Chef Vinod

Crab Papad Rolls from Indique - A big hit at the Varli Food Festival NYC

 Our Chefs getting the crab papad cones ready.

Varli Singh and the chefs at the Varli Food Festival in NYC

L to R: Chef Vikas Khanna, Padma lakshmi, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Varli Singh. Hmm..Not sure what the joke was, Vikas is laughing away.

 

The Varli Food Festival, an Indian culinary and chef showcase, concluded about three weeks ago on April 5th, 2012 in New York City. I must say that the Varli Festival was very well organized and flawlessly executed. Padma Lakshmi, host of the show Top Chef, and Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrated chef from India, were joined by several other celebrity chefs from around the world. 

It was such a delight to see so many Indian restaurateurs and chefs come under one roof to showcase the cuisine of India. There was wide media coverage for the event from various television channels and newspapers such as The New York Times.

Our crab papad rolls from Indique/Indique Heights turned out to be such a big hit that they were featured in The New York Times, in "Outlook India" and above all Padma loved it... Padma Lakshmi loved it...

The photo below was featured in The New York Times - Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi enjoying the crab papad roll from Indique.

See what "Outlook India" magazine had to say about Indique's crab papad roll at the Varli Food Festival.

"CRAB APPLES - Not that it requries any great skills to catch crab in Manhattan, but curing the meat is a lesson best learned from experience. Masters in the art descended on NYC from the US northeastern seaboard to showcase their skills at the Varli Food Festival. Of those partaking, Padma Laksmi played the bait." - Outlook India

Welcoming Padma Lakshmi

Surfy Rahman greeting Padma Lakshmi 

In conversation with Padma Lakshmi

Being introduced to Executive Chef S.Balamurugan

 Being introduced to Executive Chef Abraham Varghese

Padma Lakshmi enjoying her crab papad roll

She goes in for seconds!

At Junoon restaurant - Surfy Rahman, K.N.Vinod, Walter Rozario, Prasad Chirnomula, & Rajesh Bhardwaj

With Chef /Restaurateur Vikram Vij of Vij's in Vancouver, Canada

With Chefs Maneet Chauhan, Vikram Vij, Jehangir Mehta, K.N.Vinod, and Shipra Khanna.

Ready to get in to the Limousine - for the ride with fellow chefs 

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Restaurateur Surfy Rahman at the Red Carpet walk

L to R : Chef K.N.Vinod, Chef S.Balaurugan,Chef Vikas Khanna, and Chef Abraham Varghese

L to R: Restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj, Chef Hemant Mathur, Chef K.N.Vinod, and Restaurateur Surfy Rahman

 

With Chef Floyd Cardoz and Surfy Rahman

With Chef Maneet Chauhan

 

 With  Chef Walter d" Rozario

With Chef Aliya Leekong  

 With Sant Chatwal at the Varli festival.

 

L to R: Chefs K.N.Vinod, Ajay Chopra, Kunal Kapoor, Vicky Ratnani, Shipra Khanna, Varli Singh, Peter Beck, Prasad Chirnomula, Saransh Goila,Romy Hardeep Gill,and Harpal singh Sokhi.

Restaurateur Surfy Rahman and Chef Vicky Ratnani at the Varli festival.

 L to R : Chefs Vikram Vij, Vicky Ratnani, Kunal Kapoor, Ajay Chopra, and Hari Nayak

L to R : chefs K.N.Vinod, Ajay Chopra, and Kunal Kapoor

With a Correspondent from TV Asia, Chefs Prasad Chirnomula, Kunal Kapoor, Ajay Chopra,Sanjeev Kapoor and K.N.Vinod

Some of the photographs - courtesy - Varli food festival

Easter at the White House

I had the good fortune of visiting the White House on Easter Sunday along with my good friend and celebarated chef, Sanjeev Kapoor. My last visit to the White House kitchen was when Walter Scheib was the Executive Chef many years ago. This time around we had the pleasure of Chef Bill Yosses taking the time out to show us different areas of the White House such as the kitchen, State dining room, red room, blue room, and even Michelle Obama's kitchen garden. While at the White House, it was a great pleasure to meet Chef Anil Rohira, an internationally renowned pastry chef who was  visiting from India. This visit to the White House was extensively covered by several news outlets within India including Times of India, Hindustan Times, Financial Times, Indian Express, Deccan Herald and so on. 

Here are some pictures from the visit.  

Almost ready to go into the White House with the book for the President & the First Lady -"How to Cook Indian" By Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Chefs Sanjeev Kapoor and Bill Yosses at the White House

Chefs K.N.Vinod and Sanjeev Kapoor at the White House

L to R : Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef Bill Yosses and Chef K.N.Vinod in the state dining room. In the background is President Lincoln's portrait hung over the fire place

The picture was taken in blue room of the White House. The portrait in the background is of President James Madison

In conversation with Chef Bill Yosses at Michelle Obama's kitchen garden at the White House

L to R : Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef K.N.Vinod, Chef Bill Yosses and Chef Anil Rohira

In the background is a stage where a group was practicing for the next day when the White House was expecting about 30,000 guests

L to R : Chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, Bill Yosses, K.N.Vinod and James in the White House kitchen

With internationally renowned pastry Chef Anil Rohira

Putting the finishing touches on the Annual White House Easter Roll's famous Easter egg

A close up view of the White House Easter egg

Chef Bill Yosses taking a look at "How to Cook Indian" with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. This book was autographed and given to be presented to the President and the First Lady  

CELEBRITY CHEFS CONVERGE ON CAPITAL

CELEBRITY CHEFS CONVERGE ON CAPITAL

'Sunday Night Suppers' is a $550 per head dinner organized by Chef Alice Waters, Chef Jose Andres and cookbook author Joan Nathan to benefit the DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s table. The dinners are held in groups of 20 in private homes. Each dinner is hosted by two chefs and usually about 15 - 20 dinners are held simultaneously. Chefs are invited from different parts of the country and abroad.

This year, I was honored to be invited to host  one of these dinners along with Chef Ris Lacoste of Ris Restaurant. Ris and I met a week before the event and planned a menu. Given below is the menu that we served.I thoroughly enjoyed working with Ris. My only regret is that I should have asked somebody to take some pictures of the plated food...

My thanks to executive chef S.Balamurugan and my team for all their support. I would also like to thank Alexandra Perrotti , Daniel Korn, Marianne Helms , Jeana Harbison  who took the time out from their regular jobs to volunteer for a great cause. Last but not the least, would like to thank the lovely and gracious hostess Susie Tree for her hospitality and opening her beautiful home for us.

 With acclaimed Chef/Activist - Alice Waters and award winning cookbook author & TV personality   Joan Nathan at Joan's residence 

 Left to Right :ChefJoe Palma - West End Bistro, Joan Nathan, Chef Jennifer Carroll (of Top Chef)

 

  
 L to R : Chef/owner - Ris Lacoste from Ris, Susie Tree the gracious hostess and yours truly.

 

    Chef Ris and I sat with the guests and generally had some interesting conversation about food.

      In conversation with Mr.Bill Yosses,Pastry chef of the White house and acclaimed author.

 The owners of the Jamison Farm, Sukey and John Jamison enjoying the dinner with other guests. Jamison farm lamb is all natural, raised free range in Western Pennsylvania, is antibiotic and hormone free. John tells me that their lambs are never confined and are fed striclty on grazing system.

 White house pastry chef and author Bill Yosses with my colleague executive chef S.Balamurugan at the dinner.

 With Sukey of Jamison Lamb and Chef Ris Lacoste at the dinner. A special thanks to John and Sukey for providing the incredible lamb chops  - Jamison Farm.

    With Chef Nora Pouillon - who attended the dinner.

Overall it was a great experience interacting with such knowledgeable chefs. There is a lot to learn from each one of them in terms of their technique and approach to this kind of an event. It is really wonderful to know that DC Central Kitchen and Martha's table will benefit from this charity dinner and raised about $200,000/- dollars.

 

DC Restaurant Week - January 2012

Folks, this is the time of the year, when holidays are over and people are slowly getting back to work. Our bi-annual Restaurant Week begins tomorrow. At Indique, we have spruced up our menu and have many new dishes!  Come and join us  for dinner - January 9 - 15, 2012.

The Restaurant Week Menu is available at - www.indique.com

 

 

Vibrant India

Indique Heights welcomes NEST DC.

NEST DC is hosting an evening highlighting in rich local customs and artisan traditions of India. The evening will wave a combination of cultural activities such as traditional artisan demonstrations (ikat, block printing, and beading), henna station and relaxation space, welcome traditions including bindis and flower strands, sampling of Indian cuisine, dance performances and a special speech delivered by Dr.Virender K Paul, Minister of Press, Information and culture, Embassy of India.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit : http://www.buildanest.com/nestination

About Nest Nest is a nonprofit organization that empowers female artists and artisans around the world. Using a unique combination of interest-free microfinance loans, mentoring from established designers, as well as a market in which to sell their crafts, Nest helps its loan recipients create successful small businesses. Nest instills pride of ownership, preserves ancient artistic traditions and successfully moves women from poverty to self-sufficiency.

Diwali Mela - Indique Heights - 2011

Indique Heights Celebrates Diwali Festival with the Community on Sunday, October 16, 2011

 Food, fun and culture to celebrate the Indian Festival of Lights

 Indique Heights Restaurant is bringing the Indian Festival of Lights to Washington, D.C for the sixth year. On October 16th, 2011, neighbors, families and friends are invited to stop by Indique Height’s expansive outdoor terrace for festivities including Indian street snacks, and cultural activities for the entire family.

 Diwali festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Lights and diyas (oil lamps) are lit signifying the driving away of darkness and ignorance.  Though there are many legends and religious attributes attached to the festival, the Diwali celebration is a time for togetherness with family and friends. 

The festival at Indique Heights will transform the expansive terrace into a festive bazaar including a Diwali feast, henna artists, women fashions, jewelry, and paintings by a local artist. Guests can feast on a great menu of Indian street snacks and cuisine, and partake in a host of cultural activities. The Indique Heights Diwali festival is on October 16^th from 12 to 7.00 pm on Indique Heights’ terrace at Two Wisconsin Circle in Chevy Chase.

Admission is $21.20 per person. Children (ages 4-10)  -  $12.72.

(Food and featured drinks are included in the price)

Tickets are available at – www.diwalimela-indiqueheights.eventbrite.com

Here are some picturs from the previous years. 

"Chefs go Fresh" - chefs go to farms on bikes

 Local chefs recently got together at the Brasserie Beck restaurant in downtown, Washington DC to revive a very popular event "chefs on bikes". The event was organized by one of the co- founders of "Chefs on BIkes" Chef/Restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier,the publishers of Georgetowner, and Loudoun county,Virginia dept of economic development. 

The chefs got together at the Brasserie Beck,1101 K street, N.W., Washington DC at around 8 AM. We were treated to a big breakfast which included scrambled eggs, home made sausage, bacon, potatoes, belgian waffles and more...

While breakfast was being set up, I could not resist taking a picture of the shining copper pots and pans!

Above : Chef/Restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier, leading the chefs to the farms.

 First Stop : Endless Summer Harvest, located in Purcellville, Va. 

We were greeted very warmly by the owner Mary Ellen Taylor, who gave us a tour of her farm. 

      Ms. Mary Ellen Taylor,owner of the farm,greeting  Mrs.Sonia Bernhardt publisher of the Georgetowner.

NEXT STOP : CATOCTIN CREEK - DISTILLING COMPANY - LOUDOUN COUNTY - VIRGINIA 

Here we were greeted by a young husband and wife team - Scott and Becky, who own this company and produce award winning, high quality organic rye whiskey and gin. Apart from the Rye whiskey and gin, they also produce brandy from virginia wines and specialty liqueurs. Scott explained to us the process of making Rye Whisky and Becky poured the whiskey for us to taste. Apparently they are the first distillery in Loudon county, Va, operating since before prohibition.  

 

  

 After this we went to STONEYBROOK FARM, a 45 acre certified organic farm in the histroric town of Hillsboro, Va. This farm grows several quality crops, including heirloom varieties.

 

   Here again we were received with refreshments and canapes.

 

  Final stop : NOTAVIVA VINEYARD , where we got to taste several wines and had lunch. Notaviva Vineyard hosts several small concerts, and is a great location for weddings and private parties.

This was a fun day, very educational and did not realize that the neighboring Loudoun county was home to over 1,400 farms that produce variety of produce and livestock, from apples and squash to beef and poulty. 

Thanks to Sonya Bernhardt, publisher of the Georgetowner, Steven R. Delonga,for the fine champagne and limousine ride, and my friend Chef Robert Wiedmaier, for inviting me to attend. 

 

Washingtonian's annual best of Washington Party 2011

Indique and Indique Heights were once again proud to participate in the Best of Washington Party held at the National Building Museum organized by the Washingtonian Magazine and Living Social.  About 60 top restaurants of Washington participated in this event. Here are a few pictures. 

Thanksgiving in February - Tuesday, Feb 22, 2011

THANKSGIVING IN FEBRUARY - (BOMBAY BISTRO ROCKVILLE)

Join us on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 as we  celebrate Thanksgiving in February for the 19th year. Every year, one day in February, several restaurants contribute 10-20 percent of their sales to this community event. You can help fight hunger in our community by dining out at one of the participating restaurants.

     

Saturday Night Sips

Indique Heights is honored to be participating at the SIPS - a cocktail reception with JOSE ANDRES, ALICE WATERS AND JOAN NATHAN, all of whom I adore. The proceeds of this goes to Martha's table and DC Central Kitchen.

Join your community in celebrating health and nutrition while combating hunger and poverty in DC. Saturday Night Sips will be located at 1609 16th street, NW, Washington DC 20009. 

 

                                                               For more details

 

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