Catching up
Catching up
Shabana Azmi and Juhi Chawla in an animated conversation on the sidelines of a promotional event in Malad on Sunday.
Words and action
Weighty matters
VIKAS Khanna’s plans of taking his flagship restaurant to Paris may have been thwarted by licensing issues (now that sounds too much like a certain city we all know), but he seems to be doing rather well as an author. The celebrity chef, who recently launched his restaurant in Dubai, is promoting his latest book on world cuisine while whetting our appetite with tidbits from his next. We hear Khanna is putting together an enormous tome weighing 15 kg, that celebrates little-known festivals in the remotest parts of the country and the food that is an important part of the festivities. Utsav, the ambitious book comes with an even more ambitious price tag – Rs 8 lakh - and has had him criss-cross the country in search of recipes and inspiration. There is also a rumour that Khanna may have included transgender festivities in his inclusive take on the diversity of Indian food culture. While Khanna is not really known for his command over the English language, we are quite impressed by his prolific turn as an author. But as they say, as long as the dish on the table looks good and tastes even better, who cares about his kitchen secrets, right?
Compliments from the chef
SPEAKING of food, Michelin star chef Laurent Peugeot from Burgundy, France, has had society darlings and stars eating out of hands over the past few days at a Juhu five-star. Peugeot, who is known for his French and Japanese inspired dishes, is here only for a few days, but that has not stopped him from experimenting with some Indian flavours as well – back home he has worked with masala lollypops we hear. So curry gels and Canadian lobsters have found pride of place on the eight-course menu that has been created with the city’s food preferences and restrictions in mind - no beef, no red meat, but plenty of sea food and organic chicken. Aubergine carpaccio in his dish is now well spiced and cooked, as are the scallops and the lobster. One spotted Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra enjoying the three-hour long food experience, and recommending the wild sea bass dish. The other star table was taken over by a quieter Mahesh Babu and the ever-so-graceful Namrata Shirodkar. Incidentally, Chef Peugeot has been raving about the quality of sea bass he has been sourcing from a local vendor. Ah no, the name is a secret he may not want to part with.
On the rocks
THE tussle over Tasneem Mehta’s tenure at the Bhau Daji Lad Museum may not end any time soon. And according to insiders, she may give her detractors some more reason to lobby against her before her term ends in six months. While this month the museum will see a mix of art and literary events, it is the inclusion of an alternative rock and jazz music act that has caused deep frowns. Mehta’s bold move to host a fashion show at the museum was perhaps just a beginning they say and she is certainly in no mood to blink first. Mehta may argue that the live music shows are to be held in the Museum plaza, and not in the sanctum sanctorum. We’d say watch this space for more.
Tailpiece
THE storks have come visiting Nikhil Chib and his wife Natasha who are going to be parents soon. Natasha’s friend Maneka Thadani threw her a surprise baby shower at Gauri Devidayal’s chic restaurant with champagne and flowers and yummy cakes. Here’s wishing the Chibs many happy parenting years.
Shabana Azmi and Juhi Chawla in an animated conversation on the sidelines of a promotional event in Malad on Sunday.
Words and action
IT was an intimate gathering on Friday evening at Lower Parel’s Palladium, where a host of the city’s well known faces from the world of literature, cinema and art gathered to celebrate the launch of senior journalist C P Surendran’s third work of fiction. Hadal — critique of the rot at the heart of India and the corruption, physical and spiritual, that permeates the structure of authority — was given its first voice by actors Suchitra Pillai and Denzil Smith who read a chapter from the book. However, the face that drew the maximum attention was that of director Anurag Kashyap’s who, interestingly, came dressed like a college boy (what with his backpack). Among other guests were Dolly Thakore, Ranvir Shorey (who was seen getting his copy signed) and Ananant Mahadevan, with whom Surendran worked on scripting Gour Hari Dastaan. The film, which marks the journalist’s entry into Bollywood, we hear has been winning praise at various international festivals. So, isHadal set to get a screenplay soon?
Weighty matters
VIKAS Khanna’s plans of taking his flagship restaurant to Paris may have been thwarted by licensing issues (now that sounds too much like a certain city we all know), but he seems to be doing rather well as an author. The celebrity chef, who recently launched his restaurant in Dubai, is promoting his latest book on world cuisine while whetting our appetite with tidbits from his next. We hear Khanna is putting together an enormous tome weighing 15 kg, that celebrates little-known festivals in the remotest parts of the country and the food that is an important part of the festivities. Utsav, the ambitious book comes with an even more ambitious price tag – Rs 8 lakh - and has had him criss-cross the country in search of recipes and inspiration. There is also a rumour that Khanna may have included transgender festivities in his inclusive take on the diversity of Indian food culture. While Khanna is not really known for his command over the English language, we are quite impressed by his prolific turn as an author. But as they say, as long as the dish on the table looks good and tastes even better, who cares about his kitchen secrets, right?
Compliments from the chef
SPEAKING of food, Michelin star chef Laurent Peugeot from Burgundy, France, has had society darlings and stars eating out of hands over the past few days at a Juhu five-star. Peugeot, who is known for his French and Japanese inspired dishes, is here only for a few days, but that has not stopped him from experimenting with some Indian flavours as well – back home he has worked with masala lollypops we hear. So curry gels and Canadian lobsters have found pride of place on the eight-course menu that has been created with the city’s food preferences and restrictions in mind - no beef, no red meat, but plenty of sea food and organic chicken. Aubergine carpaccio in his dish is now well spiced and cooked, as are the scallops and the lobster. One spotted Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra enjoying the three-hour long food experience, and recommending the wild sea bass dish. The other star table was taken over by a quieter Mahesh Babu and the ever-so-graceful Namrata Shirodkar. Incidentally, Chef Peugeot has been raving about the quality of sea bass he has been sourcing from a local vendor. Ah no, the name is a secret he may not want to part with.
On the rocks
THE tussle over Tasneem Mehta’s tenure at the Bhau Daji Lad Museum may not end any time soon. And according to insiders, she may give her detractors some more reason to lobby against her before her term ends in six months. While this month the museum will see a mix of art and literary events, it is the inclusion of an alternative rock and jazz music act that has caused deep frowns. Mehta’s bold move to host a fashion show at the museum was perhaps just a beginning they say and she is certainly in no mood to blink first. Mehta may argue that the live music shows are to be held in the Museum plaza, and not in the sanctum sanctorum. We’d say watch this space for more.
Tailpiece
THE storks have come visiting Nikhil Chib and his wife Natasha who are going to be parents soon. Natasha’s friend Maneka Thadani threw her a surprise baby shower at Gauri Devidayal’s chic restaurant with champagne and flowers and yummy cakes. Here’s wishing the Chibs many happy parenting years.
