Experience Award-Winning Fare Curated by Chef Gaushan De Silva at Perbacco on 13th October 2022

New Delhi, 6th October 2022: The Lodhi, New Delhi, one of India’s leading luxury hotels, has always taken pride in offering handpicked and exemplary experiences to its patrons. In continuation of bringing the best flavours from across the globe to our tables, The Lodhi will now transcend you to the Maldives with award-winning fare from ‘Aragu’, Velaa Private Island presented at Perbacco.

The very first and only restaurant in the Maldives to be voted into ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Top 100’ in 2021, Aragu serves a fresh Asian twist on modern European cuisine and is spearheaded by the multi-award-winning Chef Gaushan De Silva.

Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Chef Gaushan is the Culinary Director at Velaa Private Island, Maldives. He once served as the private chef at the royal palace for the King and Queen of Jordan and his experience of over 27 years also includes a stint at the renowned island resort Huvafen Fushi. Prior to the launch of Velaa, he travelled through Europe to hone his skills at some of the world's most prestigious culinary establishments including the three-starred Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, three-starred restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, and Edouard Loubet's eponymous two-starred restaurant in Bonnieux.

Aragu takes fine dining to the next level, combining a passion for culinary art with awareness and sustainability. Designed for the refined globetrotter, the menu uses only the finest organic produce and carefully selected ingredients from sustainable suppliers. The restaurant has also received other key accolades such as the ‘Best Signature Restaurant in the World 2019’ by Paradise Magazine, ‘Top 12 Best Luxury Restaurants in Maldives 2020’ by Lifestyle Luxury Awards, and ‘World's Best Culinary Excellence 2021’ by Boutique Hotel Awards.

Aragu at Perbacco will offer guests an exclusive menu titled ‘Taste of Velaa’ personally curated by Chef Gaushan. The selection will feature delicacies like Mini Hopper with Coconut Sour Cream and Beluga Caviar, Vegan Parmesan Tortellini with Lentil Ragout and Turmeric Essence, Sri Lankan Mud Crab with Miso Emulsion and Lemon Peach, Lobster Kandukukulhu with Kanamadu Chutney, Passion Fruit with Coconut Ganache and Lemon Madeleine Biscuits, to name a few.

“I am very excited to be cooking in India once again. Thank you to Culinary Culture and The Lodhi for bringing me and my team to this wonderful city. We have put together an array of our signature dishes along with a few special dishes created exclusively for this pop-up.”

Chef Gaushan

“Culinary Culture’s vision is to bring India to the world and the world to India. We aim to bring in the greatest international chefs to our homeland and give diners here a chance to enjoy their celebrated food, while also presenting these Chefs with an opportunity to experience our country and understand our diverse local palate. We are pleased to host Gaushan who is one of the finest amongst the new generation of South Asian chefs.”

Mr. Vir Sanghvi, Chairman of Culinary Culture

Speaking on behalf of The Lodhi, New Delhi, General Manager, Mr. Abhimanyu Singh Lodha commented “It is a privilege for us to be presenting this unique culinary experience. This collaboration is yet another step for us in our endeavour to constantly innovate our F&B offerings.

We are thrilled to have our team of chefs engage with a maestro like Gaushan and learn from his brilliance.”

Thursday, 13th October 2022

INR 10,000 plus taxes per person (limited seats available)

About The Lodhi, New Delhi - A Member of The Leading Hotels of The World:

An urban oasis centrally located in New Delhi, The Lodhi is spread across nearly seven acres on Lodi Road near the Lodi Gardens, an extensive parkland with historic tombs dating back to the 15th century. A member of The Leading Hotels of The World, the hotel offers some of the largest rooms and suites in the city, with most categories featuring their own private plunge pool and balconies. The Lodhi’s dining scene is considered amongst the finest, offering eclectic options ranging from local specialties to international delicacies, which includes the renowned ‘Indian Accent'. These restaurants and lounges are a popular social epicenter for residents and guests alike, providing the perfect setting for special occasions and meetings. Additionally, The Lodhi offers a world-class spa with Hammam, a stylist-curated salon, a state-of-the-art gym, a 50-meter lap pool, three tennis courts, and two squash courts with personal fitness trainers available for assistance. The hotel’s world-accredited Les Clefs d’Or Concierges can also create tailored experiences in and around Delhi. The Lodhi is the intuitive expression of a contemporary yet stylishly confident India and is about personal journeys and discovery for guests. These journeys are created through bespoke experiences of culture, cuisine, wellness, architecture, lifestyle, and personalised service.

About Velaa Private Island:

Nestled within the constellation of islands that form the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives, Velaa Private Island takes exclusivity to the next level with facilities and services that go beyond traditional resorts. Designed by award-winning Czech architect Petr Kolar as "an elegant fusion of Maldivian culture with contemporary luxury, intimate with Maldivian nuances", Velaa Private Island is the realisation of a dream to create a 'beyond luxury' exclusive boutique hideaway in the Maldives. Velaa means "Turtle" in the local language - named after generations of sea turtles that flock there to nest and hatch. From a broader "bird's eye view" which greets arrivals by seaplane, the island's exclusive over-water villas are also constructed to resemble the head of a turtle, with the island forming the body. The resort comprises 47 private villas, houses, and exclusive residences. While 18 of the 47 are built over water, the Romantic Pool Residence can only be reached by boat, allowing even more privacy and exclusivity.

About Culinary Culture:

Culinary Culture is India’s definitive voice in food. Co-founded by Vir Sanghvi, and Sameer Sain (Founder, Everstone Group), it is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India and was conceptualised to change how India's culinary culture is perceived in India and around the world. It is the country’s only authoritative, independent rating organization, awarding stars to restaurants and recognizing and rewarding India’s best chefs and street food vendors. It organizes global culinary exchanges, bringing the world’s greatest chefs to cook in India, and sends Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. Culinary Culture creates engaging culinary content and has a large and dedicated community of followers on social media. Past events have included the biggest names in global gastronomy such as Massimo Bottura, Mirazur, Mugaritz, Dani Garcia, Gaggan Anand, and Odette amongst many others. Culinary Culture recently launched ‘Food Superstars’ India’s first and only platform celebrating India’s TOP 30 Chefs.

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