Savour food by the Bohri community through an experience in Mumbai this weekend

Dal Chawal Palidu. Pics courtesy/Slink & Bardot

We've never cooked together," admits Juzer Baldiwala, a Deolali-based Bohri food educator, caterer and storyteller. "He likes things done a certain way in the kitchen, so it's better if he does his thing, and I do mine." The pop-up marks the first time the father-son duo will cook together in a professional kitchen, though both admit the arrangement comes with its own challenges. His son, AliAkbar Baldiwala, executive chef, Slink & Bardot, is quick with a comeback. "He needs 50 assistants. My mother suffered after he finished cooking; the kitchen would look like it was struck by an explosion." "It's improved but yes, I used to make a mess," Juzer laughs.

(From left) AliAkbar Baldiwala and Juzer Baldiwala

The camaraderie is palpable. AliAkbar has inherited his paternal family's love for cooking, and his father's charm. His great-grandmother was known in Deolali for her mutton keema samosas. "I never imagined I'd make a career out of it," he says. "Neither did I," Juzer chuckles, adding, "I thought he'd end up in IT. He was a bookworm. I may not have a legacy of restaurants to pass on, but whatever I learned and built; he picked up, worked hard at, and carried it forward. That makes me extremely happy."

Sev Doodh Amba

Coming home

AliAkbar began his career in an Italian restaurant, but his years at Masque and the rise of regional Indian cooking eventually brought him back to his roots. "The more I cooked Bohri food, the more I realised this was the food I connected with most instinctively. The flavours, the techniques, the stories, felt like home." That connection also fuels his popular Bohri Mohalla walks, which invite people not just into Bohri cuisine but into the memories and traditions that shaped him.

Matho

When the pandemic left him without a job, Juzer began sending home-cooked meals to friends living alone. From a few dabbas, it grew into catering Bohri thaals and community events. "My goal was that whoever ate my food should leave happy," he says. The same philosophy shapes his popular videos. "I want to teach in the same way that my mother and grandmother taught me. If I use an identical pan that people possess in their kitchens, they feel they can make it too."

Jamjo, Jamarjo

Dabba Gosht

For the Baldiwalas, Bohri cuisine is about migration and adaptation. Influenced by the culinary traditions of Yemen, Persia and the Arab world, it evolved after Bohri communities settled in Gujarat, absorbing local ingredients and techniques. "Take the khichda. Its roots lie in the Yemeni dish, Harees, but local pulses, spices and cooking styles transformed it into a uniquely Bohri dish, "Juzer says. The result is a cuisine shaped by centuries of exchange, yet unmistakably its own.

Bel Sharbat

For AliAkbar, this Sunday's pop-up is about bringing the essence of a traditional Bohri meal into a contemporary restaurant setting. He believes Bohri cuisine has largely remained within homes and community spaces because of the community's small numbers, but changes are emerging. "People are more curious about regional cuisines today. A Bohri meal is about much more than food. The rituals matter," he says, elaborating that the challenge lies in preserving that warmth and sense of community while making it more accessible. "You needn't have to belong to the community to enjoy Bohri food. Curiosity is enough." His long-term dream is a Bohri restaurant where a table of two can experience everything that makes Bohri dining special.

Chana Bateta

For AliAkbar, the pop-up is a meeting point between tradition and contemporary dining, "And in many ways, between father and son." Together, they hope to showcase how Bohri food can remain authentic while finding a wider audience beyond supper clubs.

Sodannu and Til Brioche

ON June 28, 6.30 pm onwards
AT Slink & Bardot, Thadani House 329/A, opposite Indian Coast Guard, Worli Village.
CALL 9326965643
COST Rs 5500 (all inclusive)

Menu marvels

The experience begins with Gol Nu Sharbat (jaggery drink), followed by traditional rituals such as the Chilamchi Lota hand-washing ceremony and the sharing of salt. There's a balance of nostalgia and reinvention. Like the simple rice-and-sugar Sodannu, which is reinterpreted as a delicate tartlet or the Sev Amba that Juzer was initially sceptical. "When I tasted it and it still felt like Sev Amba; I was sold."

The Sauce Wali Chicken, a Bohri adaptation of tandoori chicken, showcases the community's ingenuity. Dabba Gosht is one of the most anticipated dishes, which has retained its roots. The slow-cooked mutton dish in a sealed container is believed to have emerged in Colonial-era Bombay. Juzer reveals, "The containers changed over time, but the recipe never did. The rich, nutty gravy remains exactly the same."

While the meal moves away from the traditional thaal format, sharing is central, with larger dishes such as Dal Chawal Palidu, Mora Biryani and Chicken Yakhni Pulao, are served at the table's centre. Traditional drinks such as Bel Sharbat and Matho complete the experience, not before paan from Muchhad Paanwala is savoured. Guests can also take home Juzer's signature Kari Masala and recipes to recreate the idea at home.