An interesting interview of Kausar Iqbal published in Daily turbine Bahrain.
here are the few question & answers
1. How did you get involved in cake, chocolate
& sugar artistry? Was there a point where you knew that was cake-artistry
was your passion?
I have always had a passion for the creative world of arts & crafts. It was
after I got married and started entertaining guests at home that I took an
interest in baking, and realized how so much can we done with it. Baking is
after an art as well. Post-marriage, I had the luxury to join many prestigious
cookery institutions in America, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. I spent a great amount
of my time into refining every new style of baking & cooking that I learnt
throughout the years. Learning new things still brings a great deal of
satisfaction to me, and I continue to learn new ideas and approach it with
enthusiasm.
2. Explain the process of creating a cake design from start to finish? Do you
have any specific methods? What do you start with? How do you work?
First I divide the
culinary art into sections: Sugar art, baking, chocolate making and
modeling.
But to start anything one has to learn the basics and then later on can go into
grooming to perfection for a style or media. I started from learning and
practicing baking and then got involved into artistry in sugar craft,
making decorative flowers or figures, and then chocolate making and sculpturing
with it. I am member of several International sugar & chocolate institutes
and artist groups and still attend courses on my visit to America or Canada.
To explain my method of baking: I follow the strict rules set by my past
teachers, such as mixing, adding and incorporating ingredients with care and
patience. Measuring ingredients accurately is very important and must not be
ignored.
* use a scale, cups and spoons to measure
* preset all ingredients: certain things need to be at room temperature like
eggs & butter. Flour, baking powder and coco needs to be sieved before
mixing
* once all ingredients are mixed, timing of placing them in the oven in very
important
* always preheat your oven
* bakeware is important, so be sure to invest in buying good quality products.
* take care of your bakeware, it does last a long time.
* my specific method of any creation is that I draw a rough diagram and plan
all items required before I start creating.
* i prefer to buy fresh ingredients for cakes, chocolates & marzipans.
* mostly i use electric mixer as it save time and efforts and end result always
good
* speed and timing of mixing ingredients is important.
* always follow the
recipe very carefully.
* bookmark your bake result and use for future reference
* grease or sometimes
dusting the pan before putting the mixture is also important.
* sometimes you should tap the mixture pan to remove air bubbles, but it
depends on the recipe as certain mixtures require no tapping or shaking
3. Where do you get the inspiration for the floral decorations on your cakes?
As an artist the
inspiration always comes from nature and your surroundings. An artist sees the
world differently and anything and everything happening in and around your life
adds to that. And of course now there is the internet..
4. Cake designs and the art are well-accepted
all over the world, but do people still doubt it? Or do they still have trouble
in accepting cake designs as a legitimate art form?
Cake designing is
definitely an art. Several skills are required including baking, piping,
decorating, using many different types of tools, and assembling the design as
well.
It a full form of art and needs to be learnt in perfection, and perfection
always come with practice and patience. Imagine in some cultures a wedding is
not complete till the couple cuts a cake. How would such pretty and fancy cakes
be made if no one took cake designing seriously? And now you can see so much
advancement and creativity in cakes, look at little kids themed birthday party
cakes! Cake designing is a very enjoyable form of art as in the end the beauty
and creations were well appreciated be people around you.
5. What made you go into business for
yourself? Was it hard at first or is it still hard?
I am a professional
woman from the beginning. I have worked and progressed in the airline industry,
retired with great experience. I started my business in Pakistan before
immigrating to America, where for a long time I took up learning the artistry
part of my creations in sugar and chocolates. My business has also always
involved community service. I worked with less privileged women & men in
getting their businesses setup by teaching and helping them to make new
products and then marketing their products internationally. In Pakistan we are
working with over 300 artisans and making customized products for my clients or
customers. Secondly, it not hard to start a business but to maintain quality
and innovations in your product needs time and planning. Always watch out for
market trends and the most sellable products. Business is a full time work and
needs devoted attention. For me, its with creativity and I really enjoy that.
6. Can you share some tips for making a
beautiful designer cake or product while still staying on the budget?
Tips
* make a inventory of ingredients available from the past order.
* try make &
combine two orders together to cut the work force expenditures.
* make a list of ingredients or items required to finished the end required
order, and buy in bulk. However, specialty product must be brought in
small quantity.
* select a simple neat design as complicated designs take too much time and
effort
* keep a strict watch on your budget by planning every step in advance and make
keep a list in writing.
7. What are some of the things people should
know before they go into business for themselves? Do you have any advice?
* One must research
the market about the procurement of raw material, prices, availability, and
then develop the product accordingly.
* Have a well thought out and structured
business plan
* Identify your unique selling point. How will you be different? Make your brand
standout by quality, perfection, or affordability.
* Choose a specific field according to your talents. Most important is to
have a passion for it and love what you do!
* Additionally, the owner must learn the basics of business, i.e accounting and
record keeping.
* The most important thing as a business owner
is to reflect your personality in your products
8. How hard do you need to promote yourself
and your designs in order to make a name for yourself?
It depends on what you
are aiming to do. Are you targeting the mass market or have a niche sought out?
Are they generic products or customizable items? It all depends on who you are
trying to reach and your marketing strategy should depend on that. It is
definitely hard to identify the best method of reaching out, and it can be time
consuming as well. Sometimes mass marketing works and sometimes word of mouth
surprises you.
9. Do you have an all-time favorite design, or
still are you working on your best products or cake?
Yes, my all-time
favorite design is a simple rose, the king of flowers. Recently I developed a
new chocolate piece, square tiny bites of cake dipped in chocolate and
decorated with a simple marzipan rose & leaf.
10. Do you think the certification and diploma
courses are good for a business owner?
You need to be skilled in what you are doing, and it usually comes with
continuous learning. Certifications and diploma courses can be very helpful in
adding to your skill set and increasing your knowledge base. Additionally, as a
business owner, they help to give accreditation to your work and business.
