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January is the period of vows. Sugar is sworn disconnected with solemn resolve, desserts are demonised, and inboxes capable with promises of cleanable eating and a steadfast lifestyle. For a fewer weeks, restraint feels virtuous. But willpower, similar frosting near retired excessively long, has a abbreviated support life.
The Great Madras Bake Sale makes a compelling lawsuit for selective surrender. For 1 Sunday afternoon, the metropolis is invited to intermission its resolutions, and retrieve that pleasure, erstwhile chosen deliberately, is not failure. It is participation. Quitting sweetener whitethorn beryllium a goal, but un-quitting it, briefly, tin beryllium an enactment of community.
Now successful its 4th edition, the Great Madras Bake Sale has established itself arsenic a fixture connected Chennai’s assemblage nutrient calendar. Hosted by entrepreneurs Maaria Tanveer, Cindana Manickavel and Priya Anup, the one-day lawsuit returns connected February 1, bringing unneurotic location bakers, tiny businesses, musicians and favored lovers nether 1 roof.
“This twelvemonth is akin successful tone to past year, but bigger. Last year, astir of the location bakers sold retired precise quickly. People who came aboriginal didn’t person galore options left. So we decided to expand,” says Maaria.
The 2026 variation features 34 location bakers, up from astir 30 past year, alongside a fistful of commercialized vendors. The expansion, however, comes with the aforesaid cautious curation. “We spell done menus and marque definite each stall has thing unsocial to offer, not conscionable the accustomed brownies and cocoa cupcakes,” says Maaria speaking astir the process of putting the cook merchantability together.
That intent shows successful the menus. Visitors tin expect milagai podi donuts from Kookies, Kakes and Bakes, Bournvita jars by Food Indulge, and samosa pinwheel puffs from Cranked Palette. Look retired for elaneer payasam choux by The Kraaft Girl and pandan Japanese cheesecake from Fave Dainty.
The cook merchantability besides stretches beyond dessert. There is simply a food chickenhearted pizza from Homemade Treats by Marzia, drinks similar food brew and matcha from For Now, and a chilli cocoa brownie by Dolci & Co that leans into opposition alternatively than comfort.
A notable summation this twelvemonth is simply a dedicated baking ingredients and supplies conception by 3 brands Viveka Essence mart, Ossoro Flavours, and Bakersville, aimed astatine location bakers looking to experiment. These stalls volition connection everything from essences and sprinkles to whipping pick and baking accessories. “If you privation to effort baking astatine home, we wanted you to find everything nether 1 roof,” Maaria says.
The lawsuit continues to foreground its pet-friendly identity. A favored adoption drive, successful concern with iAdopt, returns with adoptions offered escaped of cost, alongside a stall selling pet-friendly cakes and cookies by Soul Blends.
Live euphony remains cardinal to the experience, with section musicians — a set acceptable by Tarita and Bruce Lee and solo performances by Ann Shirley Natasha and Lucky. There volition besides beryllium a tarot reader, brought backmost aft a palmy debut past year.
The Great Madras Bake Sale is simply a crushed to gather, to sensation widely, and to retrieve that immoderate resolutions are meant to bend, particularly erstwhile shared.
The cook merchantability is astatine Chettinad Sath Sadhana connected Februrary 1 from 2pm. Tickets connected district.in astatine ₹55.
