.7 feet in height.
“It was as challenging and intricate as the last one. It helped showcase my skill and dedication to the craft. Each record reflects my passion, hard work and creativity. The core theme was inspired by Indian Architectural Elements and the focus was to depict the grandeur and opulent characteristics of the several royal palaces in India,” beams Prachi, an internationally acclaimed judge for competitions worldwide.
