When the invite to brunch arrived, I was elated. Good food is always a treat. Especially so when a seven course curated brunch is on the cards at one of my favourite hotels – the St Regis Hotel, Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Returning with its most impressive line-up of star chefs from across India and global chef icons, `World on a Plate’ aimed to raise the bar on culinary adventures in the country, fronted by the General of this Chef army himself – none other than Chef Marco Pierre White. Teased as the `Godfather’ of modern cooking, Chef Marco emotionally shared with the invitees his experiences of visiting Mumbai for the first time, saying he was blown away by the paradoxes of the city.
“It is good to be successful,” he shared on a philosophical note, “but a legacy is built when you give back to society. I have been very lucky in my life to travel around the world. India is one of the very few countries I dreamt of going to, as through food you can inspire people, enrich people’s lives and make them dream. I believe if you have been given a talent in this life, you have a duty and a responsibility to share it forward for generations to come!” Chef Marco shared.
Featuring over 16 Celebrity Masterclasses, 25 food pop-ups that span regional Indian and global cuisines, unique desserts showcases and Mumbai’s best food delivery brands, the two day gourmet food festival was easily the biggest of its kind this season.
The exclusive `By Invitation Only’ sit down brunch curated by Chef White, showcased wine pairing by Jacob’s Creek to a 7 course hand-crafted meal featuring signature dishes that saw many congratulations across tables. Yes, his famous signature dish `Wild Mushroom Risotto’ and `Mr White’s Bread and Butter Pudding’ echoed many sighs of gratification. Mine included.
Setting the brunch date with the `Cream of Pumpkin‘ soup, it was absolutely delicious, velvety, and long remembered like a warm lover on a rainy day. It also happened to be on the list of Chef Marco’s best recipes.
Three star wines by Jacob’s Creek made it appearance -The Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc White Wine paired with `Smoked Salmon,’ the Campo Vieja Tempranillo paired with `Roast Free Range Chicken with Woodland Mushrooms,’ and the Reserve Sparkling paired with `Mr White’s Bread and Butter Pudding.’
Taking candidly with guests, Chef Marco confessed that he was “mesmerized by India’s food and its mélange of new and old school cooking, the country’s historic culture and exchanging notes on Indian cuisine with my fellow chefs.”“I have been very lucky in my life to travel around the world. India is one of the very few countries I dreamt of going to and through food you can inspire people, enrich people’s lives and make them dream. I believe if you have been given a talent in this life, you have a duty and a responsibility to share it forward for generations to come!” he shared speaking easy with his guests at the event.
Presented by Gold Rush ‘World on a Plate’ was powered by Cox & Kings, in association with Britannia and Jacob’s Creek.
