Chef Leesu Mathew

Chef Leesu is a dedicated culinary professional with a strong specialization in Bakery & Patisserie, complemented by diverse experience in academia, consultancy, and menu development. Currently serving as a Faculty Associate at the School of Hospitality Management, Mahindra University since February 2025, Chef Leesu plays a key role in shaping the next generation of culinary talent. Responsibilities include developing the comprehensive Bakery & Patisserie syllabus across all eight semesters, ensuring its logical progression, academic rigor, interdisciplinary nature, and industry relevance. Additionally, Chef Leesu contributes to the operational planning of the school’s bakery and manages its social media presence.

Prior to Mahindra University, Chef Leesu held academic positions including Tutor at the prestigious Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) from April 2023 to November 2024, where she managed operations for the WGSHA Cafe and Food Pod, curated high-end desserts, conducted summer baking classes, and lectured on foundational bakery. Other academic roles include Lecturer at Moti Mahal College of Hotel Management (June 2022 – Jan 2023) and Assistant Professor at St. Teresa’s College (Jan 2021 – May 2022), delivering both theory and practical sessions in hot kitchen and bakery, and guiding wellness research in collaboration with CGH Earth Hotels.

Chef Leesu possesses significant industry consultancy experience. As a Chef Consultant, she has designed kitchen layouts, curated extensive and standardized menus (including a 150-preparation Contemporary Indian menu for Entree, Kerala, and an 80-variation waffle/pancake/crepe menu for Topples Cafe, Kerala), and trained staff effectively. This expertise extends to wellness product development, having created seaweed chocochip cookie recipes for Z. Corp Pvt. Ltd. Chef Leesu has also acted as a Resource Person for workshops and internships at institutions like PVT Merit BioLabs and St. Teresa’s College.

Chef Leesu’s expertise has been recognized publicly through conducting baking classes for Malayala Manorama and features in Vanitha and Vanitha Pachakam showcasing Christmas cake and wellness bread recipes.

Demonstrating a commitment to continuous professional development, Chef Leesu holds certifications from the International Sommelier Guild (Level 1 & 2), various MOOCs covering topics like Gastronomy and Agro-Food Value Chains, and recent specialized certifications in Indian Mithai Craft from esteemed establishments like Bombay Sweet Shop (Jan 2024) and Geetham Sweets, Chennai (June 2024).

Overall, Chef Leesu presents a profile combining strong academic foundations, hands-on operational and consulting skills, a specialization in bakery and patisserie (including traditional Indian sweets), and a focus on both culinary excellence and wellness.