With monsoon ruining all your outdoor plans, it’s time to shift the party indoors. But we get it. While it’s exciting to play host to an elaborate festive party or an intimate gathering at home, it comes with a bunch of responsibilities which in turn bring a lot of pressure and stress. From arranging the crockery and cutlery, to deciding the dinner and drinks menu while simultaneously interacting with your guests and ensuring no one leaves a wine stain on your white sofa, it’s not easy to host parties. You end up losing out on all the fun. Enter gourmet caterers who come to your rescue. From designing the F&B menu to setting up a presentable table, they’ll ensure your guests leave happy, impressed and well-fed while you sit back, relax and enjoy the party yourself.
If you’re hosting an indoor event this season, bookmark these gourmet caterers who will help in sorting all the culinary affairs.
1. Single Thread Catering by Manu Chandra (Bengaluru)
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Right after leaving the Olive group and prior to launching his all-new restaurant Lupa, chef Manu Chandra began a bespoke catering service, Single Thread. From flavourful dishes to lavish grazing tables, the catering venture customises menus and experiences suited to your tastes. The chef and his team will sit down with you to determine what you want and custom-tailor something unique and fresh depending on your likes and dislikes. Whether it’s Peruvian or Punjabi, the team will not just focus on the food but go above and beyond to create an entire experience concerning the styling and decor that will fit the theme. Within a year of launching, Single Thread has catered to varied events ranging from a wedding set against the ruins of palatial Hampi, a musical-themed supper for audio streaming app Spotify to a dinner at the Cannes Film Festival, the Israeli Embassy and Hawaiian-themed birthday parties.
2. Little Food Co. by Bhakti Mehta (Mumbai)
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Media professional-turned-chef Bhakti Mehta’s love for cooking began from the sheer boredom of eating regular, home-cooked meals. Her enthusiasm to make food more interesting for herself brought her close to cooking. Her passion translated into a full-fledged catering business, Little Food Co. Since 2010, the bespoke catering service has been serving gourmet food at weddings, corporate meetings, festivities, kids’ parties, art galleries, retail store launches, and outstations events, among others. From visually-appealing grazing tables to dessert bars to planning elaborate menus in Mexican, South-East Asian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines, Little Food Co. ensures every gathering is an unforgettable feast.
3. Gaia by Chef Chinu & Christophe Perrin (Mumbai & Goa)
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The catering service that Bollywood swears by, Chef Shilarna Vaze aka Chinu and husband Christophe Perrin’s catering service offer all cuisines under one roof. Take a poor appointment with the chefs and they can make everything from Italian to Japanese to Indian regional cuisine in innovative ways. Customised menus for those who are vegan or prefer gluten-free options can also be set. Gaia knows how to get the party started–along with the food, your glassware and crockery are also taken care of. “Forget about the society ladies who will dissect whatever outfit you might wear. Forget about the disapproving in-laws who might frown on the money spent. Forget about the stain on the carpet and the crash of wine glass from behind the scenes. Look for magic and a pinch of salt,” reads a quote from Chef Chinu’s book Party Like A Star. And if this is a mindset you share with her, Gaia will promise not to disappoint.
4. Sage & Saffron by Aditi Dugar (Mumbai)
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Hosting a dinner at home and want to leave your guests impressed? Trust Sage & Saffron to cover that for you. The boutique catering service is run by the founders of Masque, so expect nothing short of a fine dining experience from the comfort of your home. The unique element about Sage & Saffron is that its menus incorporate a touch of regional Indian cuisine blended with global flavours, modern cooking techniques and exquisite presentation–just what you need to leave a good impression on your guests. If you don’t want something too lavish, the team will take care of that too–they’ve created everything from cheese stations to live dessert counters and sit-down dinner packages.
5. Caara by Ambika Seth and Alice Helme (New Delhi)
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From large weddings to intimate gatherings, Caara’s catering services will take care of all culinary needs. For house parties with a head count of 10-15 people, Caara’s Easy Dining service is the ideal choice. Its offerings? Freshly prepared food is delivered for INR 20,000 along with a properly trained, presentable Caara chef who sets everything up and trains your staff (if required) before leaving. Easy Diner has everything from unique preparations to crowd-pleasers to satisfy your guests. For larger events, Caara has a bunch of set menus which can be customised as per the event’s requirements.
