Today on NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to culinary luminary and her fellow MasterChef India judge, Ranveer Brar. From his early days in the langar kitchen at 16 to achieving the title of one of India's youngest executive chefs at 26, Ranveer's culinary journey is a story of passion and perseverance. As the mastermind behind over 35 restaurants, Ranveer helps us understand why the term celebrity chef is deeply misunderstood and how the concept of a restaurant chef is changing. You can follow Ranveer B...
Jan 21, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 36
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is the godfather of Mumbai’s cafe culture himself, Riyaaz Amlani. He’s the mind behind some of your favourite hangout spots like Mocha, Salt Water Cafe, Smoke House Deli and Social. Riyaaz and Pooja chat about the importance of being adaptable to the ever evolving social culture and how delivery apps are not the enemy of in-house dining, but a completely different experience in themselves. You can follow Riyaaz Amlani , impresarioindia , Pooja and Le...
Jan 14, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 35
The guest on this episode of NoSugarCoat decided to take a one-year sabbatical from her tax-consulting career to go on a food adventure with her partner in 2011. It’s been twelve years and she’s still on that adventure, serving up great food at the many restaurants she’s launched since then. Gauri Devidayal is the co-founder of the Food Matters Group - home to restaurants and brands like The Table, Mag Street Kitchen, Mag Street Bread Co, Iktara Mumbai, Miss T Delivery and Mag Street Cafe. What ...
Jan 07, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Pooja’s guest on this episode of NoSugarCoat is her dear friend and salad queen herself, Karishma Dalal, from Bombay Salad Company. Karishma explains the concept of salads as meals, the logistical challenges of running a salad bar and how long it takes for a restaurant to be able to run on autopilot. She also talks about why it’s taken her nine years to start her second venture, Bokka Coffee. You can follow Bombay Salad Co , Bokka Coffee , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more informa...
Dec 10, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 33
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to Annie Bafna, the fearless Founder and Head Chef of Mumbai's iconic eatery, The Nutcracker. Against the odds and without any prior F&B experience, Annie swapped a promising CA career for a culinary adventure. Discover what led her to this brave decision and how she transformed an all-day breakfast cafe into a thriving four-outlet sensation. Join Pooja and Annie for a conversation about following your passion, regardless of the doubts. You can fol...
Dec 03, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Pooja’s guest on this week’s episode of NoSugarCoat is usually busy mentoring the next generation of great pastry chefs at the Lavonne Academy, Bangalore. Vinesh Johny founded Lavonne in 2012 with the aim of bringing world-class pastry education home to India. Where does India stand globally in the world of pastry? How does one juggle teaching and running multiple cafes? Tune in to find out. You can follow Vinesh Johny , lavonneacademyindia , lavonnecafe , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram....
Nov 26, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 31
On this episode, Pooja’s guest is Anisha Oommen, who quit a stable and successful job in shipping logistics to follow her true calling, writing about food! Anisha chats about food is at the root of everything - history, culture, and our social landscape and how in 2013 she co-founded Goya Media that focuses on stories about food - who cooks it, who eats it and how it is part of the human connection. In the world of “creating content”, what makes a good food story? Find out from Anisha. You can f...
Nov 19, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 30
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is the internet's most beloved baker, Shivesh Bhatia. Shivesh and Pooja reminisce about his beginnings in pastry with his internship in the Le15 kitchen and chat about his current status as a social media sensation and acclaimed author of four cookbooks. How does Shivesh strike a balance between life on and offline? Tune in to find out. You can follow Shivesh Bhatia , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more information, go to le15.com . This...
Nov 12, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 29
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to Yash Bhanage and Sameer Seth, the dynamic duo who met as students at Cornell University in 2010 and now co-own some of Mumbai's most popular eateries. In this episode, they unveil the secrets behind creating an F&B brand that truly sticks. With iconic restaurants like Bombay Canteen, O’Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s, and the innovative food magazine ‘enthucutlet’ under their belt, Yash and Sameer chat about understanding business from a cu...
Nov 05, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 28
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is a true pioneer of the culinary world and the self-described ‘super bawarchi’ who paved the way for women chefs in a male-dominated industry. Ritu Dalmia is the co-founder of Diva Restaurants with locations across India, London and Italy, that has now expanded to a worldwide catering service as well. How do you strike the perfect balance between being a chef and a businesswoman? Tune in to find out from Ritu. You can follow Ritu Dalmia , Diva Resta...
Oct 29, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 27
On this special episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja’s guest is award-winning actress Bhumi Pednekar. They chat about their school days, having the best and most supportive friends, their insecurities and how difficult dating is when you’re in the limelight. Bhumi also tells Pooja all about her new film, Thank You For Coming, in which five best friends discover the depth of their friendship through hilarious and heartwarming shenanigans. Follow Bhumi , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie on Instagram. For more i...
Oct 05, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 26
In this special episode of NoSugarCoat, the tables have been turned! Pooja is now in the hot seat, being interviewed by her friend – podcast host and founder of production company Maed in India, Mae Thomas. Mae gives Pooja a taste of her own, sugary medicine by asking the questions Pooja most frequently asks her own guests. Let's listen to Pooja's takes on money, love, friendship, leadership, lessons from last year, her #NeverAgain, and what the big dream is. Partners: Shure These sessions were ...
Mar 07, 2022•23 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In the season finale of NoSugarCoat, Pooja is in conversation with one of her closest friends and a woman who wears many hats. While coming from a family with a Bollywood legacy, she has always paved her own path; whether it’s through film production, entrepreneurship, fashion design or styling. We’re talking about none other than Rhea Kapoor! She’s someone Pooja always goes to for a reality and you’ll find out why. You can follow Rhea , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie . For more information, go to le...
Jun 21, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 24
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to India’s power couple of bread. Aditi Handa and Sneh Jain not only found a way to make sourdough a hit in India, but also figured out how to make the whole operation their bread and butter. Their artisan bakery The Baker’s Dozen, which started out as a bootstrapped venture, is now expected to generate 20 crores of revenue this year. They discuss how consumer demand increased and evolved during the pandemic, and how consistent hard work and innovation...
Jun 06, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Today on NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to the man that brought greek yogurt to India. It’s Rohan Mirchandani on this episode, as they chat about his move to India from the US to create brands like Epigamia and Hokey Pokey, the challenges of cold chain distribution, and how to walk the fine line between an entrepreneur and a CEO. You can follow Epigamia , Hokey Pokey , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie . For more information, go to le15.com . This is a Maed In India production; follow Maed in India & visi...
May 30, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 22
On today’s episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja speaks to the Mrs. Bector, who was recently awarded a Padma Shri. A veteran in the F&B business, Mrs. Rajni Bector paved the way for India women in business, especially in the food industry. Here they are discussing what it was like starting out in the 70s, the challenges women entrepreneurs have to face, even now, and also rope her granddaughter Sana Bector Parwanda in the conversation, about how the next generation is taking the food business into t...
May 23, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 21
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, I'm talking to Varun Duggirala. From a small town in coastal Andhra Pradesh to the glitzy world of Bollywood, he is now the Co-founder and Content Chief of the country's leading creative agency – Glitch. In an industry that’s known to be a frantic place, let’s find out who wins in the battle between personal and professional life. You can follow Varun , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie . For more information, go to le15.com . This is a Maed In India production, follow Ma...
May 16, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Today on NoSugarCoat, fellow chef Manu Chandra joins Pooja Dhingra as they share tales of culinary school, their approaches to food, the F&B business and how far chefs go to “do it for the ‘gram”. With his years of experience managing and launching new restaurants with the Olive Group, and numerous accolades including Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 and New York Times’ & Time Magazine’s most promising and talented young chef in India; he knows the ins and outs of the food industry, so let’s ...
May 09, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 19
On this episode of #NoSugarCoat, Pooja Dhingra talks to Nikhil Taneja , whose resumé as a media professional and educator is longer than her to-do list for this year. From interviewing celebrities at age 14 and a dream job at Yash Raj Films, to working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and co-founding a youth media organisation that focuses on mental health called Yuvaa . Today, they take on ‘hustle culture’ and coping with its mental health repercussions. You can follow Nikhil Taneja ,...
Apr 18, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Today, on NoSugarCoat, Pooja Dhingra speaks to Suchita Salwan , whose little Tumblr blog is now India's largest online discovery & shopping platform, Little Black Book . Even after two rounds of funding and almost 5 million active monthly users, the platform's original objective of seeking out and supporting local businesses remains as strong as ever. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that she’s been mentioned in Forbes India and Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 lists! Listen on, for a no holds barre...
Apr 12, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 17
On today’s episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja chats with chef & restaurateur Sandesh Reddy, who has come a long way from his disastrous first attempt at baking that he tells Pooja about. Now, he runs 10 brands at a whopping 100 locations across Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Find out more about their 2020 experiences, five-year plans, and how Sandesh went from an engineering student to ace restaurateur. You can follow Sandesh , Sandys Chocolate Laboratory , Pooja and Le15 Patisserie ....
Apr 05, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Today on NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to one of her dearest friends; fashion designer Masaba Gupta. A fellow entrepreneur, she has built a fashion house from the ground up, starting her journey at the age of 19. Masaba opens up about her childhood, and how she failed at fashion school. From collaborating with various Indian and international labels to being featured on Forbes India 30 Under 30, let’s see how she stays true to her own stylistic identity, while managing to be one of the most sought af...
Mar 28, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 16
On today’s episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja is in conversation with Gadhadar Reddy, an inventor, entrepreneur and visionary, whose goal in life is to make the human race a species that voyages through the cosmos. He talks to her about looking skyward at an early age, and since then, how he has worked on creating carbon nanotubes to make spacecrafts lighter, safer and more affordable. His dream is to set foot on Mars, and so, naturally, Pooja asked him if he would take a macaron to the Red Planet wi...
Mar 21, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 15
On this episode of NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to brothers Joseph Radhik and Joshua Karthik; the reigning kings of wedding photography in India. From Virat-Anushka, Nick and Priyanka to weddings in exotic locations across 5 continents; these award-winning photographers have covered it all. Find out how they bring the art of photography and business together, to create memories forever. You can follow Joseph @josephradhik , Joshua @joshuakarthikr , their work @storiesbyjosephradhik , Pooja @poojadhi...
Mar 14, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 14
One morning, as she was reading her newspaper, Upasana Makati wondered, “What do the visually impaired start their day with?” This thought led her to create White Print , India’s first magazine in braille for the visually impaired. Earlier this year, Upasana sat down with Pooja to talk about the struggles of being an entrepreneur, convincing people to believe in your dream and what she learned from working with the visually impaired. — You can now buy Le15’s Cafe Cookbook at shop.le15.com. You c...
Jun 19, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 13
When you invest in early stage startups, 90% of your portfolio is going to fail. And yet, Sanket Parekh has made a name for himself as a venture capitalist and founder of Miami-based Secocha Ventures . A couple of months ago, Sanket and Pooja sat down to discuss why he invests in the companies he does, his work-life balance philosophy and their emotional working relationship. — You can now buy Le15’s Cafe Cookbook at shop.le15.com. You can follow Sanket at @SanketSParekh and Pooja at @poojadhing...
Jun 18, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Take some Income Tax Raids Stir in a newspaper column for 20 years Add 1 answering machine Sprinkle some blind dates Pepper in 39 books Serve with barbeque chaas on the side On the season finale of NoSugarCoat, Pooja chats to India’s most popular food critic, Rashmi Uday Singh. She talks about how she moved from writing quasi-judicial orders to writing about food, creating the first restaurant guide in India and how to use Instagram correctly. --- You can follow Rashmi at @rashmiudaysingh and Po...
Nov 11, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 11
4 acres of farmland 1 wholesome roast chicken A job at the world’s best restaurant Add one super secret love story Some “seal the deal” pasta Trail attempts to make a dosa And 1 book of family recipes This week on NoSugarCoat, Pooja calls up cookbook author and home cook Nadine Redzepi in Denmark. They talk about her relationship with food, her work at Noma and her brand new book, Downtime: Deliciousness at Home. --- You can follow Nadine at @nadinelevyredzepi and Pooja at @Poojadhingra For more...
Nov 04, 2018•38 min•Season 1Ep. 10
1 “super simple” lobster and avocado salad 100 kilos of peeled walnuts A zero-waste kitchen A hint of wild lavender A whole bunch of sea buckthorn 1 purple sweet potato & coffee sorbet Mix in nostalgia for Kashmiri home-cooking Serve with some collard greens on the side This week on NoSugarCoat, Pooja chats with Chef Prateek Sadhu. Originally from Kashmir, he trained at CIA and has worked in restaurants across the US. After spending time in Noma in Copenhagen, he returned to India and is cur...
Oct 28, 2018•36 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Take 1 Chicago chef 1 big leap of faith 9 months of struggle 1 aggressive fishmonger Some CrossFit A night that shall not be talked about And multiple picklebacks! This week on NoSugarCoat, Pooja talks to her friend and chef Kelvin Cheung. Raised and trained in the US, Kelvin moved to India 6 years ago to run Ellipsis and is currently the chef at Bastian in Mumbai. --- You can follow Kelvin at @chefkelvincheung and Pooja at @Poojadhingra For more information, go to le15.com. This is a Maed In In...
Oct 21, 2018•36 min•Season 1Ep. 8
