Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston at the pop-up dinner organised by Conosh. (Fathima Ashraf/ South First)
It was a dream come true for most of us to be part of a dinner curated by the OG MasterChef trio Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris.
The trio had come to Bengaluru ahead of their highly anticipated masterclass organised by Conosh, a Bengaluru-based community of food enthusiasts specialising in cooking workshops, events and pop-ups. While only a select few were able to attend (afford) the up, close and personal class, those who got the invite for the exclusive dinner held a day prior, were on cloud nine, and rightly so.
It’s not every day that you get to meet, let alone interact with these culinary giants while eating the food curated and prepared by them.
There we were, 120 of us waiting at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru lobby for the night to begin.
The energy was palpable as we waited for the big doors of the banquet hall to open. A selection of red and white wines along with some munchies were offered for those who were waiting but that wasn’t enough to contain the excitement.
The doors opened to a glittering banquet hall, beautifully lit from floor to ceiling. Opulent black sequined table drapes, red & white flowers, crystals and candles made for a dreamy setting for the night.
Seats were assigned to each guest as per their food preferences and dietary restrictions. Pleased to see our name cards beside the menu card, we sat down in anticipation.
From chefs to wine & food connoisseurs, food writers, and of course die-hard MasterChef fans, it was a full house. There was collective excitement in the air as we all waited with bated breath to experience the MasterChef magic.
The dinner which lasted for over three hours did not just offer an experience of a lifetime but also photo-ops and a generous amount of time for Q&A sessions.
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Soon, as the guests were seated, Mehigan and Preston made their grand entrance. Mehigan in his usual charming manner greeted the diners with ‘Aane ke liye shukriya’. Both of them then went on to explain Calombaris’ absence (he had to fly back to Australia due to a family emergency) and how he’d have loved to be there.
The food we were going to have was designed in Preston’s backyard, they revealed.
The duo then went on to introduce some of the dishes we were going to try, and shared insights into specific ingredients that were a part of the various dishes – such as Australian finger limes, Kaladi cheese, wild honey, Vegemite and such. There was also a heavy dose of fun anecdotes from favourite MasterChef moments, experience with peculiar customers and travel stories. The night saw guests interacting freely with the Aussie culinary stars.
Aptly named Snack Attack, the first course was four different kinds of short eats. There was Korean Hotteok – a sweet, stuffed pancake, Vegemite Scroll Crisps, which topped with Fava Bean Puree, Sifnos Onions and Ishka Caper Leaves. We particularly loved the Spanakopita Bites stuffed with a Macadamia Skordalia filling. There was also a Potato & Cheese croquette with whipped goat’s cheese and Romesco sauce, which just can’t go wrong.
Dishes that were served as part of the 7-course meal. (Fathima Ashraf/South First)
The second course was poached crab which came with Middle Eastern Tzatziki, warm pitas, and mountain oregano. The food came with fair warning to not fill up on the bread and we abided. The vegetarians enjoyed smoked eggplant with similar accompaniments.
For my third course, I opted for Arabian Gulf Prawns which came dressed in Finger Lime Butter Sauce (chef’s kiss). The wine pairing for this was Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc. A perfectly al dente Lemon Ricotta Ravioli was the fourth course that followed. It came topped with charred grapes and agrodolce sauce- a certainly fascinating flavour to the Indian palette.
Next up came a unique combination of Fresh figs. It was served with Kaladi cheese as a crisp and wild indigenous honey. The dish came topped with our South Indian Pappadom, a quirky addition. The fifth course made us all wish we had left some more room for it. For the non-vegetarians, it was Braised Australian Lamb Shank with Mechoui Spices, Pommes Fondant. The vegetarian variant had crispy Thousand Layered Potatoes.
To top it all off, the dessert course presented three varieties – a cinnamon flavoured Baklava Ice Cream Sandwich, Roasted White Chocolate Tart and Dark Chocolate Ganache with Salted Caramel and Passion Fruit. The sweet attack paired well with Bubbles & Berries, a Jacob’s Creek Sparkling wine cocktail.
The highlight of the evening was, of course, the delightful presence of Chef Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston, most guests agreed.
“These much-loved and charismatic personalities showcased genuine showmanship and immense energy, actively engaging with the audience, posing for individual photographs, and exhibiting a delightful sense of humour. On the other hand, event presenters Conosh meticulously orchestrated a grand experience for the diners in a glittering banquet room featuring a delectable menu of exquisite food and wines, further elevating the overall dining experience,” said Aslam Gafoor, hospitality professional, who was at the dinner.
For Nisha Khilnani, one of the guests, the night was all about the experience.
“I loved the food, of course. But the entire experience of being at a dinner with the OG MasterChefs was the highlight for me. They were so approachable to all of us, visiting our tables and telling us funny stories and anecdotes,” she shared.
Similar sentiments were shared by most guests as all of them left with their stomach and hearts full after having spent time with their culinary heroes.
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