New Delhi, April 2022: If Chef Vivek Chauhan of Le Meridien, New Delhi has a superpower, it's his ability to combine artistic creativity in the pastry kitchen with down-to-earth tips that help you bake with confidence. That's why we're turning to him for his irresistible Easter recipes, which got extensively praised by the renowned UK chefs - Alan Coxon, Mark Flanagon, Alan Heulin, etc.
This year, Chef Vivek Easter desserts range included Chocolate Easter Bunny, Bunny Ear Easter Cupcakes, timeless classic hot Cross Buns, Lemon blueberry posset, and Carrot Cake combined with a fresh layer of delicate flavors. The main show stopper was the almondy Easter Simnel cake and mouth-watering Easter Bunnies, to sparkle the festivities and represent Christian tradition.
These heavenly sweet delicacies, couldn’t stop Chef Alan Coxon, a multi-award-winning TV Chef/ Presenter, and the British Ambassador for food and tourism by praising. He said, "Congrats on the Easter Display to you and to your exceptionally skilled group in India, these culinary creations are extremely delightful”.

Chef Mark Flangan, known to be the personal chef of The Queen and head chef of the Royal Household also said, “ Superb workaround eggs and rabbits and you have a very talented team”.

Chef Alan Heulin, ex-Chairman Association of Pastry Chefs United Kingdom said, “Keep up the good work, you'll make a great ambassador for pastry.” Chef Paul Beard, Member of the Association of Pastry Chefs said, “great to see you are still producing those incredible vivid products, well done to you and your team.

On these above heart-satisfying reactions, Chef Vivek said, ''I have learned easter recipes during my early stint in London, the UK with One Aldwych, The Lancaster and The Westbury Mayfair while working with the master gourmet experts and finally, getting significant remarks from them means the world to me."

Here’s the Simnel Cake Recipe:

Ingredients

Almond Paste:

Castor Sugar - 375 gm

Ground Almonds-375 gm

Egg - 120 gm

Almond Essence- 1 tsp

Cake:

Butter – 350 gm

Demerara Sugar – 325 gm

Eggs -6 no.

Refined Flour-350 gm

Salt- 1 tsp

Mixed Peel – 105 gm

Lemon Zest- 1 no.

Method:

For Almond Paste

Mix Castor Sugar & Ground Almonds. Add Egg and knead to make a paste.

For Cake

Cream Butter & Castor Sugar together until pale and fluffy
Gradually pour eggs slowly until well incorporated
Sift in flour, salt, and mixed spice.
Finally, add mixed fruit peel into the above mix.
Put half the mixture into already lined rings. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the center to allow for the cake to rise.. Test by inserting a knife in the middle – if it comes out clean, it is ready. Once baked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
Brush with the apricot jam on top of the cooled cake. Divide the remainder of the almond paste in half. Roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form small balls with the other half. Place the circle of paste on the cake and set the balls around the edge. Brush the cake topping with a little beaten egg.
Glaze with a blow torch.

About Chef Vivek:

A patissier and chocolatier, Chef Vivek Chauhan is a highly accoladed Patisserie Chef with an illustrious experience of 22 years, currently associated with Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi. An IHM, Gwalior graduate in Hotel Management, Chef Vivek's passion to learn beyond stereotypical creations and reinventions has allowed him to work with Michelin Star Chefs Allyn Williams and Chef Eric Chavot & others of International Reputees. His culinary experience includes his incredible years at various prestigious properties - Taj Mahal Hotel, One Aldwych, London, The Lancaster London, the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, The Westbury Mayfair, London, and The Imperial, New Delhi. Chef Vivek is a recipient of multiple honors and awards; most notable among them is the most recent‘ Pastry Chef of the Year 2018' conferred upon by ICF. He has also hosted opulent dinners for the Association of Pastry Chefs and Craft Guild of Chefs in the UK.

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Chef Vivek Chauhan wins pastry chef of the year award, 2021

Greater Noida, October 2021: Chef Vivek Chauhan, the Executive Pastry Chef at Le Meridien, has been recently awarded Pastry Chef of the Year by the IHE2021 Excellence Awards held at IEML Greater Noida for his accomplished reputation in Culinary art and his contribution in skill sharing and knowledge.

Contestants were drawn from hundreds of nominations. These were whittled down to 8 finalists, out of which the award was bestowed upon Chef Vivek Chauhan, Le Meridien, New Delhi, and Rishabh Sharma from Leela Palace, New Delhi.

This year 100 hospitality professionals from across the country got honored from the India International Hospitality Expo (IHE) 2021 from September 24-27, 2021.

The four-day event IHE Excellence Awards honour the best of the best hoteliers in their respective regions and across the nation. After mega-successful two on-ground and one virtual edition of India International Hospitality Expo that left the most prominent names from the hospitality industry enthralled, IHE was all set for the fourth edition. Promising to be more focused on B2B meetings, this event continued to make the hospitality and F&B industry a catalyst for the region’s economic growth and work towards its lofty vision – to become the Biggest Hospitality and F&B Show in Asia.

Sharing his thoughts on achieving this recognition, Chef Vivek Chauhan said, “I am honoured to receive the award as it gives me an incredible pride. I am happy that the hospitality industry has been proactive engaging and cheering up the hope amongst professionals and businesses since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic last year, and processes for seamless continuity through organising such events”.

Chef Vivek Chauhan was later applauded by Chef Davinder Kumar, the Executive Chef & Vice resident at Le Meridien Hotel New Delhi.

About Chef Vivek:

A patissier and chocolatier, Chef Vivek Chauhan is a highly accoladed Patisserie Chef with an illustrious experience of 22 years, currently associated with Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi. An IHM, Gwalior graduate in Hotel Management, Chef Vivek's passion to learn beyond stereotypical creations and reinventions has allowed him to work with Michelin Star Chefs Allyn Williams and Chef Eric Chavot & others of International Reputees. His culinary experience includes his incredible years at various prestigious properties - Taj Mahal Hotel, One Aldwych, London, The Lancaster London, the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, The Westbury Mayfair, London and The Imperial, New Delhi. Chef Vivek is a recipient of multiple honours and awards; most notable among them is the most recent‘ Pastry Chef of the Year 2018' conferred upon by ICF. He has also hosted opulent dinners for the Association of Pastry Chefs and Craft Guild of Chefs in the UK.