Chef Auroni Mookerjee of Sienna Cafe has always championed fresh produce and Bengal’s unique cuisine, along with giving it a modern and unique twist. This month, for Poila Baisakh celebrations, Sienna Cafe is hosting their first ever pop-up at The Lodhi, New Delhi, in association with Rini Chatterjee, to bring an innovative culinary journey through the ‘Bajars’ of Bengal.
With farm to fork dining being in the spotlight, the concept of Bajar to Table has become synonymous with Sienna Cafe. With the pop-up, they are going to bring a fresh modern take on Bengal’s native cuisine to the nation’s capital.
“We take great pride in welcoming Chef Auroni and the team from Sienna Cafe, and presenting the quintessential flavours of authentic Bengali recipes to the vibrant city of Delhi. With this association, we strive to showcase the very best of regional, innovative cuisine and foster a spirit of inclusivity among diverse communities and gastronomes,” said Abhimanyu Lodha, general manager, The Lodhi, New Delhi.
The collaboration came about through Rini Chatterjee, who is closely associated with Culinary Culture Co., along with being a veteran in the F&B industry in India. Speaking about the pop-up, she said, “We are delighted to bring intriguing stories of talented chefs from the deeper geographies of India, chefs who are passionately focussing on regional Indian food and I am thrilled to partner with one of India’s leading hotels to bring Sienna to Delhi’s discerning diners. Having them with us on the Bengali new year is an added bonus!”
The menu will feature all the courses traditionally found in Bengali dining. Starting with a bitter Neem Begun Rice Ball and Shukto Gazpacho, the meal will also include Sienna’s take on Malai Chingri, where the sauce will feature Japanese fish roe to give the dish an extra pop of umami.
“Rini reached out to us with the idea of doing a Poila Baisakh pop-up in Delhi and she suggested The Lodhi to create a unique culinary experience with an off-the-menu tasting. Keeping the familiar ‘Bajar’ to Table concept like at Sienna, we created a new menu keeping in mind what ingredients are available in Delhi,” said Chef Auroni.
“I am very excited but also quite stressed out because one of the best dining experiences in the country, Indian Accent is right across the hall from where the pop-up is happening! Cooking for Chef Manish [Mehrotra] is always stressful,” laughs Chef Auroni.
Chef Auroni has also planned a dish with the likes of a savoury rosogolla which will be an ode to Bengal’s Chana’r Kofta and the state’s cheese making skills. There is also a unique Gola Bhaat course with fixings, a number of interesting condiments and bhaajas to spotlight the comfort foods of the state.
“I feel that most of the time only Biryani and Pulao get carried from West Bengal to other states as a representation of our food, but Gola Bhaat as a dish feels like home to us Bengalis,” said the creative mind behind Sienna Cafe.
Having grown up in Delhi, Bengali boy Chef Auroni says that he discovered a number of exotic ingredients at INA Market, which now reminds him of New Market in Kolkata.
“The response for the announcement of the pop-up has been phenomenal. I am also excited because it is like a homecoming for me, lots of friends and family will be visiting to taste the flavours of the pop-up. We want to be attached to culture and community while also being able to show our skills with the contemporary side of it,” said the chef.
What makes the menu at this pop-up interesting is the use of ingredients that are easily available in Delhi which in many ways changes the concept of bajar while still tying together the sensibilities of Bengal’s cuisine and the cosmopolitan culture of Delhi.
Chef Auroni added, “I think people are going to be in for something that is quite new. For me, as a chef, the best thing I can do is to pleasantly surprise my diner. That is an emotion that always wins over wow-ing someone. My team and I want people to think about the food in context to the community and geography that has inspired it. Our meal will hopefully be nourishing for both the heart and the mind.”
The pop-up will be from April 14 to 16 at The Lodhi, New Delhi. For more information and reservations, please call 011 4363 3333.
