The Best of The Best

FOOD. FOUR little letters that have the power to bring people together and the world so much closer.

September has been a month of gastronomical magic with culinary superheroes from around the globe travelling to Mumbai to whip up their award winning fare.

It all started with the visit of Chef Gaggan Anand where he returned to the Taj Kitchens for an exclusive tasting menu of Progressive Indian cuisine set over twelve courses using molecular gastronomy and unique techniques. Hosted at the exclusive The Chambers of Taj Lands End, this one day only pop up proved why Chef Gaggan holds the coveted title of Asia's No. 1. Priced at INR 19500 a head, the seats were sold out in a few hours leaving loyal patrons longing for the maestro's speedy return. Continuing his culinary tour de force to New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai, Chef Gaggan said, “India is a country of roots, flavours, culture and fantasy. I became famous because of being away from India. But, I treasure and appreciate my food, my culture and my roots which have helped me develop my creativity and progressive thinking." 

This week, marked the arrival of the twin Chefs Mathias and Thomas Sühring of the prestigious San Pellegrino's Asia's 13 Best list for their debutant culinary offering  SÜHRING. Brought down to the country by the dapper Raaj Sanghvi of Sanguine for a 12 course decadent dining experience paired with the best of German and Austrian wines. For a city like Mumbai that knows of German cuisine only for wurst, sauerkraut and schnitzel, the arrival of Sühring's contemporary take of the classic fare using only seasonal ingredients and refined technical skills, comes as an elevated level of haute cuisine. In the words of one of the twins, (as it is quite impossible to tell them apart), "our cuisine, is influenced by our past and present, focuses on quality, seasonality and simplicity. Priced at  INR 12000 a head and continuing till 17th September at The Chambers of The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, this unconventional German gourmet experience like Raaj Sanghvi says is a "'do not miss' culinary event."

Ending the journey of legends, the final culinary course this month will be served at Masque. The event showcases the coming together of masterchef Garima Arora of GAA and the superbly talented Chef Prateek Sadhu of Masque for a 10+ course exquisite culinary experience. Mumbai-born Garima, following stints at Noma and Gaggan, is the brain and heart behind Bangkok’s latest culinary marvel _ GAA. She shares Masque's food philosophy of applying global influences and techniques to locally sourced ingredients. Drawing inspiration from the diverse and delicious ingredients available across India, these two culinary magicians while work their magic on a special crafted menu paired with curated cocktails courtesy Grey Goose for a meal that will remain etched in our memories. Priced at INR 6500 per person, this gastronomic theatre is already the talk of the town. With the dishes still to be revealed Chef Prateek can only promise what we can "expect the unexpected".

With so many maestros visiting the city, Mumbaikars no longer have to travel to the world's best restaurants as they pop by to visit us!