Savour global flavours at HT Palate Fest in Mumbai

The two-day festival brings popular food brands, celebrity chefs and live music acts to the Mahalaxmi racecourse.

HT Palate Fest

WHEN: January 19 and 20, noon to 10 pm

WHERE: Where: Members’ Enclosure, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Royal Western India Turf, Mahalakshmi

Entry is free

This weekend, head to the Mahalaxmi racecourse for a multi-cuisine festival right in the middle of horse-racing season.

In its first edition in the city, the two-day Hindustan Times Palate Fest — a much-looked-forward-to event in Delhi for years — features 40 food stalls from some of India’s finest restaurants, plus master classes by celebrity chefs, and live performances by local and international music acts.

Among the restaurant participating are Farzi Café, Pizza Express, Punjab Grill, Tamak and El Mercado, alongside brands from Delhi that don’t yet have a presence in Mumbai — like Fat Lulu’s and Patiala Tigers.

Chef Aditi Govitrikar’s masterclass in Delhi last year was about quick and easy salads. In Mumbai, visitors can attend free classes by chefs Harpal Singh Sokhi, Ripu Daman Handa, Govitrikar and Nishant Chaubey.

“HT Palate Fest offers access to exclusive brands that rarely pop up offline, like Parvatiya Preserves, which serves organic condiments, chutneys and preserves,” says Aditi Kapoor, co-founder and director of Palate Fest. “They’ve been a huge hit in Delhi and we hope they will be a hit with the Mumbai crowd as well.”

Visitors can also attend free classes by chefs Harpal Singh Sokhi, Ripu Daman Handa, Aditi Govitrikar and Nishant Chaubey. American rapper Bohemia and Indian rock band Euphoria are scheduled to perform.

“The Mumbai diner is more health-conscious and the variety of gluten-free, vegan, low-calorie meals available at restaurants here proves that people are also open to experimenting. This will be their chance to do both, outdoors, at an unusual venue,” says Ruchi Sibal, the festival’s other co-founder and director.

Chef Chaubey plans to hold a session on using culinary techniques to make comfort food look and taste like a gourmet meal. “This means learning to make khatti-meethi gobi and use sustainable ingredients,” he says. Chef Handa will offer lessons on using healthy foods with a twist, to create dishes like bajra risotto, “which is easy and quick”. He adds: “I want to use this session to share anecdotes about my own weight-loss journey too.”