A Memorable Brunch Event: Up Close & Personal with Chef Saby and Leonardo Oil at Olive Bar & Kitchens Mehrauli
16Subtly layered colors, sculptural shapes, rustic old word charm on a pristine white canvas all this and more describes Olive Bar and Kitchens Mehrauli a Mediterranean kitchen which was venue for our bloggers table this month { An initiative of Sid Khullar } . This meet was sponsored by Leonardo Olive oil.
As you enter this sprawling moughal mansion overlooking qutub minar, you immediately get enamoured by this pristine white colored structure that takes you away to faraway Mediterranean region for a unique sensory experience. And if you are a fan of Mediterranean cuisine like me, this place is just a heaven for a idyllic conversation with friends and familywith a backdrop of chic vintage décor’, delicious food and inherent old world charm.
Indeed an excellent choice by Himani Dalmia and Chandana Paul to showcase Leonardo products like olive oil , new range of whole
wheat healthy pasta, and most interestingly alcohol free beer and Indian style pickles done in olive oil {considered one of most healthy oils in the world}.
Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diets in the world mostly because of extensive use of fresh fruits, vegetables, sea food, whole grains and monounsaturated fats like olives and olive oils. Mediterranean diet is also linked to lowering of metabolic syndrome, heart disease, stroke and dementia.
As a very nutrition conscious person and for its unique taste I am a great fan of this way of eating, so all these Leonardo products
are defiantly going to be a part of my kitchen on regular basis.
are defiantly going to be a part of my kitchen on regular basis.
One more reason to look forward to this meet was to see Chef Sabyasachi Gorai (Saby) cooking up a storm in the Kitchen, I had met him before at an Event by Godrej Natures basket, and was intrigued by his passion for good food , but conversation was very short that time, so this was going to be the time to learn from his vast experience of almost 17 years of active cooking { He looks amazingly young for that }.
Over a stimulating conversation about food and his experience, you come to know that Chef Saby comes from a family of artists and works for 17 hrs a day {obvious from the way he runs the place} but then he adds he wants to take a backseat sometimes in future, so that he can spend more time with his daughter and pursue his another passion that is painting.
But as far as I could see, now also he paints beautifully, though he has a different canvas in the form of a table which He paints so beautifully with his food that is a prized art in itself.
A simple person, who puts you immediately at ease {so much so that you never feel that you are in company of a celebrity chef . Yes! This
master chef is one among India’s top ten chef and is recently been awarded Best Chef of India National Tourism Award, 2011-12 by President of India.
master chef is one among India’s top ten chef and is recently been awarded Best Chef of India National Tourism Award, 2011-12 by President of India.
Unlike so many other events, this one was peculiar as when I entered the place, immediately we were given a warm welcome by Himani
and Chandana and a display of thoughtfully selected and so beautifully presented antipasti table which got me immediately busy with another of my love beside food, Not clicking this delicious spread is a crime in itself, Don’t you agree
.
and Chandana and a display of thoughtfully selected and so beautifully presented antipasti table which got me immediately busy with another of my love beside food, Not clicking this delicious spread is a crime in itself, Don’t you agree
.
The anti pasti table gleamed invitingly, apple relish, mushroom pate, hummus, the cheese and cracker platter, stuffed little red peppers with feta, olives, candied beets, apples, awesome candied strips of bell peppers and cured meats.
All the food for the day was cooked using different Leonardo products – pasta, green and black olives, various grades of olive oil amidst the enthusiastic and never ending banter which is so typical of all our bloggers meet.
After clicking away to my heart’s content, chef saby along with {his team mates Chef Vaibhav and Astha} was ready to take us to magical journey of Mediterranean cooking and experience which left most of us spell bound.
Chef Vaibav created fluffy but surprisingly light and crisp deep fried asparagus spears and Basa fish chip in olive pomace oil {a grade of olive oil that is suitable for deep frying and most of Indian cooking that involves ‘tadka’}. He used Espuma technique in which Nitrogen vial is attached to a ‘gun’ to pump the gas into the batter and makes it light fluffy and crisp in texture.
Also on the menu were sizzling gambas and an excellent tarter dip to go with all these. And not to mention a variety of thin crust pizzas fresh from rustic wood fired oven in courtyard – Marinara, Asparagus, smoked Scarmoza cheese, Parmesan, truffle oil and Olive’s signature Milano paper pizza.
As if all this was not enough to make us full, chef Saby took us for another round of a sit down lunch, for which
Mr VN Dalmia {president Dalmia International} and Mr Donato Pantaleo{ from Leonardo oils Italy} also joined us .
Over an another stimulating conversation with Mr Dalmia about tastes and health benefits of olive oil along with super foods and their benefits {he is e healthy food enthusiast too} followed along this excellent pasta in tomatoes and herb based sauce and bursting with flavours Apple and rocket leaves salad with equally excellent black truffle porcini risotto.
For me star of this meal was this in house, fresh baked, artisan skillet bread served with fresh herbs infused olive oil.
On Mr Dalmia’s suggestion I tried this beautifully textured bread with Leonardo premium extra virgin oil with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and it transported me to another world altogether, on which Mr Pantaleo told us that His wife always insists that his food should always be swimming in olive oil { though I am not that adventurous even if it is healthiest of oil, but occasionally love to dip my bread in small quantity good olive oil}
After such good food and rounds of mojitoes, sangrias and a selection of wines , Chef saby introduced us with Beautiful and ever smiling Astha, who painstakingly prepared a fun quiz about food which again added more fun to the afternoon.
When all this was happening, Chef Saby’s ever efficient staff laid down this beautiful dessert table , though could not eat anymore as
already was full with so much, but tasted this Olives signature tiramisu made with in-house mascarpone and praline mud cake
which was truly to die for. As you can see from the expressions of Nachiketa.
already was full with so much, but tasted this Olives signature tiramisu made with in-house mascarpone and praline mud cake
which was truly to die for. As you can see from the expressions of Nachiketa.
Thank you Himani and Chandana for this beautiful event by Leonardo, and for the generous basket too.To Chef Saby {Easily one of most humble and very talented celebrity Chef I have met} and most of all our own Mr Favicol { Sid Khullar} who binds us Delhi bloggers together and made it possible.
So so well captured Rekha.
Lovely revising the place through your lens. Beautiful pictures.
You are so sweet Sangeeta .. Thanks
The pictures tell the story of the afternoon so beautifully ,it was the vibrance and the beautiful food and not to forget the clickity click food lovers!! The event was a great time we spent having so much fun(work for me..buti loveit!!) and meeting fellow food connoisseurs!
Thanks Astha
I loved it too ..It was meticulous planned event, did not realise that how did time fly that day !
Your page should read MyMagicCurry – absolutely delightful blog. Love the pictures and the stories they tell. Looking forward to more, Rekha.
Oh Thanks so much corinne
you are so kind !
Fabulously told Rekha… and captured too! Good times, good food and good folk – couldn’t have asked for more!
As always had too much good time with you
Love all the photos! Wish there was something like this in bangalore too
Thanks … Hope to see such events in bangalore too !
Beautiful post! You tell the tales so well – with words and pictures!
Thanks so much Anshi
you are so kind to say such good words.
Beautiful post Rekha!
Thanks so much
it was an amazing lunch for sure
http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/
Loved the way you’ve captured the afternoon, your photography makes even me look nice and the food unbelievable… totally rocking you are Rekha
It was so much fun indeed… looking forward to seeing you….