Doha, Qatar: “Working with sourdough teaches you to listen,” goes a popular quote by American baker and educator Peter Reinhart. This is probably why expat baker and the Managing Director of Bloom Bakehouse, formerly Bakemart Qatar, T K Khaleel, sitting in his Qatar office speaks sparingly. A person who rarely does interviews, by his own admission, Khaleel sat down with The Peninsula to talk about the rebranding, his journey from a front-office role serving customers at The Centre in 1980 to becoming a master baker with his own sourdough certified at a one-of-its-kind sourdough library in Belgium.
Learning has been his biggest strength, says Khaleel, and he continues to do so even after the success he has achieved. “I attend all seminars, trainings and visit baking competitions. My most recent trip was in August to Las Vegas, US, where I attended a bread-making competition. I like to keep myself updated on what’s happening in the industry, the latest technology or any new innovative method,” says Khaleel, who prefers to be called a baker, rather than a master baker, as the latter implies expertise, whereas he considers himself still learning. This reflects in the products that come out of Bloom Bakehouse, where he says that every loaf, pastry or croissant has evolved through continuous refinement, making them better.
Hailing from Mahe, known for its unique blend of Indian and French colonial heritage in Kerala, India, Khaleel’s foray into baking began in Doha, in the 1980s, when he started working as a front-office staff handling baked products at the bakery in The Centre. It was Masterbaker Miguel Sanario from Spain who first taught him to make a French baguette. He later had the opportunity to train under French Masterbaker Emillie, with whom he mastered viennoiserie such as croissants, pain au chocolat, and pain aux raisins.
“These learnings came during my four-hour breaks between split shifts, giving me a rare chance to step into the kitchen. Starting as a 23-year-old novice with no prior experience, it was trial by fire. In an age when recipes were closely guarded, ingredient ratios kept secret, and new bakers were expected to learn through observation, they shared the recipes and guided me through the process,” Khaleel reminisces.
Then, under the guidance of British Masterbaker Barry Pendergast, who had experience with Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s, Khaleel learnt the classics like English plum cake, hot cross buns, and German country breads. Barry, whom he considers his true mentor, played a defining role in shaping him as a baker. “At a workplace party, Barry remarked, ‘Khaleel, you work as if this bakery is your own. With that dedication, you could easily own it one day.’ Those words came true,” he says, adding that today, Khaleel owns the contract to run and operate The Centre bakery as a joint venture with the current owner.
After spending 15 years at The Centre, Khaleel moved on to lead operations at Jawad in Bahrain and Batteel in Qatar. He then went on to build and grow successful brands, including Bakemart across the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, and Artisan Bakers in the UAE.
Khaleel introduced one of the first frozen bakery factories in the region and was also among the pioneers in bringing gluten-free bakery factory. He says that whenever he bakes or develops a product, he gives equal importance to aroma and taste, as to its health benefits. “The use of freezing technology in the baking helped us extend product shelf life, thereby reducing our dependence on additives,” he adds.
This emphasis on natural process is also reflected in his commitment to sourdough baking. The ultimate testament to his career is his own unique sourdough starter that he personally nurtured, and a sample of which is stored in the one-of-a-kind Puratos Sourdough Library in Belgium. Catalogued as Exhibit No. 128, it stands as a permanent symbol of his craft, making him one of the very few to have received this historic honour. “We were able to reduce our dependence on yeast or chemical improvers due to sourdough which is an alternative and natural form of leavening," he explains, adding that though it is commercially available now, he has been using his certified sourdough for 18 years.
Asked about his plans with Bloom Bakehouse, he says, there are many, including expanding into newer markets and opening his factory for visitors. For now, however, the focus remains on building and firmly establishing the Bloom Bakehouse brand in the Qatari market.
