FASHIONABLE FOOD

Introducing food design to the country, Smoke House Deli is changing the nuances of fine dining through a bevy of collaborations with artists and fashion designers

If you’ve heard someone say that food is a feast for the eyes as well as an appetite for fine living, they were probably talking about food design. From minimalistic arrangements to a dramatic presentation, the use of techniques that imbue variations in the height, colour, texture, and garnishing of a dish to create stylised look and appeal has now become paramount in the food industry. In Delhi, Smoke House Deli’s newest outpost in Hauz Khas Village is bringing this art of food play to the country. Merging the creative vision of fashion designers and artists with the craft of its Chef Shamshul Wahid, who has curated Smoke House Deli’s menus in Delhi and Mumbai, the restaurant has created a new space for experimental dining. Titled the Deconstruction Project, the deli is promoting this international food trend through a series of soirées where food meets fashion, art, or design. In July, Chef Wahid worked with designer-duo Shivan and Narresh to create a menu that mirrored the designers’ Spring 2013 collection, which was also presented alongside the dishes. Wahid mimicked their use of colour blocking, geometric designs, and bold hues for dishes like colour blocked Jello shots and watermelon martinis with mint foam floats. Once created for the soirees, new recipes are featured as specials, and some are then retained on the regular menu. “The collaboration was really exciting as it allowed us to explore a new canvas to translate our aesthetic onto,” say the designers. The deconstruction of the two mediums will be stepped up over the next few months featuring both fashion and product designers as well as installation artists. After Gauri and Nanika’s showcase in August, which featured desserts that mirrored the designer’s feminine creations, the restaurant is all set to collaborate with Play Clan and scenographer and designer Sumant Jayakrishnan, among other artists, to create a plate for every epicurean.