What’s happening in Mumbai’s hotels? A peek into the party circuit and events in the city… By Marcellus Baptista
Wine and shine
The first Myra Funk Shui Friday Night at Li Bai at Palladium Hotel was abuzz with fine wines and a fantastic fusion of deep house and percussion by DJ Mihir Gantara and Faizan Hussain. Holding forth on the night was Ajay Shetty, MD Myra Vineyards who was overwhelmed with the kind of response that they had received and that they at Myra always wanted to try something different and bring in a unique experience for the guests and they did so with superbly crafted wine cocktails supplemented by the very best deep house and percussion. Word has it that this event conceptualised and executed by Constellation Communication & Events would be a monthly affair at Li Bai.
Cheer leader
Mumbai merriment ran high at the launch of Singapore’s iconic bar Harry’s Bar + Cafe in Juhu. Celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani and well-known mixologist Shatbhi Basu were there on opening night to warmly welcome guests like Anupam Kher, Tiger Shroff, Rohit Roy, Vindu Singh, Dabboo Ratnani, Sanjay Gupta and Rinzing Denzongpa. The cheer was on as you enjoyed the moment and also went back in time to 1992 when Harry’s was founded by Jim Gelpi, an oil man from Louisiana, in Boat Quay, Singapore. A bar without pretension, its popularity soared on the back of its location, elegant yet laid back charm and superlative service, quickly becoming an after-office-hour haven for bankers and professionals working in the financial district. Harry’s is Singapore’s largest chain of bars, and a household name.
Hollywood hurrah
The plush Palladium Hotel was the happy venue for Sachiin Joshi and Gauri Khan to invite you to the signing ceremony of their very first luxury property in India: the famed Planet Hollywood coming up in Goa. Wyndham Hotel Group, part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, announced the signing of a franchise agreement with JMJ, a large conglomerate with a multi-faceted presence, for the first Planet Hollywood hotel in India. This Hollywood-inspired theme hotel, expected to be operational by this year-end, will be only the second in the world after Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas. Located on Uttorda beach in south Goa, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort is a 115-room and 15 luxury tent resort.
Chef’s special
The excitement was crackling at the First Generation Chef awards at Sheila Raheja Institute of Hotel Management. This inter-collegiate cooking competition saw over 150 youngsters vying for the title that was judged by renowned chefs like Ajay Chopra, Michael Swamy and Ranveer Brar among others. The grand finale saw chef Satish Arora, who you learnt was the country’s youngest executive chef at the age of 26, and chef Ranveer Brar addressing the packed gathering. Wines were in full flow and there was a delightful dinner with chef Yogesh Utekar in attendance. And the First Generation Chef winner was Khushnoor Panthaky with Priya Rao emerging the winner in the junior college category.