Loaves Across Lands: Global Breads Find a Fresh Home in India

Image Source: Hindustan Times

From chewy bagels to pillowy baos, foreign breads are reshaping India’s baking shelves and café menus. Once limited to pav and naan, India’s bread culture is now a global affair, driven by new-age bakers crafting cross-cultural recipes—from Japanese shokupan and German pretzels to NYC-style bagels and Taiwanese bao buns.

India’s culinary renaissance is rewriting its bread story. No longer confined to roti or pav, Indians are kneading global inspirations into local plates, blending authenticity with Indian flair.

Key Highlights

Bagels Go Local: At Delhi’s Bloom Café & Cakery, Parth Gupta’s multigrain bagels have become a cosmopolitan breakfast staple. His vegan mushroom–cream cheese bagel sandwich shows how premium global comfort food now finds loyal Indian fans.

Pretzels with Heritage: Mumbai’s 55 Baker Street, run by Harsh Minawala and Shivani Kapoor, recreates Germany’s time-honored pretzel process—dipping dough in alkaline solution before baking. Their authenticity earned recognition from the German Consulate itself.

Japan’s ‘Cloud Bread’ Craze: Delhi’s Shokupan brings Japan’s ultra-soft milk bread to Indian cafés. Using the traditional yudane method, co-founder Rishi Pratim Mukherjee turns shokupan into creative “sandos” filled with truffle mushrooms or spicy kimchi avocado, merging Japanese minimalism with India’s café flair.

The Bao Revolution: Pune’s Boba Bao & Co. has transformed Taiwan’s steamed bao into street-style success. Founders Chaitanya Hattangadi and Nandita Jati blend classic bao buns with local twists like makhani or desi chili fillings, reflecting India’s taste for East-meets-India fusion snacks.

Sourdough Still Strong: Across metro India, artisanal bakeries are anchoring the slow food movement with their naturally fermented sourdoughs—symbolizing how taste, texture, and health now shape modern Indian dining habits.

India’s Global Breadscape

From cafés in Delhi to bakeries in Pune, international breads have moved beyond novelty to necessity. These creations merge global craftsmanship with local cravings, illustrating India’s evolving palate and its appetite for diversity. The country’s bakers are not only importing recipes—they’re reinventing them with an unmistakable Indian soul.

Sources: Hindustan Times

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