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Culinary calling
PACESETTER: Param & Ayesha
Parenting goes hi-tech
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Culinary calling
Eating out seems to most people’s new pass time and they are being offered menus, which aren’t only varied but also a gourmand’s delight. To cater to this rising demand a whole new breed of restaurateurs — engineers, radio jockeys, fashion designers, business executives , etc are zeroing in on food industry in platefuls. Passionate about food, these men and women across the country are finding a new anchor in life beyond the routine fare of dal makhani and chicken chowmein, and are succeeding at that. There is Avni Biyani of Foodhall in her early twenties; Randeep and Navneet Bajaj of Amour, both in their late twenties; the brother-sister duo Tanu and Bhuvan Narang of The Little Door, also in their twenties; Aashita Relan (27) of Royal China; and Nidhi Wadhwa (33) and several others who consider themselves as the “sorceress who dispenses happiness”. That’s what Elsa Schiaparelli, a well-known Parisian fashion designer, called a good cook. Interestingly, all these young men and women did not accidentally discover their calling for food. Having been successful in their respective fields they decided in favour of making a career of feeding others —pretty well aware that there are umpteen food outlets all over India, including the pricey seven-star or five-star ones. According to Zomato.com there are around 50,000 restaurants in India in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and other cities. And the numbers are increasing every week. Though many of these new places are hardly a year or two old, these are being noticed and visited for these offer of something out of the ordinary. Most of their customers are in the age-group of 25-40 — an enterprising lot who are always on the lookout for something new and exciting. By offerings them avant-garde food, great ambience, variety and authenticity they are pampering the diners. “Food is our passion,” chorus this new breed of young food entrepreneurs. Besides their love for good food, they are discerning travellers picking up destinations of their choice in order to gather new ideas dishes and serving techniques. “This industry looks pretty from outside. However, to break even within the first year you need to work extremely hard and be highly innovative,” says Randeep who has a degree in Entrepreneurship from Babson College, Massachusetts. He had joined his family business of airline consolidation but after a couple of years found ‘food calling him’ as he puts it. His ally in his venture is his wife, Navneet, a graduate from Milan’s Istituto Europeo Di Design. She has worked in the past with designers Verri Uomo and JJ Valaya and had launched her own fashion label, Aphrodite. Three years back, the couple set up Amour Patio Restaurant Café & Bar in Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village and followed it up Amour Bistro in the heart of the diplomatic enclave at Malcha Marg, New Delhi.“Initially it was Randeep, who persuaded me to join him but now I am quite involved in it and Amour Bistro is completely my baby,” says Navneet. What make these new food bars successful are their offerings of international cuisines presented in a novel way. Even the usual pizzas, burgers or nachos are served here with different toppings and decorations that leaves the diners asking for more. The word gets around through social networking sites or food portals leading to the cash registers ringing. “Present-day customers are highly educated and exposed to different cuisines via travel, net surfing or social networking sites. They are willing to experiment. To be successful we have to satisfy this urge. They certainly aren’t after the routine grub,” says Tanu, a successful brand manager, radio jockey and TV anchor in Mumbai, who chucked up her job to start an eatery. Her brother, Bhuvan, an equally successful event manager, decided to become her partner. Having tasted success at Mumbai with The Little Door, the duo set up a restaurant of the same name in Goa too. Besides the Mediterranean food, The Little Door offers fondues, pizzas, giant burgers and, of course, drunkesserts. Most often to please their parents’ many kids study courses of parents’ choice but later plough their own way, like Nidhi Wadhwa. After graduating in commerce, she did her Masters in business management. Similarly, Dev Amritesh, at present the president and CEO of Dunkin Donuts India, acquired a degree in industrial engineering before he moved to the food scene. Same is the story of Ashita Relan who graduated from University of Warwick, UK. “My dream was to offer a place with five-star fine-dining sensibilities but at affordable pricing and that is what we offer at Zura,’’ says Nidhi. After her MBA, she had worked as the managing director of the family’s equestrian equipments and accessories business. After a couple of years’ stint she decided to change tracks. But unlike others she decided to go about it in a professional manner. She studied for Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate at San Francisco-based California Culinary Academy, managed a Crepe & Gelato Café at downtown San Francisco and later worked at the baking and pastry section of a leading hotel chain in New Delhi. Only then she set up Zura, a bar, bistro and bakery in Gurgaon, which blends the modern European style with an assortment of Mediterranean varieties, focusing on creating gourmet textures with premium and fresh ingredients. Authenticity is the key factor which separates them from others. Like Ashita Relan whose eatery Royal China offers traditional Cantonese cuisine with snake and frog meat and other original and authentic ingredients. Deciding against joining her family business of manufacturing components for the automotive industry, she got a post-graduation degree in hotel management from Les Roche, Switzerland, before she set up Royal China, India. “For customers from China we offer the real Chinese food but for our Indian customers we ask them on their preferences first. We ensure that all ingredients are fresh and authentic imports from China,” explains Ashita. It has now three branches in Mumbai and one in New Delhi. Most of these eateries offer a variety of entertainment like DJs, live orchestra with known singers, games and special days of the week reserved for particular events etc. “People can enjoy a complete entertainment package with food of their choice,’’ says this new breed of food entrepreneurs.
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They help to make a house a home The idea was to create out-of-the box lifestyle home products. These should, they feel, make homes an extension of their customers’ personality Vibha Sharma
Parameswaran Natarajan is a photographer, design specialist, automobile tester, and media and communications’ professional. He is also interested in music, the arts and literature. Ayesha Chandy is a qualified chartered accountant who has worked as a tax consultant for many years. After working in corporate world in various capacities for 17 years, Param wanted to become an independent entrepreneur with a heart. He set up 25, Mulberry in 2009. It offers home-improvement products predominantly in wood — from true-jointed furniture built the old-fashioned way to curating vintage furniture lovingly restored. The same entrepreneurial bug bit his wife Ayesha in 2013. To use her keen eye for design aesthetics, she created a venture called Asmara. It was their joint vision for a space which was more than a furniture shop and where home as well as lifestyle products, for which they saw the need in North Bangalore, a fast-developing suburb. Asmara carries a range of thoughtfully sourced home linen, ready-to-use curtains, bedspreads, towels, doormats and napkin, kitchen mitts and seat pads, unique yoga mats and inventive travel bedding to bags, cushion covers and much more. The name Asmara means love in Malay and the word is derived from the Sanskrit word smara, denoting love or passion. Param and Ayesha believe: “Big or small, we like our products to make our customers' homes an extension of their personality which means that each product should be different from the mass-produced stuff.” Hence, Asmara naturally veers towards handmade products, because of the character each piece brings. A lot of furniture that they make has its roots in old designs, but with the functionality of new hardware. They are inspired by classical designs and the focus is on doing slimmed-down versions so that furniture pieces fit in smaller spaces easily. Param says, “We work with hard wood only and build furniture the old-fashioned way so that furniture can actually be handed down generations.” As is true with everyld and venture, Ayesha and Param deal with many challenges on a daily basis. Finding the right product at the right price point that what people want is a challenge. Retention of work force and keeping it happy is another challenge in a big city where job opportunities are aplenty. As of now, they have more than 10 people between the store and the wood working facility. They plan to work on having more ready-to-buy pieces in the store. Ayesha says, “We are also looking at expanding by setting up a cafe on the premises. The expanded space also envisages an activity centre which can be hired by people to run interesting workshops.” They hope for a better retail presence online soon and eventually expand to other cities in India. Ayesha says, “It is difficult but extremely satisfying working for yourself. However, one needs to think twice before taking a holiday because you are on your own and the buck does stop with you.”
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Parenting goes hi-tech Gadgets have taken over the world of moms, dads and infants. Crib projectors send babies to their dreamland with soft music and twinkling lights. Once asleep, the baby is guarded by monitors, which have integrated cameras with night vision which pick up all sounds with their microphones and transmit them to parents. Bedside heat-controlled bottles deliver milk at the exact temperature a baby likes and bluetooth-enabled analysers will tell you the reason why your little bundle of joy is crying — whether she or he is hungry, angry, stressed-out, tired or simply sleepy. There are also special apps that can be downloaded on smartphones that translate why the kiddo is howling. Pre-natal gizmos The nursery is going hi-tech. And how! Gizmos and gadgets have begun starting at birth and even before that! Devices like Lullabelly, Bellysonic, FirstSounds and BabyPlus — that expectant mothers wear under their growing abdomens — are a series of utero audio lessons that are specifically tailored to a child’s growth during nine months in the womb. They provide specific stimulation to babies during gestation that have a positive and a calming effect once they are born. With manufacturers of infant products responding to the needs of the fast-pacing digital world and incorporating technology into everything from baby cribs to diapers, parenting is turning into a fun chore. Leading diaper maker Huggies has launched ‘TweePee,’ a Twitter bird-shaped sensor that can be attached to the baby’s diaper and linked to a parent’s smartphone. Whenever the diaper is dirty the parent will receive a tweet that the infant needs a change. Automated toys Baby entertainment, too, is coming in for a makeover. Smartphone-synched toys are not just keeping babies happy but introducing them to the wired world. Even age-old conventional recreations are being ushered into the age of automaton. The cuddly bear, for example, has gone digital. Japanese toy manufacturing company Cube Works has launched the Cocolo Bear that talks and sings to children via an embedded electronic device when the parents are not around. The age-old swing which used to be a simple way of gently swaying the baby back and forth to lull it to sleep now has a robotic version. Leading American company 4Moms, which produces gizmos for children, has transformed the simple swing into a futuristic multi-speed device that electronically rocks the baby to sleep with soft strains of music emanating from its built-in Mp3/iPod dock. Indeed the next generation of nursery gadgets is aimed at making yours and your infant’s lives safer, simpler and a lot more sweet. Though a stroll in the park with the little one in the pram was always something parents looked forward to, it now comes with a heightened sense of fun. In the 21st century, the traditional baby carrier has been turned into an electronically folding gizmo that opens and shuts with the touch of a button and features generators in its rear wheels that make the ride super smooth for the child. Most of these strollers come with snooze shades to shield the baby from harsh sunlight and rain. Some are even equipped with temperature control devices. Car protection If your baby is likely to travel with you in the car, there are electronically activated carriers that get attached to the backseat of the car. The carrier will wirelessly transmit information to your smartphone about your child’s backseat well-being and also alert you if the baby has unbuckled his or her seatbelt. Then there is the Carcoon baby car seat, which upon sensing any kind of impact, will immediately deploy a protective cover over the baby and become a kind of a cocoon to protect the little one from any impact or any flying objects and broken glass. In this digital age, these high-tech gadgets not just have the potential of revolutionising the world of babies but are an amazing boon for parents. All they need to do is to be ready to be wired up with contraptions like smartphones and devices worn like an ornaments with small display screens. The end result is a happy baby which translates into a happy parenting experience. Though many researchers have undertaken studies on how the increasing use of technology will affect parenting and child-rearing, experts say that as long as devices and gizmos are confined to making life easier for parents and secure for kids, it makes a lot of sense in taking the help of technology. Like it or not, the age of the robot nanny has arrived.
This five-piece Disney diaper tote features an embroidered Winnie the Pooh and a honey bee with colourful leafy forest accents. The set includes a bottle bag with matching wipe case, a changer and a pouch. There are multiple external pockets and linings, which makes finding things very easy inside the bag.
This innovative device has an orthodontic pacifier, which the baby sucks as the thermometer records the infant’s temperature. It takes just 90 seconds — the time taken to change a diaper — to take accurate readings and the thermometer beeps when it reaches the correct temperature. A big display makes reading easy.
The Diono Warm ’n’ Go is an insulated travel bottle warmer for babies. It is made from neoprene and heats up the bottle in less than 10 minutes using a 12V car socket. It features a power light and a thermal fuse to stop overheating. It can be stored in the cup holder or hung from the car’s dashboard.
These gel-filled innovative keys stay cooler longer and are great for teething babies and helps soothe baby gums. The colourful keys are easy for babies to grasp and hold. These have multiple textures all around and are flat so it’s easy for a baby not just to grab and chew on them but also to play with them.
BabyPlus is a series of audio lessons that are specifically tailored to every stage of a child’s growth in the womb. These lessons comprise natural sounds similar to the comforting rhythm of the mother’s heartbeat. The lessons help the baby to be more relaxed and alert at birth and have the ability to self-soothe.
Protect your baby from harmful bacteria without harsh chemicals with the steam guard electric steriliser by Munchkin. With the push of one button, you can disinfect bottles, pacifiers or even small toys. It sterilises up to nine bottles at a time and has an adjustable tray to fit all sizes. It keeps bottles from falling.
The shock of being swiped across a dirty bum will fully awaken any drowsy baby at night. That’s where the Munchkin Warm Glow Wipe Warmer comes in. It has a soft light for night-time diaper changes and is ideal for winter months as cold wipes or bright lights might keep both the baby and the parents awake.
The Blooming baby bath is a super soft, plush foam bather that moulds to fit into a sink. Made with foam with a soft, silky outer cover, it is a practical way to bathe the little one in a secure environment. It is a great alternative to hard plastic tubs and will keep the baby comfortable during bath time.
This tunnel encourages little ones to crawl and explore. It is a fun and colourful play thing with open netting at the top and a removable cushioned bottom pad with mirror. The mirror is a great reward at the end of the tunnel that encourages babies to discover their own reflection. Watch how the smiles grow.
It’s versatile, portable, and adorable. Attach the Fisher-Price Crib 'N Go Projector Soother to a baby’s cot for soft music, nature sounds and a charming light show projected on the ceiling. Plays up to 10 minutes of music with three settings: classical, lullabies or nature sounds to put a baby to sound sleep.
This baby bassinet by Italian company Culla Belly is an imaginative attachment to a bed. It opens from one side between the child and the mother creating a single space in which the mother can move easily in case the little one needs her. The co-sleeper can convert into a rocking cradle and high chair during day.
During the first year of a baby’s life, it is very difficult for new parents to understand why the baby is crying. Is the child hungry, angry, stressed out or plain bored? The Why Cry Mini Analyser can solve the riddle. It tells parents the reason for crying and displays the answer on an easy-to-read LCD screen.
This is a cool babysuit. At first glance, it’s just a regular cotton pink outfit. But there’s much more to it. The suit changes colour according to the baby’s body temperature. For example, if the child has fever the Babyglow Suit turns white to let a parent know that the infant needs care or even a visit to a paediatrician.
The Mamaroo Baby Bouncer by American company 4Moms mimics all the ways a mother comforts her baby with its movements. It also has built-in Mp3/Ipod dock so parents can play any type of music to help relax the baby. It has two reversible toy balls and the seat can be reclined to any position.
This is a unique blackout blind for prams and carrycots to shield the baby from harsh sunlight and rain. Snooze shade is an innovative baby sleep product that helps infants sleep comfortably in a pram without any extraneous disturbance. It attaches to the buggy's frame quickly and easily with the help of velcro straps.
MilkySnugz is a fun, cuddly bottle-holder that makes feeding time easier for mother and baby. Available in various characters, it provides comfort to the baby during feeding time and serves as a friend to snuggle up with in bed. It greatly helps a baby transition from breast-feeding to bottle-feeding.
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Bling it on
DRIVING Mr CHAN price: Likely to be auctioned for over
Rs 7.08 crore ($1.18 million)
THIS DIAMOND IS FOREVER price: Auctioned for
Rs 142.77 crore ($2,37,95,372)
FASTEST-SELLING BOOTS price:
Rs 18,600 for a pair ($310)
BAG OF PAST TIMES price: Ranging between
Rs 3.30 lakh and 33 lakh ($5,500 & $55,000)
JEWELS FOR THE iPHONE & iPAD price:
Rs 1.26 crore & Rs 2.88 crore ($210,000 & $480,000) for iPhone 5S & iPad mini cases, respectively.
FRAGRANT EATING price:
Rs 3,600 ($60)
It's a classic case of an accessory upping the style quotient of a product. Luxury smartphone personalisation company 'By Atelier' has launched a limited edition Samsung Galaxy S5 and Gear Fit combination set wrapped in orange real crocodile leather case that will stand you apart. Hand-assembled by in-house artisans, the set comes with a 24/7 personal concierge that will help you organise hotel booking, flights, transport, holidays, restaurants, dining club, events and ticketing. Considering the price you would be paying for the case, the concierge service is completely free! price:
Rs 1.49 lakh for smartphone, smartwatch & leather case ($2,485)
Guess who was the most fashionably dressed at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival? The answer to that trick question is a bottle of champagne. Celebrating its 21st anniversary as Official Champagne Supplier to the legendary film festival, French brand Piper-Heidsieck launched a new limited-edition black-and-gold- labelled bottle wearing a sleeve consisting of a black jacket with red detailing, black bow tie and a white shirt with gold studs just like a real movie star. Though the Grande Maison Champagne House’s connection to the cinema dates back to 1933 this is the first time it is dressed for the occasion. price:
Rs 3,600 ($60)
AT 55, BARBIE TURNS HEP price:
Rs 9,000 ($150)
HOTEL ON WHEELS price:
Rs 31,500 per night ($525)
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Winnie, the Pooh, diaper tote
Digital pacifier thermometer
Travel bottle warmer
Teethers & soothers
Teaching in the womb
Electric bottle steamer
Hot wipes
Bath time
Learn-to-crawl tunnel
Projector soother
The baby bassinet
The cry analyser
Temperature changing bodysuit
Infant rocking seat
Snooze shade
Bottle holder
To be among the world's most popular stars is one thing but to have a car named after you is quite another! In a move aimed at capturing the market of customised luxury cars and bespoke automobiles buyers in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and other countries of the region, Lamborghini, the Italian luxury car maker has unveiled a one-off Aventador dedicated to actor Jackie Chan. Named the Lamborghini Aventador Jackie Chan Edition, it has been created in celebration of Jackie's 60th birthday on April 7, 2014. After the car’s auction in May, the proceeds went to Jackie Chan Charity Fund which supports the development of China's film industry. This makes it a win-win situation for all.
It was an auction that would have made a woman’s heart go aflutter. Going under the hammer at the Christie’s Geneva auction was the world’s biggest fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond and the bidders were some of the biggest collectors and jewellers of the world. The shimmering, flawless pear-shaped rock the colour of cobalt and weighing 13.22 carats was described by Christie’s as: “The largest fancy vivid blue diamond in the world.” The privately-owned diamond is a “sensational stone,” the auction house said, adding that the seller wanted to remain anonymous. And the result was not difficult to predict. The auction saw intense bidding with the winner taking home what is being described as the diamond of the century.
It must go down in the Guinness Book of World Records as the quickest-selling footwear of the world. The new gold Cristiano Ronaldo 2014 Football Boots in a limited edition of 100 were sold out on www.nike.com in less than one minute. The black-and-white football boots, with a unique gold plate outsole were released on April 8, 2014 as a tribute to Ronaldo who won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for the second time and is one of the hot favourites to bag the Golden Boot award at the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Millions of fans of the sporting star could not buy a pair of the boots, but rumours have it that some lucky people who grabbed the 100 pairs are selling them at a hefty premium.
As one of France’s oldest trunk makers, Moynat has a lot to do with travel. The company was set up when the French railway system was being established. It initially catered to people who took this new means of steam transportation. Now 150 years later, with the re-launch of the legendary Orient Express, Moynat has released a stunning travel case. Called Malle de Beauté, the case is sheathed in vegetal-tanned calfskin in the signature Orient-Express blue, with a beige lining. Those who buy the case are in for a surprise when they open it. It is filled with luxury products from French perfume house Guerlain. And if that isn't enough, it also contains a vintage Baccarat bottle of Shalimar — the most sought-after European perfume in the roaring 1920s.
There is a plethora of accessories being launched for the iPhone and iPad yet, once in a while comes something that makes people sit up with amazement. Celebrated Italian luxury jeweller Buccellati has launched the world’s most-inspired iPhone 5S and iPad mini cases. Part of the new Unica collection, the accessories are a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci's solar illustrations and are engraved in the jewellery house's signature etching and punctuated with small diamond starbursts. But wait. Don't go rushing out to buy the covers. You might have to break a bank for them.
This is a device your tastebuds will simply love. Montreal-based company Molecule-R has invented the Aromafork — a fork that will change the way you eat and perceive flavours. The fork comes with an array of aromas such as chocolate, coffee, fruits, herbs and spices. The Aromafork involves your nose directly in the tasting process. Foodies will be able to add olfactive flavours such as basil, jalapeno, truffle or chocolate to a small chamber at the base of the fork's handle, and seamlessly roll its effect into an entirely different bite of food making eating into an intensely flavoursome experience. 
Even as Barbie blew 55 candles on her birthday cake this year, she remains a dream doll who's been fascinating people for well over half a century. She appeals to almost everybody --- little girls, older girls, boys and sometimes even adults. Best of all her fashion sense has got sharper with age. This year she is wearing a dazzling khaki tunic dress and Christian Louboutin- fringed fuschia boots over the knees. For the Barbie lovers, she comes complete with pink retro-chic sunglasses and a wardrobe, three pairs of shoes, and mini Louboutin boxes and bags. Looks like Barbie is playing no games when it comes to fashion.
When you enter this hotel you step into the world of automobiles, quite literally. The V8 hotel in Stuttgart is a car lover's dream come true. Its rooms flaunt distinct automobile-inspired designs, including petrol stations and car beds where guests can sleep in everything from a Morris Minor to a Mercedes. One room is designed like a Formula-1 race track, another like a car wash and yet another looks like a drive-in movie theatre with a giant TV and the ceiling designed like a starry night. All rooms are equipped with unique props and memorabilia and are furnished with genuine car parts, making it an experience of a lifetime for road junkies.