Sundae sojourns

It all started when Vinay Nagaraju, Vinay Setty, Renukesh Bingeri and Navneeth Thimmappa went out to have desserts. They started debating about the best desserts in the city. Well, one thing led to another, and eventually they formed a Facebook group called ‘Bengaluru Dessert Club’.

Vinay Nagaraju, one of the co-founders, says, “Our discussion got so heated up that we started comparing pictures of desserts on our phones. About an hour later, when we realised that we just can’t come to a unanimous decision, we decided to open a forum for other dessert lovers to get their opinion as well.”

Little did they know that in just three months, they will have more than 1,000 followers in the city. The members decided to celebrate and of course, they went out for desserts — the earthquake sundae eating challenge. Navneeth says, “After we formed this group, we realised that we haven’t tried other places in the city. A lot of people, who just wanted to be a part of the group, also joined us that day and it was quite a memorable experience.”

One of the members, Muthu Kumar, broke the record by finishing the sundae in one minute 58 seconds. “I have always been a fan, but I didn’t know I could do something like this! I probably wouldn’t have realised my potential if it wasn’t for the club,” adds Muthu, a professional.

What started off as a regular club is aiming for something remarkable in the future. Renukesh explains, “Our events will include activities like chocolate making, visiting institutions who make desserts and learn something from them and other fun eatery competitions. Our aim is not just to eat but also to experience and gain knowledge about various desserts available.”

Vinay Setty, another co-founder, says, “The Facebook group we have created brings about like minded people sharing various desserts they have tried. It’s become a platform where we are constantly interacting with each other virtually.” That’s probably what brought Bhoomika HR, a software engineer, to join the club. “I’m more of an ice cream fan but I’m thrilled to try other exotic things available. It’s a great group and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Pawan Krishna, a student, is also hoping for more events and meetups. He says, “I was introduced to the club by a friend of mine and I’m always up for trying new things. So this is just perfect!”

However, being a dessert club has its own challenges. Vinay Nagaraju explains, “It’s hard to have just desserts, you can’t have too much of it. That’s why we are looking at new things to introduce and balance the flavours. One of the fun events we are planning is a potluck where everyone can bring in a dessert from their region along with a few savoury dishes. A cultural exchange over desserts seems to be a rather sweet idea.”

(The club can be contacted at 9686500765)