Sanjiv Giri is a young Nepali who decided to abandon his engineering studies to pursue his true passion: baking. Since moving to Denmark, his life has transformed, and he is now considered the best baker in the country.
The story
Life, as we know, often takes unexpected turns and leads us down roads that weren't part of the original plan. It happens, for instance, that a young engineer decides not to follow the career path he chose through years of specialized studies. Instead, he chooses to change direction entirely, allowing his passion for something completely different to take the wheel—specifically, the fragrant and delightful world of baking. That young engineer who took a different path is Sanjiv Giri, a Nepalese by birth and now recognized as Denmark's best baker (as mentioned in an article on the Nepali Times website). A fairytale? Maybe, but one that's become reality—and a delicious one too.
It all began in Kathmandu, with the Nepal Chefs Association, where Giri was introduced to Indo-Chinese cuisine. Then came a stint in Doha, where he worked in a kitchen with a team of 12 people. But it was his family's move to Denmark in 2010, and his work at some of Copenhagen's most renowned bakeries, like Andersen Bakery, that made all the difference. A specialized course at Zealand Business College in Denmark helped him refine his skills and even earned him a silver medal from the Queen for his exceptional talent. It doesn't end there. On the recommendation of the Baker's Guild of Copenhagen and his college, Giri was awarded a 100,000 Danish kroner grant from the A.P. Moller Foundation for Young Artisans.
"I thought about going to the United States, but I wanted to hone my craft even more," he recalls. "That's why I continued my training by attending the Advanced Boulanger course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, one of the best culinary schools in the world. This experience helped me understand the delicate balance of preparation time, ingredient temperatures, and baking techniques." It took a long apprenticeship with plenty of trials, careful observation, and meticulous effort. This consistency became the driving force that led him to realize his dream and open his own bakery: Maison D' Brød in Charlottenlund, a suburb of Copenhagen.
Giri's work involves both hard labor and passion, with a routine marked by undoubtedly grueling hours: the day starts at 2 AM with dough preparation for bread, croissants, baguettes, and pastries, lasting a total of 18 hours. It only took word-of-mouth from a few early customers for the place to become a bustling hub, attracting loyal patrons and new visitors alike. For Giri, the key is discipline: "You need to be able to apply the skills you've learned. Passion is crucial, because succeeding in this field means putting in long hours, often at the expense of social life and family." Yet, even as his business thrives and his products receive widespread praise, Giri isn't content to rest on his laurels. He's thinking about what's next. "I'd like to open a baking school in Nepal and share my experience with the new generation. Who knows, maybe soon there could be a Maison d'Brød in Kathmandu."
