A glazed King Oyster Mushroom Xacuti with cashew butter miso, served with a mini poie. Grilled Sweet Potato and Corn Galette with khola chilli vindalho, featuring the rare chilli from the hill slopes of Canacona, south Goa. A Tender Coconut Carpaccio with sol kadhi and aam ras.
These were just three of the eight innovative plates served up by Goa’s award-winning chef Avinash Martins at the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding on July 12, being touted as the wedding of the century.
From Kolkata, there was Gourmet Design Company, led by chef Sharad Dewan, while Sienna Cafe brought the flavours of Bengal to the table
Martins, who helms the renowned Cavatina in Benaulim, Goa — a favourite among tourists and celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar — was entrusted with creating a vegetarian menu for 700 heads at the wedding held at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). With a team of 50, Martins operated two counters, ensuring a high-tempo turnaround time for the à la carte service. In the lead-up to the wedding, he also conducted a trial run for the Ambani family at their Antilia residence.
The wedding hosted a brigade of elite chefs and renowned brands from around the world. Central, the 2023 winner of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, led by chef Virgilio Martínez, served up exquisite vegetarian dishes. “Tasting Central’s food was an amazing experience,” Martins shared. “Martínez was a great person to meet, and the camaraderie among all the chefs was fantastic.”
The Cavatina counter at the wedding
French pastries from Potel et Chabot, Italian food like pasta and truffle pizzas from Il Boro, south Indian specialties from ITC Hotels, and a Gujarati counter were also part of the diverse culinary offerings. From Kolkata, there was Gourmet Design Company, led by chef Sharad Dewan, while Sienna Cafe brought the flavours of Bengal to the table.
(Left) Dangar artisanal goat cheese, rose petal and pistachio crumb, honey bimbli emulsion; (right) Glazed King Oyster Mushroom Xacuti, cashew butter miso, mini poie
Was putting together a vegetarian menu challenging for Martins? “Personally, I’ve always loved vegetarian food, and creativity shines through when a chef works not with the best ingredients, but when he has to apply skill and thought,” explained the chef who also runs C’est L’avi - Table in the Hills, a farm-to-table reservations-only dining experience. “I avoided common vegetarian ingredients like tofu, paneer, and broccoli, knowing they would be featured by other counters. Instead, I chose raw mango, sweet potato, and tender coconut, and aimed to include seasonal breadfruit from Goa, though supply limitations made it difficult.”
Behind the scenes, Martins’s team operated with precision. Preparation was done at a base kitchen outside the venue, while the final shaping of a la carte dishes occurred in a satellite kitchen on-site. “Everything was very organised,” Martins noted.
The star-studded guest list included former UK PM Boris Johnson, reality TV icons Kim and Khloe Kardashian, wrestler John Cena, and Bollywood A-listers Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Priyanka Chopra. After Rihanna’s appearance at the pre-wedding events in Jamnagar, Justin Bieber energised guests at the main event.
(Left) Jeeresal pancakes with edamame caldin; (right) Pao de queso with cashew chorizo
Martins personally served his dishes to several celebrities. “I met Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri, Katrina and Vicky Kaushal, Salman Khan and MS Dhoni,” he recounted. “When a celebrity’s personal butler requested a course, we prepared all eight dishes, and I would personally explain and serve them. They were curious to know more about what they were eating and were happy to know that we were from Goa. Though the turnaround was quick, the butlers conveyed that the guests loved the food. I especially enjoyed discussing my creations with Shah Rukh Khan.”
