Chef uses his loaf to create stunning works of bread art; Dad's amazing food sculptures scoop prizes at internationally respected cheffing competition.

Byline: Lisa Jones

BY day he is a top chef at a flash hotel, but by night he cooks up a storm with his amazing sculptures - made entirely of bread.

Mahesh Jayabalasubramanian, 31, is the new executive chef at Cardiff's Park Inn Hotel, but has another secret talent.

During the day he might be busy dealing with 12 staff in a busy kitchen and running the new Red Bar and Grill, but he is in fact a prize-winning salt-dough decoration maker too.

The married dad-of-one, from Canton, Cardiff, spent 75 hours fashioning an intricate, garden scene in his own time, which is more than a foot in length and coloured with coffee.

It scooped three industry prizes, at the Hotelympia Salon Culinaire International, the UK's largest internationally respected cheffing competition.

"Whenever I have time I do it little by little," he said.

"When I look back on what I did when I first started it looks childlike to me. I've developed so much.

I love doing things like this."

And there's no end to Mahesh's mastery of the culinary arts. He is also a wizard at turning melons into flower decorations, makes marble-like statues from butter, creates pictures from sugar and cocoa, and giant ice sculptures.

He said: "When people see the photos of the things I've created they think I'm a full-time kitchen artist. They are surprised I'm an executive chef as well."

Mahesh, who aims to be Cardiff's top chef, has now incorporated his hobby into his work as he comes up with lavish table displays to show off his stylish food at banquets and conferences.

Originally from Chennai, India, Mahesh says he got into the catering industry by accident and credits his flow of ideas to his wife, Vaideki, 29, who he describes as "my better part".

"She understands and wants me to get on in life. She gives me the motivation. I wouldn't have been able to achieve my awards without her. If I'm an executive chef today it's because of her," he said.

Mahesh's first award came when he was working for a hotel chain in New Delhi and created a five-foot high butter statue of Hephaestos, the Greek god of fire.

He said: "I got my eyes opened about what I could do. I got interested and wanted to learn the art."

Mahesh fears he may be too busy following his ambition to be number one chef to enter next year's Salon Culinaire International.

But his mind is already buzzing with ideas, which he's keeping close to his chest.

"I want people to speak about the food I cook. This kitchen art is an additional talent that gives the wow factor to my food."

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TALENTED: Mahesh Jayabalasubramanian, chef at the Park Inn Hotel, Cardiff, with some of the sculptures he has made MAIN PICTURE: Mark Fraser