Seafood has always been a favourite of ours, being Bengalis you see. But when a British chef running one of the world’s topmost Michelin starred seafood restaurants comes to town, we definitely weren’t going to miss out. Delhi recently welcomed Chef Gary Foulkes who heads the Michelin starred Angler at the South Palace Hotel in London at Set’z, DLF Emporio by Nikhil Aggarwal whose company All Things Nice has been bringing luxury dining and wining to the gourmand citizens all over the country.
We start off our meal with a Grover Zampa Soiree Brut ’17 to clear the palate before heading onto one of Chef Foulkes’ first courses which is a chilled Avocado Gazpacho served with Horseradish, Fig Leaf and Green Tea. Although he has been trained in the Anglo-French cuisine in his formative years, he travelled extensively through South-East Asia for three years, adding layers to the flavours he experiments with. This is combined with a crisp, vegetal Sauvignon Blanc ’18 from the Valdivieso vineyards in Central Valley, Chile.
His next creation goes back to his strengths: a Cured Kingfish that’s served with Green Apple, Wasabi and Cucumber giving the delicately flavoured meat a bright slather of fresh flavours.
Served with a Chardonnay ’19 from the Bush Ballad winery in South East Australia, this combination balances the slightly dry, acidic wine with some sweetness and heat. “I think that cooking with seasonal produce is an absolute must,” he tells me serving up the Lobster with some Cauliflower, Palm Heart and Lemongrass. In his restaurant, he uses fish and shellfish from the British Isles and in this pop-up in Delhi, he serves up a Roasted Cauliflower with Cashew Nut milk, Goat’s curd and Curry Leaf.
For the next course, there is a Rack of Lamb served with Black garlic, Crisp Lamb Shoulder and Morel Mushrooms and combined with two red wines: the Casillero Del Diablo Devil’s Collection Red ’17 from the Rapel Valley in Chile and Grover Zampa’s Chene Grande Reserve ’17 from Nashik, India.
But he reserves the best of his creations for the last as he combines his love for Indian flavours with an Alphonso Mango Ice Cream served with Coconut, Kaffir Lime, Yoghurt and Geisha Blossom by TWG Teas.
