Chef Rochelle DeSouza is representing Toronto on Food Network’s “Spring Baking Championship” and is making Canada a sweeter place to be one cake at a time.
DeSouza blew up on Instagram after posting satisfying videos of her pouring a signature mirror marble glaze that looks like she’s finishing an intricate acrylic painting.
The experienced pastry chef used to bake all the time in India before moving to Canada in 2015, but found herself away from the oven as she got sucked into the 9-5 life while trying to survive in a new country.
Then, the pandemic happened. DeSouza decided to enroll in Le Cordon Bleu where she fell in love with French pastry making.
Since opening Pretty Little Layers, DeSouza has hosted pop-ups at Mississauga’s Square One Mall and is now a participant on Season 10 of the “Spring Baking Championship,” currently airing on both American and Canadian Food Network channels.
Although her pastry was beautifully coloured on the recent Holi-themed (an Indian festival of colours) episode, DeSouza is known for her eye-catching desserts through her home bakery Pretty Little Layers.
“You would think that I was inspired by the American TV show Pretty Little Liars but Pretty Little Layers was born to represent my multi-layered French Entremets which are essentially mousse cakes [consisting] of different layers, flavours, and textures,” DeSouza told Now Toronto.
DeSouza channels her love of desserts with her love for Toronto and being a South Asian woman both on and off the show.
“I’ve loved being able to share my story through my desserts on Spring Baking Championship and I want to continue inspiring other aspiring Pastry Chefs that if they can dream it, they can achieve it, especially for someone like me coming from India where being a pastry chef is an unconventional career choice for women,” she said.
DeSouza is inspired by traditional Indian flavours like gajar halwa or carrot pudding, saffron, mango, and pistachio. She even created a Diwali set that people all over social media posted about.
“What’s impressed me the most is the fact that my Indian-inspired desserts have received such an overwhelming response on Instagram from people all over the world including those who don’t follow me,” DeSouza told Now Toronto.
As Pretty Little Layers’ cakes are primarily baked in DeSouza’s own kitchen, Torontonians can custom order her entremets online to pick up in Etobicoke.
Episodes of “Spring Baking Championship” Season 10 air every Monday at 9 p.m. in Canada.
