Mumbai gets a taste of OMO as Gurgaon restaurant collaborates with Hearth on the First

Mumbai is no stranger to restaurant collaborations But on October 9 the flames at Hearth on the First will have company Corn will blister at the edges smoke will mingle with spice and ingredients will slowly ferment as two very different culinary worlds come together over one eveningGurgaonbased OMO will make its Mumbai debut at the Churchgate restaurant helmed by chefs Dhriti Mankame and Mehul lsquoSabbyrsquo Sabharwal This is no conventional takeover For one night the two kitchens will cook together bringing OMOrsquos produceforward fermentationled cooking into conversation with Hearthrsquos openfire approachJackfruit Croquette Seitan Pizza Naga Chilli LinguineFor chef Chetna Chopra culinary director at OMO bringing the restaurant to Mumbai has been part of a larger ambition She says Hearth felt like the right entry point ldquoTaking OMO to Mumbai has always been a part of the larger dream Everything that theyrsquore doing with their kitchen resonates with us even though we are creating something completely different But then we also have this element of fire which is commonrdquoMenu built on instinctThat shared fascination with fire becomes one of the threads running through the evening OMO works with seasonality regional produce fermentation and preservation while Hearthrsquos cooking is rooted in flame smoke and charFor Sabby the collaboration also challenges perceptions of what fireled cooking can be ldquoAt Hearth the main idea that we try to break through every day is the perception of barbecue being very very meatforward And why canrsquot the vegetarian side of it also showcase itself in a concept like thatrdquo That philosophy meets OMOrsquos fermentationled cooking in dishes such as its Charred Oyster Mushroom layered with harissa tamarind and jaggery muhammara feta pistachio dukkah and herb and chilli thecha There is also Naga Chilli Linguine with housemade fermented Naga chilli butter and a Saffron Risotto featuring Kashmiri saffron charred asparagus and Gondhoraj limescented goatrsquos cheese For Chopra the oyster mushroom is a particular highlight ldquoItrsquos one of our top sellers at OMO and I think thatrsquos going to work really well with the overall Hearth menurdquo she saysChef Chetna ChopraA seat at the tableHearth brings dishes including Podi Rubbed Chicken Tiger Prawns amp Poi its Signature Smash Burger and Lamb Chops amp Bheja Bar bites continue the backandforth with OMOrsquos Jackfruit Croquettes Mushroom Petals and Finger Millet Fries meeting Hearthrsquos Grilled Cheese Smoked Pork Toast and Smoked Duck TostadaThen come dishes created specifically for the evening Corn Ribs combine monsoon corn with Sankeshwari chilli glaze fermented black garlic toasted coconut and pineapple pico while OMOrsquos Seitan gets charred pineapple onion and fermented black garlic sauce Hearthrsquos signature Pork Chop brings another dose of openfire cooking to the tableChefs Mehul Sabharwal and Dhriti Mankame PicsSpecial ArrangementRaising a toastThe collaboration extends to the bar with cocktails from both kitchens adding another layer to the evening Expect specials from both restaurants a tribute to the muchloved Boilermaker Negronis and everything in between Ultimately the chefs see the night as more than what arrives on the plate and in the glass For Sabby it is about creating ldquoa great time a community a sense of belongingrdquoPerhaps that is why the menu came together naturally through instinct conversations and ideas were exchanged between kitchens rather than following a rigid blueprint And perhaps that is the point of a good collaboration where two restaurants donrsquot speak the same language but work towards meeting somewhere inbetweenON October 9AT Hearth on the First First Floor Eros Theatre Building Maharshi Karve Road ChurchgateTIME 7 pm to 1 amCALL 897680894748