Tanvi Maniar, who has studied finance from HR College Mumbai; Rupa Bhowmick, a banker; Aditi Goyal, an engineer; and Akshay Gujral, who has worked for a top hotel, are all students at the famous cuisine school, Le Cordon Bleu Paris, French for ‘the blue ribbon’, named after L’Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint Esprit, an elite group of French knights that was created in 1578. The crosses that these knights wore would hang from blue ribbons. They were also known for their love of fabulous banquets, which became known as the “cordons bleus”. Founded in 1895, the school boasts of chefs who have been awarded Michelin stars and the best students have the chance to intern with top Parisian establishments and perfect their skills.

Interestingly, Manian, Bowmick and Goyal have just one answer for changing career tracks. “Cooking made us happy. This was what counted and not our engineering and finance degrees,” they chime in unison. Future plans of course include their own ventures – patisseries – so all that you have to do is wish them sweet success.