Pooja Bavishi
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
The first pint of Malai we ever tried we were gifted for content creation purposes. The next 30-something pints we tried were purchased almost religiously so we could keep our freezers stocked at all times. Founder Pooja Bavishi has managed to create a dessert that, despite sweet, balances spice and flavor notes just right to create something always satisfying and unlike the uber-saccharine ice creams on today’s market. We visited her at the Cobble Hill flagship for a deep dive convo into her upbringing with food, and of course to taste test many flavor samples…
Full name, age, where are you from?
Pooja Bavishi, 38, Charlotte, NC
Was food a big part of your upbringing?
Yes! Food was a huge part of my upbringing. Like so many first gens, food was one of the entries for me to learn more about my culture. My mom is the best cook I know - though she would never say this about herself. She made everything for us from our morning chai to our evening daal. And she wouldn’t just cook Indian - we grew up on pasta, burritos, Indo-Chinese (a very underrated cuisine that is one of my most favorites!). And I often would help her in the kitchen, even when I was a child. What I love most about being with her in the kitchen - even today - is while we are making things together, not only am I learning more about the traditions and cultures around the dish, but there is also so much time for story-telling! When me and my mom make khakhra together, she tells me about how when she was growing up, she and her mom and two sisters each had a role for khakhra making and they formed an assembly line. When we make pickles, she tells me about how they would dry mangoes in the summer to preserve them and then pickle them. When we make ghughra, she tells me about how her family would make Diwali packages filled with ghughra and other treats and would hand-deliver them during the holiday. It’s a multi-faceted way for me to know where I come from, and I will never tire of that.
What are your earliest memories of dining out?
Our go-to restaurant when I was young was a Mexican restaurant called Chi-chi’s. The vibe was so fun, and they would give you a sombrero and sing to you when it was your birthday (and it was always my birthday whenever we went!). I honestly cannot remember what I ever got there for a savory dish, but the desserts are forever imprinted in my mind - they served sopapillas with honey and chocolate sauce. They were freshly fried and warm and dusted with cinnamon sugar. And they also had fried ice cream - which was actually fried. It was the perfect balance of hot and cold, creamy and crunchy - and so decadent and sweet. Yum!
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who wanted to pursue your career, what would it be?
I would say to talk to as many people as possible who know more than you - there are so many people who are willing to chat and give tips - the hospitality industry really does live up to its name. And then, to remember to do the same when someone is coming up behind you. I think so often we forget that this is not a solo journey - there are many people around us that help us reach our goals, and it’s equally important to leave that for anyone that may be coming up behind us as well.
What do you think working in this industry has taught you?
Grit. This is an industry where everyone just gets things done. There is always a workaround, there is always someone to call, there is always a solution. And this industry is filled with people with only this mentality. It’s pure grit. In the food industry - especially in service - the show must always go on, so you always always have to find a way to make things work. And somehow (knock on wood!), we always do.
What's your favorite dish/drink on the menu?
We change up our flavors quite often, with seasonal ice creams coming in and out monthly. So, I always am drawn to the flavors I haven’t seen in a few months - Fig on Fig in the summer; Ghughra during Diwali; Toasted Nutmeg during the holiday season! But my tried and true, my absolute go-to is the Orange Fennel - one of the first flavors I ever created. Top it with our chocolate cardamom fudge, and it’s the most satisfying dessert ever.
What is your favorite place to go out and eat at and what are you ordering?
Too many to list! But my go-to lately has been Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja’s Shuka. I feel like I’m there weekly! You literally cannot go wrong with anything, but my most favorites are the sweet potato skordalia (it’s incredibly balanced with sweet, spicy and salty - cannot get enough of it with their fresh pita!), and the malawach (so flaky, so buttery, so delicious). Also, their olive oil cake is perfection. And as a vegetarian, I appreciate that the majority of the menu is available to me!
You’re on a desert island, what are the 5 kitchen items you need to run your business?
A tasting spoon, a microplane, a sharp knife, a rubber spatula, and my kitchen manager (and continual thought partner), Christy Jorsling.
