‘Cook For India’: 8 Indian Chefs in Hong Kong Host Special Dinner in Aid of India’s COVID Crisis

20 May 2021
|
5 min read
Hosted by Indian restaurant CHAAT at the Rosewood Hong Kong, this special 16-hands dinner will take place on 7 June 2021. The 14-plate dinner is priced at HK$2,788 per guest, and all of the revenue from the event will be donated to UNICEF to assist those suffering in India’s COVID-19 crisis.

CHAAT at Rosewood Hong Kong will host a COOK FOR INDIA charity dinner on 7 June 2021, with 100% of proceeds going towards COVID-19 relief efforts in India. Recently crowned SCMP Top Tables Rising Star 2021, CHAAT’s own Chef de Cuisine Manav Tuli has invited seven top Indian chefs from all over Hong Kong to cook alongside him in a 16-hands collaboration dinner for one night only.

As India’s COVID-related death toll passed the quarter-million mark on 12 May – still considered an underestimate by experts – health services and hospitals remain overwhelmed amidst the world’s worst COVID-19 hotspot. With the concept that food is a universal language, CHAAT is bringing together a community of Indian chefs in Hong Kong from a variety of backgrounds and origins to cook for a good cause. All proceeds from CHAAT’s Cook for India Charity Dinner will be donated to UNICEF, together with the donation efforts by Rosewood Hong Kong staff.

“I read the news every day about my country’s COVID-19 cases and deaths and it really saddens me,” says Manav Tuli, Chef De Cuisine of CHAAT Hong Kong. “I am extremely privileged to be living and working in Hong Kong, where some sense of normality is beginning to resume. I want to use our powers and resources to support my country as much as we can and I believe there is no better way to do this than through the universal language of food.”

Joining forces with Chef Manav in the CHAAT kitchen will be revered chefs Yogesh Yadav of Hong Kong institution Gaylord Indian Restaurant, Sheldon Fonseca of The Mira Hong Kong, Pardeep Kumar Ray of The Foreign Correspondents Club, Samaira Coutinho Kavatkar of AKA The Bombay East Indian Girl, Suveg Kavatkar of Caprice, Prabir Banerjee of Chaiwala and Taran Chadha of Pondi. Each chef will contribute one to two dishes to create an exclusive menu, available for one night only and priced at HK$2,788 per guest.

16-Hands “Cook for India” Menu at CHAAT Hong Kong

The evening will kick off with award-winning welcome cocktails created by Arkadiusz Rybak together with Beverage Manager Simone Rossi from DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong (ranked #40 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021), before guests settle down for an Indian feast. The special menu, paired with two wines, includes:

 

WELCOME COCKTAIL

By DarkSide

CANAPE

KHAMAN DHOKLA, KRISTAL CAVIAR

By Chef Suveg Kavatkar of Caprice

 

PANI PURI, SEA URCHIN, GILLARDEAU OYSTER

By Chef Suveg Kavatkar of Caprice

AMUSE BOUCHE

ROASTED BLUE LOBSTER & MOREL MUSHROOM

cooked with Vin Jaune and Madras curry powder

By Chef Suveg Kavatkar of Caprice

STARTERS

HOKKAIDO SCALLOP CRUDO, TROPICAL FRUIT KACHUMBER

fermented lime, coriander, pine nuts

By Chef Sheldon Fonseca of The Mira Hong Kong

 

EAST INDIAN LAMB POTATO CHOP

Green Asparagus, Green Pea Chutney, Kachumber, Bottle Masala Spices

By Chef Samaira Coutinho Kavatkar of The Bombay East Indian Girl

TANDOOR COURSES

ZAITUNI BLACK ANGUS SEEKH

minced black angus, olives aromatic herbs and spices served with chutney

By Chef Prabir Banerjee of Chaiwala

 

AJMODE KE TANDOORI PRAWNS

prawn cooked in the tandoor with a celery flavored marinade

By Chef Prabir Banerjee of Chaiwala

 

LAMB CHOP MASALA

By Chef Pardeep Kumar Ray of The Foreign Correspondent Club

Paired with CARM Reserva Vinho Branco Douro 2019

 –

MAIN COURSES

CHICKEN MAKHANWALA

mildly spiced pulled Tandoori Chicken cooked in a buttery and creamy tomato sauce enhanced with freshly grounded spices and dry fenugreek

By Chef Yogesh Yadav of Gaylord Restaurant

 

TRUFFLE SPINACH KOFTA

Spinach and Cottage Cheese Balls soaked in a creamy Spinach sauce infused with Black & White Truffle Salsa

By Chef Yogesh Yadav of Gaylord Restaurant

 

ALLAPUZHA MEEN CURRY

Curry leaf, Red Chilli, Raw Mango

By Chef Manav Tuli of CHAAT

 

MOPLA CRAB BIRYANI

Basmati Rice , Saffron, Coconut

By Chef Manav Tuli of CHAAT

Paired with Cartuxa Colheita Vinho Tinto 2018

SIDE DISHES

CAULIFLOWER GREEN PEA MASALA (Vegetarian)

By Chef Pardeep Kumar Ray of The Foreign Correspondent Club

 

NADRU KI SUBZI

lotus stem, ginger, coriander

By Chef Manav Tuli – CHAAT

DESSERTS

“GHEVAR” CRISPY HONEYCOMB TART

Saffron Goat’s Curd, Golden Raspberries, Fennel Seed Milk Crumble By Chef Taran Chadha of Pondi

PETIT FOURS 

White Chocolate, Rose & Macadamia Fudge Carrot Halwa Cheesecake Truffle Cumin Mango Jammie Dodger

By Chef Taran Chadha of Pondi

 

Suveg Kavatkar, Senior Sous Chef at Caprice

Bombay-native Chef Suveg’s path to fine dining has been an unusual one. Prior to Caprice, he worked with Caprice’s current Executive Chef Guillaume Galliot at The Tasting Room in Macau. Throughout his journey, Suveg has had the opportunity to work alongside great chefs from around the globe, including training under the legendary Alain Ducasse himself. To land in the kitchen of a top French restaurant in Hong Kong without formal training is an almost impossible feat that took drive, ambition, passion, hard work,and great mentors.

Samaira Coutinho Kavatkar (AKA The Bombay East Indian Girl)

Samaira Kavatkar, also lovingly known as Rubina or “The Bombay East Indian Girl,” grew up with an East Indian Catholic family living in Mumbai. East Indian refers not to a geographic territory, but to the rugged section of the western coastline of India: the Bombay Coast. This intertwining of cultures combined with travelling and working abroad have all contributed to her knowledge of food, flavours and different cuisines across the globe. An ex-corporate professional but a chef by passion, Samaira works with the best organic, seasonal produce. All her spice blends, pickles, condiments and marinades are homemade from scratch – slow food at its best.

Yogesh Yadav, Executive Chef at Gaylord Indian Restaurant

With deep roots in authentic Indian cuisine, Chef Yogesh is the executive chef at Gaylord Indian Restaurant, voted one of the best Indian restaurants in Hong Kong. The restaurant is currently celebrating its 49th year in the culinary scene – a true Hong Kong institution in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui. Chef Yogesh believes in traditional cooking styles with contemporary presentations and that the perfect dish lies in finding the right balance between dry spices and fresh herbs.

Sheldon Fonseca, Culinary Director of Western Cuisine for Miramar Group

Chef Sheldon oversees The Miramar Group’s flagship hotel, The Mira Hong Kong, and its boutique sister property Mira Moon, both members of the Design Hotels network. Sheldon began his career at Langham Hotel in London in 1997 after mastering his formal training. He worked under big culinary names including Gordon Ramsay and Wolfgang Puck in London, before being appointed as executive chef at Kempinski Hotel Le Mirador overseeing its five restaurants. Sheldon joined Miramar Group in 2020 and he is also on the advisory board for Food Made Good Hong Kong.

Prabir Banerjee, Executive Chef at Chaiwala

Born and raised in India, Chef Prabir is a veteran chef with over 18 years in the industry. Through experiences gained at celebrated establishments in Bangalore and formal training from the Vidyasagar Institute of Hotel management in West Bengal, Chef Prabir has spent immense effort and time honing his craft. He injects a creative ingenuity into the dishes at Chaiwala, a modern Indian restaurant located in the heart of Central.

Taran Chadra, Executive Chef at Pondi

Born and raised in Hong Kong, self-taught Chef Taran Chadha was mentored by one of Hong Kong’s most beloved and influential chefs, Pascal Breant. Having left university to fulfill his childhood passion of becoming a chef, Taran started working in small kitchens in the U.S. and then returned to work for some of Hong Kong largest restaurant groups. With over 15 years of international food and beverage industry experience, Chef Taran Chadha’s mission is to make a positive impact on Hong Kong’s fast and furious dining scene. Throughout his career, he has concluded that the most memorable dining experiences are those created in a homely, passionate environment where teams and guests are treated like family — such is the success story behind his award-winning BlackSalt restaurant and the co-founding of Pondi and Fat Chad’s.

Pardeep Kumar Ray, Executive Chef at Foreign Correspondents Club

Born and raised in Punjab, chief chef Pardeep Kumar Ray developed a passion for cooking at the tender age of 14. He travelled extensively throughout India, from Kashmir, Punjab and Delhi to Pune to learn various local cooking techniques. With a wealth of over 30 years of cooking experience, Chef Pardeep has been serving authentic and traditional Indian food at the FCC for over 20 years.

For bookings/enquiries, please contact CHAAT at +852-3891-8732 or visit www.chaat.hk for more details.

 

Images courtesy of the restaurants.