Born in Paris, bread' in Delhi

After a successful innings as technology consultant in Paris, Kazem Samandari could have opted for a quiet retired life. Instead, Kazem decided to move to India and set up a French boulangerie. Why India? Because his family was missing authentic French breads in New Delhi!

 “L’Opera was born in 2008 out of the longing of my son Laurent Samandari, when he was working in New Delhi, for authentic French breads and pastries. So we decided to move to India to start an authentic pattisserie chain which the country didn’t have at that moment,” Kazem tells us. But ever since they moved to India, they have made the country their home, he adds.

Starting off with a single outlet in Delhi in 2011, L’Opera has grown to 12 outlets in the national capital region, and has earned the reputation of representing the authentic taste of France in India.

“We don’t compromise on quality. As a French bakery, any alteration of the taste compared to its traditional characteristics would go against the reason we were born,” Kazem says. They import chocolate, cream and some special butters all the way from France to make the taste as true to the original croissants or baguettes as possible.

Some of L’Opera’s signature products include the Royal Chocolate pastry, made with Belgian chocolate mousse placed upon a crunchy base; the Mille Feuilles, a classic French dessert made with alternating layers of custard and caramel; and the traditional French Croissant, made with a buttery flaky pastry.

 Kazem also takes up technology consulting for firms overseas, for the love of his old job, and is a person who is the youngest at heart when it comes to taking up new challenges.

“There are different ways of looking at what retiring means. For me, this is the time when I have all my experience to be put into practice. I think it is a great waste of resources and talent if we expect people to just retire and stay idle at 60 or 65,” Kazem says. He adds that people must strive hard to make a difference to the society, irrespective of their age.

Kazem does a fair bit of exercising every day and loves to read and travel with his grandchildren. “I love spending time with my grandchildren and take a special interest in ballet performances and concerts,” says Kazem, on whom a French honour has been conferred in October 2015 by the Ambassador of France in India, to mark his service to the country.

“We have solid expansion plans to multiply our presence to around 70 outlets pan-India within the next five to six years. Given its importance as a cosmopolitan city and the country’s economic hub, Mumbai will be the next destination for L’Opéra to offer the best of French culinary culture to India,” Kazem shares, adding that there will perhaps be no retirement for him, considering how happy he is doing business in India!