Show Last Year (Mumbai) |
Show Last Year (Hyderabad)
The 7th UpperCrust Show
It's 7 years old and continues to grow. Here's a review of an event that has everyone drooling for more.
Come December and all of Mumbai gets ready for the food and wine show they have been waiting for with bated breath. Now firmly etched in the life of every gourmet, foodie, chef, restaurateur, hotelier, vintner, distiller, exporter and importer of food and beverage products, and the caring home maker too, the UpperCrust Show has grown into an event which is unsurpassable by any other.
As Karan Johar, stepped out of his limo to walk into the garden of the World Trade Centre where the inauguration lamp was to be lit, he did so to the tune of desi girl. The song was being rendered enthusiastically, in a robust manner by a naankhatai band, dressed in red uniforms with gold trimmings, brass shinning in the morning sun. If he was not already taken aback, the pretty girls - Kingfisher airhostess - in daring red skirts who escorted him into the garden sure did make him catch his breath!
To a huge applause our chief guest, probably the youngest so far, strode under the white shamiana to happily greet many friends he wasn't aware he would meet. As is the tradition each year, the ceremony was soon underway in an informal, cheery fashion, with compere of this season, Nishi Levitt inviting Farzana Behram Contractor to get ball rolling.
Karan Johar, well-known director and popular film maker of blockbusters such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham, Dostana and My Name Is Khan was in his element. After lighting the lamp and releasing the 10th anniversary issue of UpperCrust he made an endearing speech, dotted with humour. Just looking at food was dangerous for him, he said, the kilos simply piled on! But that did not stop his love for food. He was a foodie for life, he declared!
After walking through the food court, which stretched along the entire periphery of the garden, he went upstairs to the Expo Centre where the main event was. About a hundred booths loaded with goodies from all parts of India and the world. Like all chief guests in the past, Karan was stumped! Surprised, he turned to Farzana Contractor and said, "What's this! I didn't expect it to be this big, my God!!" But happily he jaunted down the aisles, stopping frequently to taste things, ask questions, pick up ingredients, smell them… all the time showing surprise. He repeated, "What a scale, what a show..." We have to say Karan was very popular. Exhibitors loved him, they showered him with gifts hampers, olive oil bottles, dates, fruit, honey, chocolates and what not. "My mother is in Australia right now, but wait till she is back and sees all this at home, she'll love it!" he said, most candidly, face glowing with happiness.
Well, once the gates were thrown open to the visitors on the Friday morning till the the 7th UpperCrust Show closed on Sunday evening, there were more glowing faces all around. Without doubt this is one show in our city which has the maximum and happiest footfalls. Understandable, isn't it. After all it is a combination of a dynamic subject like food and coupled with the impeccable organisation by Team UpperCrust, it gains even more meaning. With a personal touch that is shown by the organisers, the UpperCrust Show exemplifies sophistication and has evolved into a classy affair. This year the Show attracted over 1,50,000 visitors, trade and industry professionals and curious foodies from far and wide.
Which brings us to the cookery demos and talks and discussions and Palette Art and what not. So who were the crowd pullers this year? Who were the notable experts who took the packed audiences through the subtleties and nuances of eating, drinking, cooking, through live and interactive workshops? Well, here's the run down.
Very successful cookery demos were conducted by Chef Wikan Namvesis of the Trident. Regulars at India Jones will know this chef not only cooks well but is a huge entertainer too. At the Show he juggled eggs, knives, pepper mills, the works. Very dexterously he'd throw stuff in the air and with perfect timing catch it at the nth second. The audience was left gasping! And asking for more! Of his tricks and treats. He taught everyone the art of making the perfect Teppanyaki Mushrooms, Teppanyaki Chicken and Teppanyaki Fried Rice with mixed Vegetable, Garlic and Egg.
Chef Vaibhav Mahajan of ITC Grand Maratha took the cooking enthusiasts through a session of Grills and BBQs. Grilling has now become a favourite pastime, especially at family dos. Chef Mahajan's grilled Memphis Style Barbequed Duck, Cinnamon Honey Chicken and Barbequed Shrimps disappeared just as quickly as the BBQ equipment was being sold at the Expo Centre belonging to companies such as Weber and Just BBQ's.
It was an honour to have someone of the stature of Chef Bill Marchetti. Here is someone whose experience is so vast. With Christmas round the corner Chef Marchetti could easily be Santa Claus. He looked the part and doled out goodies too. With the amount he sweated in the strong Mumbai sun (the umbrellas did not suffice for this hearty man), Bill could really have been Santa come from the North Pole! He was oh so generous with the olive oil which he was pouring into the risotto. But what a risotto!
Who hasn't heard of Chef Penpa Tsering! A master in Chinese cooking, Chef Penpa is the man responsible for the success of Sampan the evergreen restaurant at Holiday Inn (now a Novotel Hotel). His bosses Nishi and Dinesh Khanna were sitting at the V.I.P. table watching their chef cook. They were most happy to see that the audience was so mesmerised by Chef Penpa's prowess. The tasting portions of Sesame Prawns and Chicken Dry Red Chilli was well appreciated.
Katy Dalal who was scheduled to cook, unfortunately took ill at her home in Khandala at the last minute and was unable to make it. Filling in for her, rather admirably was Urvaksh Naval Hoyvoy, who had participated at the UpperCrust Show for the very first time with a live food counter, cleverly called, Parsi da Dhaba. Urvaksh demonstrated how one cooks Dudh Puffs and Patra Ni Machi.
At the Expo Centre we had Riyaz Amlani talking coffee! Here is one young entrepreneur who is responsible for changing the Mumbai restaurant scene. The owner of Mocha and del Italia, Riyaz personifies success and hard work.
Clive Castelino of United Spirits is old hat when it comes to enlightening wine drinkers. For his workshop he took participants tippling down the road, discussing cocktails: what goes into what and what makes for the most successful wine evenings.
Dr Akshay Batra, of Positive Health Clinic, gave hope to many who were keen to improve not just their looks but health too. He talked about how you could achieve good skin and hair, as well as the dos and don'ts of eating. He used a simple power point presentation to help the many eager participants at this workshop understand the subject better.
One look at Vinata Shetty and you know she must be a keen gym goer. Well, she is more. A Master Trainer with Reebok,Vinata Shetty is as good a person inside as she is on the outside. She was at the UpperCrust Show for a workshop on fitness and health. With deep insights she discussed and demonstrated how you could achieve that target. Discipline and hard work, very necessary.
The pastry demos which are always a huge draw, had Chef Avijit Ghosh come down from Leela Bangalore specially to conduct a class on making Christmas sweets. We will not be exaggerating if we said there was not a square inch of space left for participants to stand. There were many sitting on the floor right up front after all the chairs were occupied. Chef Ghosh created magic with Christmas Plum Cake, Mince Pies and Nuts and Marzipan Stollen.
The three days of UpperCrust Show came to an end amidst much cheer at the grand finale, the grape crushing ceremony, borrowed from the French.
Talking about the French, we'd like to thank the French Consul General, Francois Pujolas for judging the booths at the Expo Centre. Fine Foods, Good Earth Winery and Bergner were judged the best in the food, wine and lifestyle category respectively.
