Updated: 8 minutes ago
By Barbara A. Preston | Posted Dec. 4, 2025
Move over Pooja Dhingra. Montgomery now has its own Indian French pastry chef.
Montgomery Township resident Smita Arora was born in India, but trained at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. She owns and operates Ooh La La Patisserie and Bake Shop — a home-based business offering French/Indian pastries, cookies, cakes, and desserts.
Arora recently treated the Montgomery Business Association to her creations at a recent networking event. Attendees got to sample her Saffron Cardamom Rasmalai, Rose cookies, and her Mango Peda. Simply delicious.
Mango Peda cookies made by Arora. This popular Indian sweet is made from mango pulp, milk, and sugar. It has a soft, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Photo by Barbara A. Preston.
Arora earned her bachelor's degree in commerce from the Lady Shri Ram College for Women in New Delhi, India in 1994.
After working in the corporate world for 12 years, she quit her job in 2007 to take care of her newborn twins. She then became interested baking, and studied at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan in 2011. She opened Ooh La La Patisserie in 2023, offering a variety of delicious nutritious and exquisite pastries, North Indian desserts, and custom catering for both sweet and savory food for all occasions.
Smita Arora at a recent MBA event at Hidden Spring Lavender and Alpaca Farm in Skillman.
Photo by Barbara A. Preston
Arora says, "We only use high-quality oils for savory orders, and high-quality ingredients for baking. This includes local organic fruits, nuts, and vegetables when possible for authentic flavors. The food we provide is both delicious in taste and healthy.
"In addition we share our passion for global cuisines including Ayurvedic, Naturopathy food ... via in-person classes, workshops, and supper club nights at my home table."
Ayurvedic cooking is a traditional Indian anti-inflammatory cooking system. It also focuses on balancing the body, mind, and spirit through natural methods like diet, exercise, and lifestyle, sometimes including herbal remedies.
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Arora also offer edible corporate gifting options including custom edible logos.
Ooh La La mini menu with Rose cookies.
Learn more about Arora's French and Indian delicacies. ■
Phone: 610.529.4727
Email: SmitaBakes@gmail.com
Facebookl: www.facebook.com/oohlalabysmita
Instagram: oohlala.bakeshop
