Top food trend among the rich: Chefs curate meals at home for small gatherings

BENGALURU: Kanishka Sharma curates gourmet meals at the homes of the well-heeled. The hosts open their kitchen to her. Sharma’s crew cook, plate and serve investment bankers, venture capitalists, doctors, lawyers and celebrities.

“These meals are well-planned. Hosts review many drafts of the menu. I even visit their home prior to the big day to understand logistics as it is a challenge to work in a kitchen that is not yours,” said Sharma, who goes by the name The Tenth Muse and even narrates stories behind the curated meal to the guests at these private dinners.

Hiring a top-draw chef to come over and curate a meal for small sit-downs of just 10 guests is the new statement made by the rich. Chefs say that dining out has become routine. Commuting in traffic-heavy Bengaluru is another reason.

Celebrity chef Abhijit Saha of Caperberry and Fava was at the home of a top retail honcho in Bengaluru recently to curate a fancy dinner for his two high-flying Parsi entrepreneur-friends from Mumbai. “The host wanted a ‘Saha’ culinary experience at home,” says the restaurateur, who also curated a six-course anniversary dinner for just a couple on their terrace at Rs 15,000 per head.

“Home dinners help me build a stronger relationship with my customers. It’s a good networking platform as I get to meet their high-profile guests who become our new customers. It could even lead to other business ventures,” notes Saha, whose team of chefs is gearing up for two such dinners this week too.

Hosts are usually over 35 years of age who are happy to spend their high disposable income on offbeat dining experiences. Average spend starts at Rs 2,500 per head.

To which chef Mako Ravindran of 1Q1 adds, “Budget should not be a conversation in this case. It should be a meal that must be talked about.”

Ravindran’s full-time job at the resto-bar leaves him with limited time to take up such requests. He, however, organised an anniversary dinner with champagne for a middle-aged couple on their terrace.

Guests of these luxurious dinners are, understandably, delighted. Socialite Ravina Belani, who attended a sit-down dinner with a five-course continental meal curated by a chef from the Taj West End recently, said, “The chef tossing up a meal for an intimate gathering at home made us feel special. We get a restaurant-like experience at home.”