Pooja Bavishi

Pooja Bavishi is the Founder and CEO of Malai, a Brooklyn-based artisanal ice cream company inspired by the flavors of South Asian spices and ingredients. Her interest in all things culinary began at an early age and has led to a lifelong passion for experimenting with aromatic spices, global cuisines, and unconventional flavor pairings. After earning advanced degrees in urban planning and beginning a nonprofit career in Washington, DC, she realized she was spending all her free time making desserts at home. When she reached a crossroads at her job, it was her parents who encouraged her to go after what she always dreamed of. In 2015 Pooja founded Malai, realizing that the spices of her childhood—ginger, rose petals, saffron and cardamom—could be used to flavor ice creams in ways that had never been tasted before. In 2020, Pooja won a battle on Food Network's Chopped Sweets; her winning ice cream—Agate Candy & Safrron—is still featured on Malai's menu.