The Baker Showcase - Chennai - Grand Finale - 2

All those weeks leading up to this day - this very day, and finally those few hours were all that decided what we call a successful event!! I'd decided I wouldn't eat anything here today (Shhh.. I'm on a diet) and told my friends as much.

But.. but... who can resist those yummy macaroons or the cheesecakes or the pannacotta or the cup cakes - Boy.. we bought, ate, bought, ate and did nothing else!

Preethika and I landed at Crimson Chakra (venue partner) at 3 pm sharp. Some tables were ready to go, and a few diners were mulling over their lunch, wondering why these mad folks (Oh that would be KP, Nikhil, Preethika, Nanditha and myself) were running around like crazy!

The bakers started coming in, and we started helping them set up the tables. Uma and Preethika helped set the tables, Aarti was the bouncer (not letting anyone in before 4 pm), and Nanditha and I were running around to check if anyone needed anything. The 2 bald gentlemen (no offence) Nikhil and KP were at hand getting things organized.

I quickly stepped out to get some air, and I witnessed this. The crowd, patiently waiting, had actually formed a line (almost gave me a feel of Vaikunda Ekadhasi Sorga Vaasal and all we had to do was a "jerugandi" :P :P)

3 hours flew and we were running pillar to post to find out if the bakers and customers needed anything - from getting change for Rs 100 (Rashmee, I hope that helped) to reuniting a crying baby with her mom who almost forgot her daughter in a desperate attempt to buy the goodies before they were sold out ;-)

The bakers had whipped up a storm - lots of exotica and sinful delights - I think I am going to have run that marathon to burn off all that calories (Good luck Rashmee and Sangeetha for the Dec 2 marathon)

It was a fantastic team effort and a wonderful show yet again by KP Balakumar and Nanditha Sashidharan - keeping their sanity intact amidst a lot of insanity and craziness. Equally amazing was the enthusiastic show put up by the bakers and some absolutely organized & disciplined crowd.

A big thanks to Crimson Chakra and Nikhil - The Owner, The Man, for being the venue partner.

A sizeable amount was contributed to the NGOs - Deepam and Sahaayika. All the bakers contributed 10% of their sale, and thank you Ekta for contributing your entire sale amount today. That was super generous!

Obviously, there's lots more that went behind the scenes - today and all other days leading up to this event, and to that, a big toast to KP and Nanditha - Here's to lots more of these super successes! Cheers!

That just about sums up the entire event and the evening! (It goes without saying that some of us had dinner at Crimson Chakra :D)

PS: All photographs will be uploaded to the Guild.