Mumbai: New Zealand’s annual culinary festival, Visa Wellington on A Plate, a month- long extravaganza of all things food and beverage, will be celebrated in Wellington from 1-31 August 2021.
Kiwis will eat, drink, and enjoy with multiple events and dishes that showcase the best of New Zealand’s ingredients and organic produce. This year’s theme, Out of Place, will see many events and dishes taking Kiwis on a culinary trip around the world, transporting them to far-flung destinations.
Delicacies from across our country will be introduced in the gastronomic festival giving attendees a true taste of India’s culture and cuisine.
Take a sneak peek into the journey of the Indian chefs and owners at Visa Wellington on A Plate.
My Kashmiri Odyssey
Chef Vaibhav Vishen
As a part of Visa Wellington on A Plate’s delectable menu this year, Chef Vaibhav brings his unique event My Kashmir Odyssey to the festival. It is a culinary journey of a one-of-a-kind dining theatre, curated by acclaimed theatre artist Leo Gene Peters that takes customers through Chef Vaibhav’s homeland, the Kashmir valley in the Himalayas.
Themed around two mates in the Mughal gardens, the courses come out as the performance goes on. The event will show attendees Kashmiri culinary delights, from elements of the medieval Kashmiri Wazwan to 20th century street foods of Kashmir like the Khoya popsicle.
With Chef Vaibhav’s select dishes of Brahmin, Mughal, and Colonial food, it will be a dining experience with performances and creative storytelling, making it an immersive, multi-sensory art experience.
Speaking on the diverse community at the festival, Chef Vaibhav Vishen says, “The Indian community in New Zealand is huge and they love to travel for good food particularly if it has Indian influences. Events such as Visa Wellington on a Plate brings people in from all parts of New Zealand which is great for businesses.”
Satya Chai Lounge
Samrudh Akuthota was always immersed in the family restaurant business from a young age, and later harnessed this expertise to open the Satya Chai Lounge. His parents, Swamy and Padmaja Akuthota, successfully founded the famed Satya chain of restaurants 20 years ago. Even today, they visit flea markets every weekend and buy straight from the farmers which according to them, is the best way to get fresh organic produce.
“I have always wanted to create an experience where my guests would feel as if they were transported to a shack in the middle of India somewhere eating proper Indian street food, pair that with amazing craft beer and cocktails and you have a banging good time,” says Samrudh Akuthota, Satya Chai Lounge
They are always thrilled to see customers walk into their lounge across ethnicities and different age groups enjoying their food as one community. Their top hero dishes from the menu, which are devoured by the customers: Onion Bhaji, Paneer 555, Kurryaage, Fish Pakora, Lamb Nukkad and Dahi Puri, which was recently featured in Top 100 Iconic Eats.
Vivant! Restaurant
This year at the festival, Vivant! Restaurant offers food lovers a traditional Gujarati Maharashtrian dish known as ‘Khandvi’ with a twist. It is presented in the form of pasta, made from chickpea flour, tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds and a flavorsome creamy coconut broth. The dish is a feeling of inclusion hailing from the heart of India, bathed in a western form to give customers a refreshing and mouthwatering experience.
Visa Wellington on A Plate is the perfect festival for food enthusiasts to showcase their culinary fervor and create authentic cuisines with a twist to New Zealanders. Visitors also get to experience an amalgamation of tastes, experiences, and creativity in the city of Wellington.
