The 22nd UpperCrust Show, with mid-day as its media partner, promises a culinary adventure across regional cuisine, fine wines, and celebrity chef masterclasses
Tomme De Bombai, a cheese inspired by the French Tomme De Savoie. PIC COURTESY/The SPOTTED COW FROMAGERIE
Have you hopped on the new Aqua Metro Line yet? Farzana Contractor, editor and publisher of the UpperCrust magazine, recently took a test drive for the first time. It’s quick, comfortable, and it will lead you to her upcoming 22nd UpperCrust Food and Wine Show in Cuffe Parade. Known for drawing in the who’s-who from the culinary world as well as presenting a diverse mix of international cuisine, the show has a close eye on home chefs this year.
Vegan and gluten-free craft ciders. PIC COURTESY/l74 ciders
With mid-day as its media partner, the highlight of the show is the Masterclass segment where renowned chefs offer a peek into their cookbooks. The packed three-day schedule might make you go nuts — chef Jerson Fernandes of the Australian Macadamia Society will present a live demonstration on the macadamia nut, and chef Anil Rohira from the School of European Pastry and Culinary Arts is set to work with Turkish hazelnuts.
Macadamia nuts. PIC COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
“The atmosphere at the show is surreal. You could be at a cooking demonstration, and the likes of Sanjeev Kapoor or Joy Kapur could walk past you, gladly sharing their inputs. That’s something you’ll miss if you never step out of your home kitchen,” the organiser reminds us.
Chef Anil Rohira and Farzana Contractor
That doesn’t take away from the home chefs, who have been a revelation in recent years. “Many amateurs who put the chef’s hat on at home during the COVID-19 lockdown have now blossomed into talented professionals,” says Contractor. Day 2 of the event is an ode to these stories with home chefs Daugdo Ragina, Tejal Suvarna, Inderpreet Nagpal, and Rachna Prasad presenting Parsi, Managalorean, Punjabi, Bihari cuisine.
Visitors at the 2024 edition. PICS COURTESY/UPPERCRUST
The spotlight on regional cuisine is not incidental, we learn. After Japanese, Korean, continental, and Mediterranean, Contractor believes it’s time for Indian regional cuisine to have its moment in the city. “Young people are increasingly becoming more conscious of the food they consume. A select few are looking beyond ambience and visual appeal to focus on cooking techniques and intricacies,” she reveals, adding that Awadhi cuisine, which recently was in the spotlight with Lucknow earning the tag of UNESCO City of Gastronomy list, should be on every young foodie’s checklist.
Chef Jerson Fernandes
The organiser gives us a pro tip before the show kicks off. Ditch the tiny totes, and bring your biggest bags, even suitcases. The show’s food section includes homemade Marwari snacks from Happy Grandmaa Kitchen, innovative cheese from The Spotted Cow Fromagerie, and craft ciders from L74. We’d like to throw in our own sage advice: save some space for the wines up top; the wine alley at the show is fully stacked this year.
ON December 5, 6, 7; 10 am to 8 pm
AT World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade.
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