As 2023 draws to a close, more families are choosing chef-plated dinners at home over the inevitably chaotic restaurant and party scene to celebrate. If you are one of those, here is how to host a Masterchef-worthy meal in your dining room, with all the bells and whistles and none of the hassle.
Anou Boccassam, former architect, and sustainability professional based in Switzerland began her culinary journey as a plant-based chef in 2015 with À Table Chez Anou in Geneva. Here, she curated intimate supper clubs based on the Japanese concept of Kansha or gratitude with a focus on conscious dining. Cut to 2020, Anou founded Chefs-à-Porter in Bengaluru, to introduce the city to chefs who have worked with Michelin star restaurants like Le Phébus & Spa, Le Senso and Buerehiesel , and can provide fine-dining experiences with multi-course plated menus.
She explains, “We empower our chefs to showcase and monetise their craft by providing them with the necessary tools, mentorship and infrastructure so they can focus on what they do best — cook!” Since 2020, over 200 chef’s tables have catered to a community of over 4,000 diners, celebrating friendships, milestones, proposals, business and networking over fine-dining experiences.
Nearly 18 chefs, with a varied repertoire of culinary styles and experience, work with Chefs-à-Porter. Among them are Puducherry’s Chef Michel Christmann, who cooks Mediterranean and modern European fare, Chef Mako Ravindran, who specialises in Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisines and Chef Alexandre Kerbouz, who has a flair for modern European cuisine. The chefs are paid per meal, based on the number of diners (two to 25), the menu, and complexity of courses served, with prices ranging between ₹15,000 and ₹90,000 per private chef’s table at a residence.
New Delhi-based gourmet catering service Garniche too explores fine dining at home for celebrations. Its CEO and founder Yash Batra explains, “We provide a premium dining experience wherein professional chefs cook and serve right in front of you. With basic kitchen equipment required from the customer’s side, the host can finally enjoy the evening with guests. Customers can choose and mix and match various cuisines: Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian or Mughlai.
The chefs at Garniche have a minimum six-year experience of working at hospitality chains like The Taj group, The Oberoi and Radisson. They speak with hosts regarding menu selection, and on the day of the event, bring their team with a manager, so diners can be served plated courses. The team also cleans the hosting space before leaving.
In Hyderabad, Culinary Lounge offers chef’s tables on its premises in Jubilee Hills, where diners can indulge in indigenous meals with progressive flair. Gopi Byluppala, CEO and founder of the educational and culinary entertainment venture, says the experience has always been the focus, not just the plate.
“Our customers are well-travelled and value quality. They reach out to us for their most memorable and important occasions,” says Gopi, explaining that The Culinary Lounge works with 40 chefs, including famous Hyderabadi chef Mehaboob Aalam Khan . They also collaborate with the Barkas community in Hyderabad (derived from ‘barracks’, living four kilometres away from the Charminar near Jama Masjid; the Arab descendants in Barkas migrated from Yemen), to introduce their cuisine to international delegates .
“The team has also flown down international chefs, like Chef Marcello (Italian Masterchef), Chef Garima Arora and British food legend, Chef Jamie Oliver, on request,” adds Gopi, adding that they work with about 40 chefs across the world. “We make Italian, Japanese, Thai cuisine, but we look to highlight India’s rich culinary history through our plated menus,” he concludes.
Storytelling through food
In terms of pricing, the choice of chef and the type of degustation menu experience are the main criteria. The vetting process across platforms, to create a line-up of chefs for fine experiences, is detail oriented. “We review a chef’s culinary background and ability to create degustation menus. We then conduct a food trial to sample their specialities,” explains Farheen Noor, head of operations, Chefs-à-Porter. Meanwhile, Gopi says “the storytelling and experience the chef can offer is the most important aspect for us, in addition to quality ingredients and the type of cuisine. When we have two chefs with different styles working together the experience is elevated.”
Sachin Suresh, experiences manager, Chefs-à-Porter, says, “The entire dining experience lasts 120 to 150 minutes. Chefs introduce themselves, followed by each course served with elaborate explanations of each dish.
While Garniche experiences start at ₹649 per head and increase with the complexity of the menu, Gopi says, at Culinary Lounge pricing depends on the experience and stature of the chef. “Our experiences start from ₹3,500 to ₹10,000 (plus taxes) per head. If it is a chef from an overseas Michelin star restaurant, our charges would be different. “Then, our dinner prices will be around ₹3 lakh to start, per table of upto four diners.” Gopi adds that when international chefs prepare European, Italian, Japanese or Thai cuisine, on clients’ requests, their travel and five-star accommodation is provided along with their fee.
Chef Clive Fernandes from Chefs-à-Porter is curating a five-course dinner menu, Un Noël Français, with wine pairings between Christmas and New Year (December 27 and 29) at Legacy Estilo, Yelahanka, Bengaluru. Priced at ₹3,305 per diner, the non-vegetarian meal will include duck à l’orange as the main dish while the vegetarian main will feature textures of king oyster mushroom with rhubarb. Culinary Lounge, meanwhile, is hosting private events only, by appointment, on its premises for Christmas, and Garniche is taking private event bookings only for the last week of 2023.
Table decor matters
While most chef’s tables are adorned with elaborate lighting and floral decor interspersed with pristine crockery and cutlery, you can work with you have as well.
Bengaluru-based Tablescapes by P, helmed by Pratiksha Kataria, offers some tips. “When I think of Christmas and New Year parties, people bring out their bling, and the table should reflect that. Gold and silver candles work well, so does cutlery in gold, off-white crockery with a gold rim and flowers in neutral shades, like white roses, chrysanthemums and hydrangea. Adding tiny disco balls to the table, and above it, amps up the feel and has been my most popular New Year decor choice,” she says.
Mumbai-based decor stylist Radhika Shenoi Sethi prefers monochrome with accents. “You can never go wrong with black and white, it’s a classic combination. Sparkly accents, like glass and crystals, fit right in with the celebratory spirit of the occasion. Oversized ornaments, figurines, bright tablecloths and table runners work well too.”
A class on glass
Sonal C Holland MW, India’s first master of wine and founder of Sonal Holland Wine Academy and Soho Wine Consultants, says choosing the right glasses for wines, bubbly and whisky makes all the difference. “A wine glass usually has a narrow rim and a wide base which helps you swirl the wine and aerate it (exposing it to oxygen) to unlock all the aromas. I prefer crystal wine glasses as they are spun thinner, more luminescent, like Schott Zwiesel crystal wine glasses. If you are looking for affordable luxury then wine glasses by Lucaris are a great option. For decanters, the cage whisky decanter by Shazé and wine decanters by Riedel are a good choice.”
By the bar
Chennai-based Nalla Samy, founder of Chennai Institute of Bartending, says festive gatherings call for different spirits based on when the party started. “If it’s a brunch, then bellinis (cocktail made with prosecco and peach purée or nectar) and mimosas (champagne and chilled citrus juice, usually orange juice) are favourites, while a fine-dining experience calls for mulled wine, single malts, Champagne and prosecco. If you’re hosting a party, at the stroke of 12, then you can’t go wrong with tequila or Jagermeister shots and shooters of different kinds,” he adds.
How it works
- Reach out to the platform via the app, website
- Choose your preferred date and time
- Connect with the operations team about the number of courses, food preferences, allergens and menu choices
- On the day of the event, culinary team procures fresh produce and top-shelf ingredients
- A few hours before the party, the chef’s team works at the host’s kitchen
- The table set-up, crockery, glassware and decor is organised
- Bar set-up and bartending services are provided by consultants
- Sommelier choices and spirit pairings are provided on request
- After the meal, the team cleans up the hosting space
