Courtesy of Chocal8kiss

Who are you?

Chocal8kiss

Pastry Chef/Owner: Sonam Sondhi

1-888-YUM-CAKE

www.Chocal8kiss.com

Facebook Group- Chocal8kiss

What do you do?

Specialize in custom created wedding and specialty cakes, desserts, and hand made chocolates.

Where are you based?

central New Jersey.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?

I was working full time as a pastry chef at a high end restaurant when a family friend had asked me to do their wedding cake…..three months later I was so busy with orders I quit my job.

Courtesy of Chocal8kiss

Why do you do what you do?

I love food. When your passion is your career you cant go wrong.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?

No, but we do focus our attention a little more to the South Asian brides. As a young South Asian myself I know they are looking for the professionalism and taste of other high end bakeries but want a desi touch to their flavors and designs without paying the ridiculous price tag.

Describe some of your inspirations.

Inspiration comes from everywhere, a beautiful print, saris and beaded work, colors, and even other cakes.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?

I think sometimes the older generation thinks of the wedding cake as a formality or unnecessary. I look at it as a centerpiece, it brings out the couples character, it’s an amazing back drop to all the pictures, and with every tier a different flavor why not have something different other than the usual desi sweets that everyone is tired of anyway.

Courtesy of Chocal8kiss

Do you cater to certain budgets only?

Not at all- there are basic price ranges but our quality and prices beat anyone else’s.

Tell us about your strongest area.

There are many but I think what really brings our brides to us is our unique cakes, some brides want really unique designs and the time and unlimited options we give them is always better than a pushy 10 minute meeting where they force you to pick out of a book and charge crazy extras for every change you make. Not to mention the fact that all our cakes are made fresh- no box cake, no canned fruit, no custard made of powder.

Tell us about your weakest area.

We don’t take too many orders in one weekend. It is actually a really strong point but when the summer is wedding season, it becomes very difficult accepting too many orders.

How would you describe your working style?

Calm and understanding- its your wedding, what you want it what you get.

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked on.

They all are its hard to pin point just one and I keep in touch with so many of my brides. Seeing their reaction at the time of the delivery is always worth all the work.

What’s your number one wedding tip?

Enjoy your wedding! Don’t get so caught up in the planning and stress you forget why you are doing it all, enjoy every minute of it and take time out for yourselves.

Courtesy of Chocal8kiss

Diya Lounge

Who are you?

Diya Fusion Indian Cuisine

Diya lounge

43 Rockaway Avenue

Valley Stream, NY 11580

(516) 872-2223

www.diyalounge.com

What do you do?

We operate a restaurant, bar and banquet hall. We provide off-premises catering from a small affair in your backyard to a formal affair in a banquet hall or hotel.

Diya Lounge

Where are you based?

We are based in Valley Stream, NY, a 5 minutes drive from the Queens border.

When and How did you get started in the South Asian wedding industry?

We started three years ago. We want to give the bride and groom innovative yet traditional Indian foods for their wedding reception.

Diya Lounge

Why do you do what you do?

We enjoy our customers delight at our delicious food. We want to introduce a new style of Indian cooking. We are privileged to be a part of their special event.

Do you work exclusively on South Asian weddings?

We cater all groups, Americans, spanish, Jamaican, West Indians, etc. We are able to offer other cuisine in addition to our Indian cuisine, we offer Chinese, Italian, Spanish and American.

Diya Lounge

Describe some of your inspirations.

Our inspiration is to be “go to” caterers for all types of parties and events. We have the knowledge and professionalism to achieve this goal.

What are some mistakes you see most South Asian brides (and families) make?

Most families are conservative when it comes to food. Times have changed. The bride & groom and their families have to be daring and mix in non- traditional food with Indian food. It’s fine to have the traditional food for dinner but families should consider taking a chance during the cocktail hours. The food during that time is more important then the dinner.

Diya Lounge

Do you only cater to certain budgets only?

No, we cater to any budget. Our philosophy is to work with the bride & groom and their families. With numerous choices on the menu, we can cater to fit any budget and still maintain our highest standards.

Tell us about your strongest area.

Our strength lies within our organization. We have a team of chefs and managers who are multi-talented.

Diya Lounge

Tell us about your weakest area.

Every organization has weaknesses. We learn, we progress. Its important not to focus on the weakness, but how quickly we recognize and solve the problem at hand. That’s our strength, knowing people who can solve problems immediately so the affair is not compromised.

How would you describe your working style?

Organized and professional! We are very particular about being organized and working in a professional manner. Our team follows that lead, from the kitchen staff to the managers on the floor.

Diya Lounge

Describe a particularly memorable wedding you’ve worked on.

It was a wedding in July at Chateau Braind. We had several food stations set up. The affair was a tremendous success and everyone enjoyed the quality and taste of our food and our presentation.

What’s your number one wedding tip?

Plan ahead of time and don’t be afraid to take a risk when it comes to food. Caterers are always willing to work with the bride and groom. If a catering hall limits you to certain caterers don’t be afraid to speak up and have your chosen caterer there. Banquet halls need your business as much as you need them.

Diya Lounge