Christmas Cake Mixing Celebration at Hyatt Centric Janakpuri

Christmas Cake Mixing Celebration at Hyatt Centric Janakpuri Marks a Festive Start to the Season

Hyatt Centric Janakpuri hosted a joyful Christmas cake mixing celebration led by Pastry Chef Kamal Kishore and Chef Shiv Arora, bringing together guests and media for a festive evening filled with bakery indulgence, seasonal flavours, and delightful Christmas traditions.

I was recently invited by GM Mr Anirudh Sanjeev and Chef Shiv Arora to Hyatt Centric Janakpuri to be part of their annual Cake Mixing Soirée — a celebration that marks the official start of Christmas at the hotel.

 

The experience unfolded under the guidance of Pastry Chef Kamal Kishore, who led the traditional ritual with bowls full of festive ingredients. As we gathered around, the table gleamed with a colourful selection of India-inspired ingredients like tutti-frutti, candied papaya, golden raisins, black currants, pistachios, almonds, cashews, fennel seeds, spice blends, and orange peels all waiting to be folded together with winter warmth and joy.

The mixing quickly turned into a lively moment of laughter, storytelling, and festive spirit as editors, guests, influencers, and hotel patrons participated — making the evening feel personal, interactive, and truly celebratory.

Sharing his thoughts during the ceremony, General Manager Anirudh Sanjeev expressed: “Christmas at Hyatt Centric Janakpuri is always about warmth and togetherness. Seeing everyone immerse themselves in a tradition like cake mixing reminds us how simple, joyful rituals can create memories that stay long after the day is over.”

The celebration continued with a beautifully curated Hi-Tea menu, featuring indulgent bakery and patisserie favorites. I personally enjoyed the spread of tiny burgers, vegetable patties, soft buns, butter cookies, flaky pastries, cinnamon-spiced treats, chocolate bites, and classic plum cake slices all perfectly complemented by a hot a cuppa coffee to sip on that felt like a perfect winter evening.

Sharing his thoughts on the culinary spread, Chef Shiv Arora added: “For us, food is emotion — especially during a season like Christmas. The delicacies we create are meant to make people pause, savour, and smile. This year’s curation blends nostalgia with comfort, from petit pastries to patties and tiny burgers — all meant to be enjoyed slowly with good company and a warm beverage.”

Reflecting on the significance of the ritual, Pastry Chef Kamal Kishore shared: “Cake mixing is more than preparation — it’s the beginning of the Christmas story. Watching these ingredients transform into our festive cakes is always magical, and seeing our guests experience that transformation with us makes it even more special.”

As the evening came to a close, Hyatt Centric surprised all of us with thoughtfully curated festive hampers — a beautiful gesture that included lavish dry fruits, dark chocolate bars, assorted nuts, fruit cake, and signature Christmas bakes, making the farewell as memorable as the experience.

Walking out with music still playing softly in the background and the scent of spices lingering in the air, it felt like the Christmas season had officially begun — warm, joyful, and deliciously festive.

For us, food is emotion especially during a season like Christmas. The delicacies we create are meant to make people pause, savour, and smile. This year’s curation blends nostalgia with comfort, from petit pastries to patties and tiny burgers all meant to be enjoyed slowly with good company and a warm beverage,” shared Chef Shiv Arora — and I couldn’t agree more.

As the evening progressed, I found myself tasting almost everything from the spread, and each bite felt thoughtfully crafted. The tiny burgers were soft, flavourful, and bite-sized enough to tempt a second helping. The vegetable patties had that perfect flaky exterior with a warm, mildly spiced filling that reminded me of classic winter bakery counters across India. The butter cookies simply melted on the tongue, while the flaky pastries carried layers so delicate they crumbled beautifully with each bite.

The cinnamon-spiced treats brought in the unmistakable scent of Christmas, instantly warming the senses, and the chocolate bites added a rich, indulgent contrast to the otherwise subtle sweetness around them. But the star the one that truly felt like Christmas on a plate  was the classic plum cake slice, moist, dense, and beautifully soaked with fruits and spices. All of this paired with a hot cup of tea made the experience slow, comforting, and soulful almost like a warm hug on a winter evening. Even now, as I write, the memory of those flavours lingers, and I find myself already craving another visit — just to relive that festive, flavour-filled moment once again. With such a heartfelt start, the countdown to Christmas at Hyatt Centric Janakpuri has begun and it promises to be both sweet and unforgettable.