– By Neha M. R. Aggarwal
There are friendships that express themselves through conversations, and then there are those that arrive wrapped in ribbon and parchment paper.
For years, every festival, birthday and milestone in my life came accompanied by thoughtfully packed cakes, cookies or desserts from my friend, Nandita. It became such a constant that I would jokingly ask if the bakery had introduced a special loyalty programme exclusively for her. Surely, I thought, no customer could be this devoted without earning extraordinary rewards.
The answer surfaced unexpectedly one afternoon.
A visit to her home revealed neatly stacked bakery stickers, tags and packaging labels awaiting their next use. My curiosity finally got
the better of me. “You really do keep this bakery running,” I laughed.
She smiled and replied, “It belongs to my nephew.”
That was my introduction to Parth Gattani, and to the story behind ‘Pies & Thighs’.
Some professions are chosen; others quietly reveal themselves over time. For Parth Gattani, baking belonged to the latter. Educated at Sarla Birla Public School, Ranchi, he went on to study Culinary Arts with a specialisation in Baking at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), Manipal. While academic training refined his technique, the pandemic became the unexpected catalyst that transformed a personal passion into a profession. Baking for friends and family gradually evolved into three years of home baking before culminating in the establishment of Pies & Thighs in 2021.
What Parth envisioned was a place where
handcrafted baking, honest ingredients and consistent quality could become everyday expectations rather than occasional indulgences. His aspiration was to introduce Ranchi to desserts that were decadent yet thoughtfully prepared, while building a business rooted in discipline rather than shortcuts.
Yet, the bakery visible to customers is only one part of a larger ecosystem.
Behind Pies & Thighs stands Prajna Provisions, the production arm that supplies breads, artisanal loaves, buns, paos, pastries, cheesecakes, muffins and desserts to restaurants, cafés and hospitality establishments. Unlike many commercial operations that outsource components of production, everything here is prepared in-house, allowing the team complete oversight of quality, consistency and flavour.
Perhaps what impressed me most was not the display counter at Pies & Thighs but what
precedes it.
Every product begins with carefully selected raw ingredients. Recipes are standardised, production is monitored, hygiene protocols are uncompromising, and each batch is examined before it ever reaches a shelf. In an era where speed often supersedes substance, this insistence on process is both reassuring and increasingly rare. Freshness is prioritised as a daily practice.
It is, in many ways, a story of precision with purpose and craft with conscience.
The customer savours fresh cakes, cookies, desserts and savouries, while celebrations are marked with bespoke creations designed specifically for birthdays, weddings and larger gatherings. A thoughtfully developed vegetarian range further reflects an understanding of the diverse preferences of Ranchi’s clientele. Every custom cake produced by Pies & Thighs carries the belief that memorable occasions deserve something made specifically for them rather than something chosen off a shelf.
Beyond the visible storefront lies another achievement that deserves equal recognition. Building a dependable supply chain for hospitality requires far more than culinary skill. It demands consistency at scale, quality assurance, menu innovation and operational discipline – areas in which Parth has steadily built considerable expertise.
Ask him what success means, and the answer is unlikely to be confined to the number of cakes sold. His larger vision is to create an institution that chefs, restaurants and customers alike can trust – a home-grown enterprise that demonstrates how uncompromising standards, skilled craftsmanship and genuine hospitality can coexist under one roof. Pies & Thighs, in that sense, is the public face of a philosophy that values freshness, integrity and excellence in every bake.
Cities often become known for their monuments or markets. Increasingly, however, they are remembered for artisans who quietly elevate everyday experiences. Bakers belong to that fraternity. They work before dawn, measure with patience, repeat with discipline and understand that trust is earned one loaf, one pastry and one cake for each plot of space and time .
Perhaps that is why the little joke about loyalty points now feels rather inadequate.
What Nandita carried to every celebration was never merely a box of desserts. It was confidence in a craft she had watched grow within her own family – nourishment that Parth concretes across Ranchi through Pies & Thighs.
Neha MR Aggarwal
Parth Gattani
Pies & Thighs, Shop No. G0C, Shree Gopal Complex, Kutchery Road, Ranchi, Jharkhand – 834001
Prajna Provisions, Nova Nagar, Itki Road, Bajra, Ranchi, Jharkhand – 834001
Orders & Enquiries: +91 92299 49506
