Research scientist Rahul is one of the 12 bakers aiming to impress Prue and Paul in The Great British Bake Off tent in 2018.
The Rotherham-based 30-year-old only began to bake when he moved from Kolkata to the UK at the age of 23, discovering a world of new flavours and cuisines which have inspired his “east-meets-west” baking style.
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“Even five years ago I really had no idea about The Great British Bake Off,” he says. But persistent pressure from one of his colleagues who knew about his fondness for baking led him to throw his hat in the ring.
“He kept sending me the application link, until I said to him that I have started applying,” he says.
Still, he reckons most of his friends and co-workers will be shocked that he’s won a place on the show: “I think pretty much everybody I know will be surprised. They know I bake, but not to the scale that I could enter the tent. Colleagues I knew during my PhD don’t have a clue that I can bake. Back in India I didn’t bake either. All of them and actually myself are surprised that I made it into the tent.
Though he spends a lot of time carefully planning out his more intricate bakes, Rahul concedes that he is not very tidy.
“I am a very messy baker and viewers will see that,” he says. “My flat is quite small and so it’s even messier at home, a bit issue!”
And, if he was to create a new flavour of crisp in the GBBO tent, it would be pilau rice or palak (spinach) paneer.
Rahul’s Bake Off journey
Episode 1: Biscuit Week
While Rahul seriously impressed with his showstopper selfie, it wasn’t all high praise for the baker in the first week – especially when Paul praised how well he’d portrayed his “chubby little face” in biscuit form.
Did Paul Hollywood really just call a #bakeoff contestant’s face chubby? Bit rude! #GBBO
— Christa (@Gin_o_saurus) August 28, 2018
Still, he’s at least quickly won a new fan in former Bake Off star Tamal Ray.
Oh my god I could watch a whole show about Rahul Skyping his parents!
“You need to shave your beard”#GBBO
— Tamal Ray (@DrRayBakes) August 28, 2018
Rahul Mandal: Key Facts
Age: 30
Job: Research scientist
Location: Rotherham
The Great British Bake Off airs Tuesdays on Channel 4 at 8pm
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