The United Kingdom recently hosted India Week, celebrating Indian culture and its contributions. Among the honourees was Pune-based cake artist Prachi Dhabal Deb, recognised for her exceptional work in Royal Icing Art at Oxford University and later felicitated by Navin Shah CBE at the House of Commons, UK Parliament. She is the first cake artist to be felicitated at the world-renowned Oxford University.
Prachi, who has been promoting royal icing art for over a decade after studying it in London, expressed her gratitude for the recognition. "It is an honour to be acknowledged for my work in a field that I am so passionate about. The journey has been challenging but immensely rewarding."
At Oxford University, Prachi was felicitated by Kevin McCole, Managing Director of the UK India Business Council. This recognition highlights her contributions to the art of royal icing, a niche she has masterfully explored and expanded.
Born in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, Prachi was brought up in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, where she completed her schooling. She then went to Kolkata for her college education. Her journey in cake artistry is marked by several remarkable achievements, including three world records certified by the World Book of Records, London. These records feature a stunning 100 kg cake structure inspired by the Milan Cathedral, the maximum number of vegan royal icing structures, and a 200 kg edible structure of an Indian-inspired palace created with vegan royal icing.
Beyond her mastery in cake artistry, Prachi has seamlessly blended her passion for confectionery with a commitment to a vegan lifestyle. "I believe in pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with vegan royal icing," Prachi shared. "It's about showing that vegan alternatives can be just as grand and beautiful," she added.
