Angelo Roche - In the core of my heart - A MadCat

In the core of my heart - A MadCat

Angelo Roche, class of 1984

As I say hello to all my MadCats colleagues, I would like to remind you all that we are a fraternity, a cult. It’s also a time to acknowledge colleagues and teachers who have departed this world, but are still a part of me.

I vividly recall the days I started back in 1981 and we were a very young cohort of students. Surrounded by more mature comrades was a bit intimidating, but many were very caring and immensely helpful with no egos. Not just caring and guiding, they also got us work gigs for experience and pocket money to feel a bit rich. In fact, I keep in touch with one of them, Kadir who is still passionate about sharing his culinary adventures.

The days at the campus were so much fun, there was this sense of freedom, adventure, mischief within the academic curriculum. We were put in place very quickly by our teachers when things got out of hand, and this was necessary. We had great respect for our teachers not because of their position, but admiration for their knowledge and being passionate about what they did. 

The kitchens were so well kept, and we were instilled with discipline in cleaning the equipment, stacking them correctly, clean work benches, floors. Hygiene meant clean uniforms and starched hats, flopping when they got damp due to the heat and sweat. 

The college was very lucky to have been a part of international education programmes and hence the culinary education was up there with world standards. The bakery was fitted out with some of the finest equipment, which could make some envious even by today’s standards. I recall it was a part of the setting up of the industrialised Modern Bakery, next to our campus. Mr. Roberts took us on a factory visit to the Modern Bakery and that was a fantastic opportunity for us students. 

The diversity of subjects we learned was holistic, they were all interconnected and vital for launching us into industry. Maintenance (electrical), Housekeeping, Culinary theory and practice, Nutrition, French, Management, and Accounting. 

Then, there was the industry placement which prepared us for the rigours of industry. The teachers were marvelous, and all played a part in our formative years of our culinary education and the onward journey. There are two teachers who had a positive impact on me, and they deserve a special mention, Mr Thimmayya and Mr Roberts - cheers for imparting that passion.

I was lucky and blessed to have such a wonderful career ever since I left the college which prepared me well for the industry. The experiences finally led me down the path of Patisserie and Boulangerie specialisation. My journey has been studded with opportunities and achievements. Amidst all the competitions, the entremets, gateaux, petits gateaux, desserts, sourdoughs, boulangerie, viennoiserie, show pieces, chocolate and sugar, in the core is a Mad Cat alumni. 

I am very proud of my fellow batchmates too who have made it big and successful in their lives. A special mention, V. Shekar of Rite Equipment for the niche he found in a specialised market. Having a chat or meeting them brings great happiness and that can be traced back to the closeness and camaraderie that existed when we were studying together at IHM. There are others I know, my seniors and juniors who are and were trail blazers. The list is massive. 

These days I teach at the Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, and yes, passing on not just the skills, but essentially passing on the passion too. It must be infectious like another one of my seniors, Ajoy Joshi’s passion for Indian Cuisine. There are numerous success stories from the alumni pool from which we all can get inspiration from. However, these achievements were not built overnight, a little bit of progress each day adds up to the big results. Overcoming fear, and even little failures are necessary for success.

A big shout out to all those who have planned and made this humongous event – Diamond Jubilee, a reality. Bravo!!