In the heart of the buzzing neighborhood of Oshiwara, Andheri, stands Dessert Therapy Kitchen, the sixth and latest outpost of Dessert Therapy. Since its inception, which happened in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, this unique dessert chain has made a name for itself for its sweet servings that are all vegetarian. unstumbled was lucky enough to get a chance to sit down with Dessert Therapy founders, Harsh & Nisarg Shah, and we learned so much about not just the creative minds behind this chain, but also about the unique blend of hard work and happenstance that made the chain what it is today.
About Harsh And Nisarg Shah
Going by the success of Dessert Therapy, you may be surprised to know that neither of them has any official training in the food & beverage industry. In fact, Harsh Shah did his PG in filmmaking, and Nisarg Shah, who spearheads the kitchen for the chain, revealed to us that he dropped out of high school. But that was only the beginning for this young home-chef, who’s been hosting 3 to 4-course meals at home since the age of 11-12. Being lifelong foodies themselves, the brothers managed to take Dessert Therapy across the city. So, here’s the story of how a former filmmaking student and a high school dropout started a one-of-a-kind vegetarian dessert chain in Mumbai!
An Interview With Dessert Therapy Founders Harsh & Nisarg Shah
unstumbled: Tell Us About The Story Of Dessert Therapy.
Harsh Shah: So we are brothers and are from very different backgrounds. We don’t have any professional education in the hospitality industry. We started the business from home, as home bakers with INR 10,000, initially just to get a hang of what the business is involved with and to understand everything that goes into the making and selling of desserts. We’d take orders from friends and family, and slowly progressed to Swiggy and Zomato as a cloud kitchen. My brother, who has had a knack for cooking since the age of 10 or 12, handled food, and I looked at the business side of things. And that’s how we started.
unstumbled: What Was Your Guiding Philosophy When Starting Dessert Therapy?
Harsh Shah: So, we ourselves were big-time foodies and wanted to make sure that we liked whatever we were serving. So, we had to be our own customers first to appreciate whatever was getting made. It was never from the perspective of making it a brand or making it a big business – it was just small steps taken at every stage.
unstumbled: You Opened Your First Outlet In Lockdown When Many Businesses Were shutting down. What prompted you to take such a risk?
Harsh Shah: It was just bureaucracy. Just 15 days before the first lockdown, we signed our agreement for our first place in Malad. We had just gotten the keys and were yet to do all the interior when the pandemic hit. The owners were kind enough to let us keep the place during that time. Once the first lockdown lifted, we opened our first outlet in October.
unstumbled: What was the moment you guys realized that desserts were something you could (and should) do professionally?
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Nisarg Shah: Desserts were the only thing I could do at the time, and even that not completely. I couldn’t bake back then, so we started with jar cheesecakes. In 2019-20, I made my first baked eggless cheesecake. Once I cracked that, I was sure we could take this to the next level.
Harsh Shah: COVID actually helped us gain momentum because back then, people were not trusting food from outside. They knew that we would be taking great precautions when making food at home.
Also Read: Pinky Chandan Dixit On Varsoo: Mumbai’s New Heritage Food Hub
unstumbled: Was starting a business together as brothers a natural decision, or did it take convincing?
Harsh Shah: No, it came very naturally to us. No convincing needed.
unstumbled: How do you manage conflicts or creative differences? Does it affect the relationship at home?
Harsh Shah: No, not at all, because we operate and handle very different aspects of the business. We just run stuff by each other, and more or less, are on the same page. If not, then we try to talk it out. But it doesn’t go beyond that or to the extent that we would have any conflict. Because we’ve grown up together, it’s easier to iron such things out.
unstumbled: What would you say is the sweetest part about working with your brother?
Nisarg Shah: Every day is a workday and also a holiday. You are working with the same comfort, but at the same time, you’re working every day, 24/7, because you have your work partner around. So any idea that you get at any moment, you discuss with your partner, and no matter where you are, it immediately turns into a meeting; it becomes your work environment. It is the most comfortable thing for us.
unstumbled: Dessert Therapy has been described as experience-led rather than just product-led. Was this shift from selling desserts to selling an experience, conscious?
Harsh Shah: Yeah, it was very much a conscious decision. Because whenever we, as customers, would step out for dessert, there weren’t any brands that were providing a dessert-only experience. It would either be a bakery or a fine-dining place where you get good desserts. This is what prompted us to focus more on the experience rather than just the product.
unstumbled: Your seasonal installations — like the Cherry Blossom Wonderland — have become a big part of the brand’s identity. How far in advance do you plan such seasonal installations?
Harsh Shah: A couple of months, usually. Initially, we had to do some research, align some things, and it took us about two months of planning to execute it. But then, the following year, it was just a very basic thing that we had to do. Now, we know the months that we have to be prepared for it. There is no planning required as such.
unstumbled: Dessert Therapy menus are free from palm oil and artificial colors. In a category where these ingredients are standard, how difficult has it been to maintain that commitment at scale?
Nisarg Shah: No, not really. If you are very conscious about this decision, there are a hundred ways of doing it. Many places offer gluten-free and vegan options. It’s just how much effort you are willing to take for those things. We were very sure since the beginning that we didn’t want to use any artificial flavors or colors or anything like that. That is the reason our desserts are priced at a premium. Even when we were home bakers, our desserts were priced as they would be at a cafe. Only after having the desserts, our customers would realize their quality and come back for more.
Also Read: The Tiramisu Takeover: How Gen Z-Favorite Mr. Misu Is Shaping A Cult Dessert In Mumbai
unstumbled: What is your dessert testing process? How do you decide what item makes it onto the menu?
Harsh Shah: So we have a trusted group of families and friends with whom we do the trials initially. Sometimes it’s just the two of us who start off, and if we like it, then we involve the others. So that’s a two-step process usually. We just have a very small way of figuring it out. If we like it, then it has to go on the menu.
unstumbled: Are there any desserts that you were personally attached to that the public did not respond well to and had to be removed from the menu?
Nisar Shah: There were a couple of such instances, but the main dessert that I’m still attached to, which people did not order as much, was the Black Forest Cheesecake. Whoever did order it fell in love with it. Maybe because of the name, people assumed that it’d just be some ordinary cheesecake.
Harsh Shah: I also have one favorite, which people have not really responded to too much. That’s the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake. So, we brothers never face the camera for our social media. But that was the first time, I was so desperate for people to try it that I got on the camera and put a reel out there. Many did try it after that, but it’s still not as popular as I would like it to be. However, it’s a seasonal thing. It’s only for Halloween, available during the last two weeks of October.
unstumbled: Will It Come Back This Year As Well?
Harsh Shah: Every Halloween, we bring it back. But it’s not the go-to dessert for everybody.
unstumbled: The sixth outlet — Dessert Therapy Kitchen in Oshiwara — is the first to introduce a full food menu. What took you so long to make that move, and what finally convinced you the time was right? And how do you ensure your brand image as a dessert-first chain is retained and that it doesn’t get diluted?
Harsh Shah: So we always wanted this to be a dessert-specific brand. As we mentioned before, there was no specific dessert place that would cater to plated desserts the way we do. So we never wanted to dilute that image of a dessert-forward place. But over a period of time, we realized that if somebody comes for a dessert, they can also have a quick bite. Our food menu is small, like a dessert menu would be at a restaurant. So the food is still not the focus; it is a subsidiary to the dessert.
unstumbled: All six outlets are currently in Mumbai. Is that a deliberate strategy, or just a matter of convenience?
Harsh Shah: We definitely want to expand to other cities. We are currently doing our recce, and sooner or later, we will finalize our next step out of the city as well. Opening multiple outlets in Mumbai was just a matter of timing and convenience. It’s just that we belong to this city and wanted to maximize whatever we could from here. Soon, we’ll take the same concept outside the city.
unstumbled: Which city do you see as the most natural next step
Harsh Shah: We’ve identified the metros – like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi – those kinds of places. We’re excited for that. Ahmedabad, too, is a good market.
unstumbled: What does a Dessert Therapy outlet look like five years from now?
Harsh Shah: The same, very dessert specific – perhaps we’ll have food menus at other places also – but dessert will still be the number one priority. That’s why we didn’t change the name of the brand. It’s Dessert Therapy Kitchen, which is a sub-brand of Dessert Therapy. So desserts will always be our number one priority, and that is how we want it to look even 5 or 10 years down the line.
Also Read: Chef’s Corner: Rustic French Dessert Strawberry Galette Recipe By Moussestruck’s Co-Founder Ushra
Details About Dessert Therapy Kitchen, The Latest Outlet
While there are five other outlets of Dessert Therapy in Mumbai, here are the details of the latest one at Oshiwara that also has a savory menu:
Address: Shop no. 7, Bharat Auravistas, opposite Windermere Apartments, Oshiwara, Andheri West
Timings: 8 AM to 1 AM
Cost For Two: INR 800 approx.
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Summing Up
So, what’s the takeaway? For us, it’s that if you follow your passion, are dedicated to your craft, and to improving yourself, you are sure to find yourself well on your way to the path of success. And the biggest takeaway from this interview is that if you haven’t already tried their delicious desserts, you immediately need to!
