Renowned Pastry Chef & Chocolatier

Where Chocolate Meets Curiosity

If chocolate is a language of love, then Chef Vivek Chauhan is one of its most articulate speakers, someone who doesn’t just make chocolate, but listens to it. Across continents and decades, his journey into the world of pastry and chocolate has been shaped not by celebrity, but by discipline, discovery, and delight.

For many of us, chocolate memories are tied to place, and the experiences tell us something essential: chocolate isn’t just tasted; it’s felt, remembered, and shared. For a chocolatier, it becomes a lifetime’s conversation between craft and connection.

The First Steps

For Chef Vivek, that conversation began early. Born in Delhi, his hospitality career started in 1996 at IHM Gwalior, followed by the Taj Management Training Programme and his first professional role at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi. But it was his move to England in 2003 that opened a broader horizon. Working under Chef Mark Gregory at One Aldwych in London, and later as Pastry Sous Chef at The Royal Lancaster, he learned that pastry, like chocolate, is as much about precision as it is about patience. At the Royal Lancaster, he led teams through busy banquets and delicacies like classic afternoon tea, executing large-scale service with finesse, the kind of practice that refines instinct into artistry.

Over time, his craft became more than technique; it became a way to tell stories through flavour and form.

The Way Further

The alchemy stayed intact with Chef Vivek. At Le Méridien New Delhi, where he served as Senior Executive Pastry Chef. He has curated immersive chocolate experiences that mirror the best of this global conversation. During World Chocolate Day celebrations, his team created themed showcases, from sculpted chocolate installations to a curated menu of truffles, lollipops and bespoke desserts that drew families, diplomats, and lovers of chocolate into a world of sensory delight. 

These celebrations are not mere displays; they are living masterclasses in craftsmanship and narrative. Crafting such experiences can take a week or more of trials, brainstorming, sculpting and precise execution, which is a testament to his belief that chocolate is mood as much as it is taste.

Beyond Just Good Chocolate Delights

But Chef Vivek’s engagement with chocolate goes beyond creating moments. He has consistently invested in teaching and inspiring others. Through masterclasses, live demonstrations, and participatory events, including stunning  showcases where young chefs and enthusiasts learn the nuances of tempering, moulding, and flavour balance, he passes forward the craft that was once handed to him by mentors across London and beyond. 

Chef Vivek Chauhan’s Achievements

Chef Vivek Chauhan is among the first from India to be recognised in the Master Craftsman (on approval) category by the Craft Guild of Chefs, England, a distinction that places him on global platforms as a demonstrator and judge at leading industry events. He is an elected Member of the Institute of Hospitality, UK (MIH) and serves as Ambassador to India for Chefs Sans Frontières International, supporting culinary initiatives and professional development across the country. 

He has also been part of the jury at the International Taste Institute, Brussels, collaborating with eminent European chefs in a defining chapter of his international career.

A Cut Above the Rest

What distinguishes Chef Vivek is not just his technical excellence, but his curiosity in blending influences. His repertoire includes classical French techniques as well as playful experiments that draw from Indian spices and seasonal ingredients, from vanilla and cardamom ice creams to chilli chocolate takes and floral-infused entremets. This fusion approach, that’s respectful yet inventive, reflects a global palate in conversation with local nuance.

Recognition has followed naturally: honours in pastry craftsmanship, positions of leadership, and invitations to prestigious forums and juries reflect a career built on substance, not flash.

Life Comes to a Full Circle

Today, having resettled in London and becoming part of the International Taste Institute, Chef Vivek stands at a new intersection of chocolate, craft, and community. His journey from embracing the structured rhythms of European kitchens to curating experiences that invite participation, wonder, and learning unfolds as a continuation of the very narrative chocolate embodies: patience, transformation, and connection.

This is where chocolate experiences and mastery converge; in the hands that shape them and the stories they leave behind.