FEA has been a catalyst for collaborations between home chefs and restaurants or hotels for food festivals. Dharaa Mehta talks about the Tamil Food Festival , Weekend with a Home Chef, The Green House.
Do you think such food festivals can support home chefs?
A food festival is a big leap in our careers. People have started recognizing us, they look up to us, our orders have increased and I am proud to have worked in the professional setups of the House of MG.
How did you decide the menu?
Having lived many years in Coimbatore, I presented the cuisines of the southern states at the festival.
Was it challenging to work in a commercial kitchen?
At first it did feel a bit out of place in a large kitchen, but then the comfort zone provided by the team was way beyond my expectations.
Who encouraged you to take on the challenge?
Anil Mulchandani. Dilip Thakkar, Rohit Khanna and Darshan Rawal, the four admin of FEA, are the pillars of my success in this endeavor of hosting a food festival. I would like to thank Geetika Duggal for being there to make me comfortable in the kitchen as she had done the festival here before me.
Which were the heart-warming moments?
I was most happy when a patron said it reminded him of the days when he lived in Bengaluru.
