What’s happening in Mumbai’s hotels? A peek into the party circuit and events in the city… By Marcellus Baptista
Indonesian feast
It started off with a feast for the eyes as traditional Indonesian dancers performed gracefully in the lobby of Softel Mumbai BKC. Then it was time to enter Pondicherry Cafe for the Flavours of Indonesia festival that offered you a glimpse of the culture of the land and a taste of Indonesia. Present at the festival was chef Isep Hidayatulloh, born in Jakarta and an alumnus of the SMA Negeri 2 Cianjur, West Java, who is adept in Asian cuisine with over a decade of experience in the culinary field and who likes to work with traditional and local ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, seaweed and galangal that add to the flavour and intensity of the dish.
Unlimited high!
Iconic vodka brand Absolut introduced the first-ever Absolut India Limited Edition at Todi Mill Social. Guests admired the bottle that features artwork by young creative mind Shaheen Baig from Mumbai. The design, you could see, captures the spirit of ecstatic chaos and brings alive the vibrant, multifaceted nation that is India. The limited-edition bottle features design influenced by the art from the rich cultural heritage of India of the 18th century. At the launch party the many guests were happy to taste the golas liberally laced with vodka and also try out the various vodka cocktails that packed a punch. Some tried it neat, relishing the flavour of the Absolut India Limited Edition that is inspired from tropical summer fruit – mango and master of spice – pepper.
Dessert dream
Former student of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, London, chef Toshin Shetty fulfilled his patisserie dream with the launch of artisanal patisserie and his namesake Toshin. At Toshin, the 25-year-old chef promises to serve you macaroons, cookies, hand-crafted pralines and desserts that will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world. Whether digging into a chocolate cookie that is sinfully gooey or biting into a macaroon that is lighter than air, every bite you eat at Toshin is said to be guaranteed to leave you blissfully satisfied. And the talk was on the ingredients used in making the confectionery: pure and original, crafted with passion, love and care.
British beauty
The beauty of Britain, particularly its countryside, got to you as Visit Britain launched their latest Bollywood Britain – Shaandaar campaign in association with Fox Star Studios, Phantom Films and Dharma Productions at Taj Lands End. Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, who star in the film ‘Shaandaar,’ shared their experiences while shooting the film in Britain’s Lake District, Leeds and Yorkshire. You heard that memories, passion and adventure are the latest offerings of the Bollywood-themed campaign that Visit Britain has undertaken in India this year. Bollywood Britain – Shaandaar, a contest-based campaign, launched the TVC with a strong digital focus in association with sponsor partner Turkish Airlines that offered two couple business class flights to Britain for the lucky winners. Sumathi Ramanathan, Visit Britain’s regional manager for Asia Pacific & Middle East and Mehmet Akay, general manager, Turkish Airlines were present at the launch.