Freda credits mom for her journey to success
‘Client satisfaction main goal’
Freda Antao, Demi Chef in Missoni’s Pastry kitchen is affectionately called as the ‘chocolate machine’ by her colleagues while patrons of Choco café have become familiar with her skill and flair through the six delectable flavours of chocolate on offer there. Her journey to success, however, was not always candy sweet.
Chef Freda found her passion for cooking at an early age, assisting her mother, who she describes as being an exemplary cook. “I always wanted to perfect her, so I kept trying. She was my worst critic, as most mothers are.”
Steered on to the culinary path by passion for food, Chef Freda found herself questioning it all when her gender made it extremely difficult for her to find a job in the hotel industry. “After my Craftsmanship diploma, I tried to get into the hotel industry but it was very difficult being a woman. I was told I’d be a distraction and turned down. I was really disheartened and kept wondering if I’d made the right choice.”
Support
Later when an opportunity to work as faculty in an institute came, Chef Freda found herself in a job she really enjoyed. After getting married, she accompanied her husband to Kuwait where hotel industry was the only option available.
But the industry here was more accepting of women and started as a Commis at Courtyard Marriott in 2004. “My husband was a good support for me and he encouraged me to pursue this. From that point, I really grew up in a lot of ways.”
In the kitchen, Chef Freda strives to give her best, “My goal when I get into work everyday is to finish all my work in time and to be completely satisfied with what I’ve done. I love what I do and I don’t feel bored doing it, it’s not just a routine for me. I love to cook, whether it is pastry or hot food. Whenever I am stressed out at home I will try out a new recipe. I joined pastry because it was more suitable to balance with my family life.”
Those who work in the industry or have glimpsed its working through reality cooking shows know very well that the hotel industry is tough. “The work environment can be strenuous. Everybody is under stress so there are times that they may lash out. But you have to be strong inside and most importantly, never carry forward upsets of the previous day.”
The biggest challenge Chef Freda faces is juggling the demands of work with her family life, “Being a mum, wife and a chef is not easy. But there is tremendous support from both sides.”
Being the woman, however, doesn’t always put one at a disadvantage. “I do get a lot of special treatment. I am the shortest person in pastry, so if I need anything that is stacked out of my reach, I just look around and someone will pick it up for me.” Her colleagues have even made a stool for her that she can use when they are not around to assist her.
Chef Freda loves to work with chocolate and nuts — roasted and caramelized, “I like to have crunchy and crispy to go along with a nice cake.” Her personal tastes are far simpler. “I don’t eat out much. I prefer home-cooked meals. For me, a simple Goan fish curry with a nice stuffed mackerel and rice is perfect.”
‘If you fear something, dive in and do it’ is a mantra Chef Freda lives by. “I often need a push to take up a challenge. I am a bit hesitant at first. But after I accomplish it, I realise that it wasn’t as daunting as I had made it out to be.”
Recently, the pastry chefs at Missoni completed 150 cakes for Valentine’s Day that were all sold out. “At the end, when that challenged was completed and the final product was perfect, you look back at what you’ve accomplished with the team and there’s real joy.”
Chef Freda hopes to learn as much as she can while she’s here but longs to go back to her faculty job someday. She shares the recipe of her favourite dessert, the cream cheese caramel flan. Ingredients: Cream cheese 500 g Condensed milk 520 ml Milk 600 ml Eggs 10 Vanilla essences 1/4 tsp Method: Mix the cheese till creamy. Add condensed milk to it. Boil milk, add the lightly beaten eggs.
Add the above mixture to the cheese mixture.
Make a caramel with sugar, little water and a few drops of lemon juice.
Coat the mould with caramel, then pour the mixture and steam bake until done.