Come away enriched with lessons of culinary history with Chef Sandeep Pande.

Come away enriched with lessons of culinary history with Chef Sandeep Pande.

Elsie Gabriel.

 Many of our Indian cultures contain expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving; and celebrating the  ‘Baisakhi’ festival at Nawab Saheb, at the Renaissance Powai was extraordinarily enriching. The food festival gave thanks for all the offerings Mother Earth has bestowed on us, being treated like royalty on the eve of Earth Day was a blessing one can not forget easily.

 A wide variety of grains, vegetables, herbs and nuts go into the breads and food items from the various country farms to celebrate the seasonal festival of life on earth. The Nawab Saheb showcased just that and much more; as Executive chef Sandeep Pande took us on a journey of culinary research. In the world of sleek celebrity chefs and master chefs, his down to earth knowledge sharing about the rustic lanes and villages of Punjab which actually gave rise to the festival, was a relief. Chef Sandeep traveled into the inlands  and farms of the Punjabi villages collecting resources, masalas, know hows and ofcourse culinary lessons himself.He has hand picked the combinations and earthy recepies.

When you hear Chef Sandeep Pande speak, you want to listen, his deep research treats the epicenter of ‘food’ as a medium to connect with people. It is a culinary journey of his explanations that lead you to respect and savor every bite that his offerings set the table for. And then you realize once again, that it is the medium of food that binds us all together on this planet after all.

And he’s had excellent success. His dynamic makes him an intriguing food expert, and a good source for understanding what festival food is all about.And why we all should care to celebrate the harvest of life at the beginning of the solar year.  

Of course, he downplays the whole thing. His gourmet journey began with the Oberoi group and then he collected world class culinary experience from the Far East , Middle East and the European world to come back to India . He excels in Mediterranean, Indian, Thai and festival food. Chef Sandeep Pande was also involved in milestone gourmet dates abroad like hosting MICE Functions, conducting international food festivals, and trained in Michelin starred cuisine restaurants. Chef Sandeep Pande obtained his Masters in Hospitality Administration from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration after completing his Post Graduate Diploma in Kitchen Management, and Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology. He is also a senior member of the UAE Culinary Guild and a member of the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, USA.

The Nawabi food is served through out the year so indulge. Relish the dishes once prepared for the Indian Nawabs . Indulge in the dishes like Dum ka Murgh,Biryani Oudhi and Dal Khaas Nawabi.Ofcourse I loved the huge Achari lobster,Jhelum ka jheenga, Amritari machli with many vegetarian offerings like Jalandar de tikke, Sarso da saang,Missi roti and lachcha paratha.

During ‘Baisakhi’ the farmers give 'thanks' to the creator for their fortune and pray for a better crop the following year. I enjoyed the 'Baisakhi di Raat' at Nawab Saheb at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet Powai, you should try the gourmet journey too.

I, for one, came away rich with the Akshay Tritya celebration sweet desserts, sprinkled with gold and silver edible leaves, another parallel festival being celebrated at the Lakeside coffee shop on the same floor.  Meet chef Sandeep Pande and come away educated with many lessons in culinary history. He is not only a powerhouse of gourmet journeys but an excellent chef!