As a person
The beginnings
Maria Bennan was born in the year 1991 in Kerala into a family deeply rooted in Christian values. Greatly inspired by the way her mother used to cook, blending in a variety of traditional south Indian flavors to produce exotic blends, she decided to pursue cooking as a full-time career. Societal views of a woman's role in the household coupled with gender stereotyping in the culinary world restricting women to the confines of the home kitchen meant that there weren't many culinary school options for her during her teenage years. This was compounded by the greater emphasis being placed on her acquiring an engineering degree true to existing norms.
Maria's initial exposure to the professional world of culinary arts began from her university years, around the same time as her pursuing a course in Biotechnology. With her extended family in Kerala owing businesses in the FMCG industry, her culinary interests took on a deeper meaning as she was able to witness industrial operations first hand. Working with her father in the food manufacturing units of Pavizham group in the state of Kerala, she gained valuable experience in menu design, food safety and quality control. Around the same time, she also set up her own cake business by the name of Maria's Chocos and Cakes.
Career
In the land of the long white cloud, it was Maria's colleague and good mate, Chef Naveen "Navin" Thomas, who inspired her to aim higher and pushed her to work harder, spending long hours in the commercial kitchen. She went on to successfully complete her Diploma in Professional Cookery from WITT and also the City and Guilds of City & Guilds London qualifications in food safety with distinction. Chef Navin also taught her to think outside the realm of Indian cuisine and explore food preparation styles from around the world. Keeping her faith in God, juggling multiple jobs in the industrial kitchen coupled with her dedication and hard work, she was able to repay her student loans.
The first defining moment of her career was winning the New Zealand Chef Association Hospitality Competition held at Taranaki. Currently working with a reputed group in New Zealand, she balances her day between her family, work and fitness routines. She is also a professional fashion model and works with prominent photographers across New Zealand.
