In 2016, when Shraddha Mehta visited London on a family trip, there was one slice of British culture that piqued her curiosity: the tea time tradition. “I wanted to learn all about the delightful tea cakes—the different tastes and textures—that the city had to offer.” Mehta’s family runs a real estate business. Having lost her father early, the 38-year-old had no option but to dive in and learn the ropes. It’s been 10 years since she took on the responsibility. But, deep down, baking remained her first love. The assortments of scrummy scones and creamy mascarpone on hot teacakes was enough to awaken the dormant love.

That passion has now found expression in her fledgling home patisserie, Smāraa. “Like many, I found the courage to launch the business in the lockdown. I thought to myself, if not now, when? I had time on my hand, and one day, I went ahead and created an Instagram account.” The menu comprised the cakes that she had learnt to bake in the last three years. In order to get formal training, Mehta had signed up for a baking course at Dadar Catering College in 2014. And with that, she got her basics right.