Resume

Food Science + Business

Investigatingthe whybehind food.

I'm Keya Maniar, a student from Mumbai. I have been passionate about culinary arts since childhood, which gradually led me to become interested in the science behind food. I want to major in Food Science with a minor in Business.

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A crayon drawing of Keya plating her dessert at Masterplate
KMParle R&D InternIFT Student Member

01 / Parle R&D internship

Learning how food is really tested.

R&D at Parle

in the lab

R&D Intern, Parle Biscuits Pvt. Ltd. / June 2026

During my summer break, I had the opportunity to intern in the R&D department of Parle Biscuits Pvt. Ltd., India's largest biscuit manufacturer with over a billion customers.

  1. 01

    Meeting the team

    Under the guidance of the R&D department head, I learned about different types of biscuits, sugars and confectionery products.

  2. 02

    Choosing confectionery

    I was given a choice of working with biscuits, cakes or confectionery. I chose confectionery because I felt it would give me exposure to a wider variety of products and processes.

  3. 03

    Testing shelf life

    I learned how biscuits and confectionery products are produced, tested and evaluated for their shelf life, under different environmental conditions.

  4. 04

    Making fortified jelly

    I learned the theory behind fortified jelly and then prepared a batch myself that met production criteria. I also wrote a report explaining the process and the purpose of the different ingredients used.

Keya cutting a cake with the Parle R&D team on her last day

my last day at Parle R&D

IFTSince Oct 2026

Student Member

Institute of Food Technologists

I have joined IFT as a paid student member, where I hope to learn about the latest innovations in food science and technology.

I also took part in a project on bio-enzymes for the Sustainable Development Goals. These experiences made me interested in using scientific knowledge to develop practical solutions to real-world problems.

02 / The story

It started in the kitchen.

Since childhood I have been interested in cooking. I have been known to take over the kitchen and operate equipment significantly complicated for a 10 year old.

As a child I used to research topics such as umami flavours, their significance to aircraft food and how our senses react differently to food.

I thoroughly enjoy investigating the why behind a result rather than simply accepting it. I have looked at the effects of the chemicals present in food on the human body, and how factors such as temperature and pressure can change these effects.

Keya holding a plate of sandwiches she made at home

using my skills at home

Keya with her family

my family

I like learning new things, trying them out for myself, taking responsibility and helping others when I can.

03 / Ideas into business

From an idea to a real plan.

I have been interested in Business from a young age because I watched my father build his own business, which inspired me to eventually build something of my own.

eKoPLast bioplastic
Photo to add: eKoPLast pitch or prize

eKoPLast, 1st place!

011st Place

eKoPLast

IHC Entrepreneurship Competition, 2026

A biodegradable plastic made from starchy food waste. I created a pitch deck covering why the product was needed, its production process and competitor analysis, and presented it to a panel of three judges followed by a Q&A.

Tacos from the stall
Photo to add: The Enterprising Chef stall

our live taco stall

021st Place, about ₹2,000 revenue

Enterprising Chef

Enterprising Chef Competition

My team created a menu of three drinks and tacos, set up a live stall, designed our own logo and stickers, and sold our products.

A handbag
Photo to add: Kreya Handbags pitch

Kreya Handbags

032nd Place

Kreya Handbags

Entrepreneurship Club, Sept 2024

Handbags made from sustainable material such as vegan leather. I built the whole business plan, including the market size, unit economics, implementation plan and product pricing, and pitched it to the judges.

Business could help me take my interest in Food Science beyond the science itself and think about products, customers, markets and how an idea could actually work as a business.

Keya plating Lotus Bloom at the Masterplate competition

What went in

  • Bread
  • Condensed milk
  • Butterscotch
  • Dark chocolate

04 / In the kitchen

Lotus Bloom.

In November 2025, I took part in the Masterplate Fireless Cooking Competition at NMIMS School of Hospitality Management. I created my own dessert, Lotus Bloom, spending hours experimenting with combinations of flavours and presentation.

On the day of the competition, I travelled 2.5 hours to Navi Mumbai and competed against experienced chefs and caterers. I did not expect to win because many of the others had much more culinary experience than I did. However, to my surprise, I received 2nd place.

2.5 hrs
Travelled to Navi Mumbai to compete
2nd
Masterplate, NMIMS School of Hospitality
9 days
Later, 2nd again at IHC Masterchef with tacos and Lotus Bloom
Cooking with the team
Photo to add: Masterchef with the team

Masterchef day

School Masterchef

2nd place in my school's Masterchef competition, and recognised for Best Dessert Presentation.

Keya tasting a drink as a Masterchef judge

now on the judges' side

Back as a judge

This year I returned to my school's Masterchef competition as a judge for the 9th and 10th graders. I researched Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Northern Indian and Western Indian cuisines, then evaluated the teams on their food, presentation, overall experience and hygiene.

05 / Leading and giving back

Being there for the team.

₹13,501
Raised for Child Rights and You (CRY), more than four times my ₹3,000 target
7 kg
Melody and Eclairs sourced for GCMUN
7 floors
Run up and down on GCMUN day
₹4,000+
Raised at a Rotaract bake sale for Katkariwadi village
Keya designing packaging

designing packaging

The Corporate Street, Business Club / Apr 2026 to now

Creatives Head

I joined as a Creatives Associate in 11th grade, creating Instagram posts and posters for events, and was promoted to Head of the Creatives Department in 12th grade. I now delegate and manage work for my team, and when they are overwhelmed I step in and create poster options myself.

“Being responsible for a team is not only about delegating work but also about being available when they need help.”
GCMUN event
Photo to add: Keya at GCMUN

GCMUN 2026

Global Confluence Model United Nations / Apr 2026 to Jul 2026

Hospitality Co-Head

I arranged catering with my team, identified affordable hotels for guests and supervised 4 team members. We comparison shopped online for the best price, saving the organisation money. On the big day we sometimes ran up and down 7 floors and learned the art of humbly but sternly managing crowd flow.

“I seriously considered not giving the interview. When my name was called, I pushed myself to go through with it.”
Child Rights and You (CRY)
Photo to add: Child Rights and You (CRY) internship or letter

4x the target!

Child Rights and You (CRY)

During my online internship I was given a target of raising ₹3,000. I contacted, called, texted and followed up with people in my network and raised ₹13,501. Child Rights and You (CRY) gave me a letter of recommendation for the extra effort. I also wrote an essay on how child rights connect with internet use, social media, gaming and online learning.

Brownies for the bake sale
Photo to add: The bake sale brownies

brownies, baked till late

Rotaract bake sale

In October 2025, I baked brownies with a friend, worked late into the night to prepare them, stood under the scorching heat to sell them, and helped raise about ₹4,000 to 5,000, which was donated to Katkariwadi village.

06 / Words and art

Beyond the lab coat.

Writing the essay
Photo to add: Essay certificate or a page of Rooted

Rooted, 1,427 words

Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, Gold Award, 2025

“Rooted”

I spent around two months working on my 1,427 word essay, going through multiple drafts and making changes based on my teacher's feedback. The essay is about the connection between a girl and her plant, and how both grew as they faced their own challenges.

I enjoy using writing to explore an idea and express it creatively.
Keya in a chaniya choli for a cultural festival

festival ready!

Keya making a rangoli at her doorstep

rangoli at my doorstep

Dance, music and art

  • Indian Folk DanceVisharad level, A++ grade, after 7 years of learning and exams
  • Rangoli1st place, interhouse competition
  • Indian Music1st place, and 3rd place in 2024, interhouse competitions
  • Dance2nd place, interhouse competition
  • DrawingA grade, Maharashtra State Board Intermediate Exam, 2024
  • ArtCertificate of Excellence, All India Art & Performance Competition

Olympiads

  • Gold Medal SOF International Mathematics Olympiad, 11th grade
  • 1st in Class SOF National Science Olympiad
  • 3rd in Class SOF International English Olympiad

07 / Awards

A few things I'm proud of.

  • 2026BusinessIHC Entrepreneurship Competition, eKoPLast1st
  • 2026DanceNritya Kala Sagar Institute of Fine Arts, VisharadA++
  • 2026ScienceSOF National Science Olympiad1st in class
  • 2026ScienceFood waste to bioplastics, Utpal Shanghvi Global SchoolAppreciation
  • 2026EnglishSOF International English Olympiad3rd in class
  • Gr 11MathsSOF International Mathematics OlympiadGold
  • 2025EnglishQueen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, RootedGold
  • 2025CookingMasterplate Fireless Cooking, NMIMS2nd
  • 2025CookingIHC Masterchef Competition2nd
  • 2025CookingInterhouse Masterchef, Utpal Shanghvi Global School2nd
  • 2024DrawingMaharashtra State Board Intermediate ExamA
  • 2024MusicInterhouse Indian Music Competition3rd
  • 2024BusinessEntrepreneurship Club Competition, Kreya Handbags2nd

09 / Resume

Everything on one page.

A quick look at my education, experience and awards. Download it or open it in a new tab.

Download resume Open in new tab

PDF, updated October 2026

Education

2025 to 2027

Prabhavati Padamshi Soni International Junior College

11th and 12th grade, A Level, Mumbai

2015 to 2025

Utpal Shanghvi Global School

1st to 10th grade, IGCSE, Mumbai

10 / What's next

Food Science, with Business.

I want to learn not only how food products are developed, but also how they are built into a scalable business.

In the future, I would like to explore innovative food products and potentially build a business around them. I have even thought about ideas as unusual as space food. I don't know exactly what I will eventually build, but I know that I want to combine my interest in Food Science with my interest in creating and building businesses.

Food science lab
Photo to add: A photo that shows where Keya is headed