Savour Mumbai’s Rare Culinary Heritage with Pathare Prabhu Special at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

Savour Mumbai’s Rare Culinary Heritage with Pathare Prabhu Special at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

By Author

Published on February 10, 2025

As part of its ongoing endeavour to revive and celebrate India’s lesser-known culinary traditions, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach is shining a spotlight on Pathare Prabhu cuisine, a gastronomic legacy deeply embedded in Mumbai’s history. This exclusive food promotion, ‘Mumbai’s Ancestral Bites: Pathare Prabhu,’ offers diners a rare opportunity to experience a community’s rich and distinct culinary identity. With recipes passed down through generations, the Pathare Prabhu tradition is defined by its unique spice blends, bold seafood and red meat preparations, and a nuanced balance of flavours rarely found in mainstream Indian cuisine. Hosted at The Square restaurant, this initiative seeks to preserve and promote a vanishing culinary heritage.

Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach has partnered with acclaimed culinary expert Chef Bimba Nayak, a Pathare Prabhu herself, who has been instrumental in bringing this menu to life. Commenting on the initiative, she said, “Pathare Prabhu cuisine is a hidden treasure in Mumbai’s culinary landscape. Once a staple of the city’s aristocratic households, these dishes have gradually faded from public memory. This initiative aims to reignite interest in these historic flavours, offering a dining experience steeped in cultural significance and authenticity. Through this initiative, we are celebrating its vibrant flavours and ensuring its legacy continues for future generations.”

Chef Avinash Kumar, Director of Culinary at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Our goal is to curate an experience that goes beyond just food. It’s about storytelling through flavours, evoking nostalgia, and showcasing Mumbai’s deep-rooted culinary traditions. We are honoured to bring this community’s rich culinary heritage to the forefront.”

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The event runs exclusively on weekends from 7th to 9th February 2025 and 15th to 16th February 2025, offering an elaborate buffet that highlights the distinct seafood and red meat preparations that define Pathare Prabhu cuisine. Additionally, a special thali experience for lunch and an expansive buffet for dinner will allow guests to savour traditional dishes meticulously prepared by Chef Bimba Nayak, along with Chef Avinash Kumar and Chef JP Evangelist.

About Novotel: Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers high-quality hotels designed as comforting and energising places where guests can achieve balance in their busy lives, whether they are traveling for work, leisure, or a blend of both. The brand’s wide array of hotels, suites, and resorts offer a multitude of services, including spacious, modular rooms with natural and intuitive design; relaxed restaurants with nutritious choices; flexible workspaces; attentive and proactive staff; family zones for the youngest guests; multi-purpose lobbies; and accessible fitness centres. Novotel, which has over 590 locations in more than 65 countries, is part of Accor, a world-leading hospitality group counting over 5,700 properties throughout more than 110 countries. Novotel is also a participating brand in ALL - Accor Live Limitless – a lifestyle loyalty program providing access to a wide variety of rewards, services, and experiences.

About Accor: Accor is a world-leading hospitality group offering experiences across more than 110 countries with 5,700 properties, 10,000 food & beverage venues, wellness facilities, and flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry’s most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing more than 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. Accor is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity, and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States.


Serious Slice Is Celebrating World Tiramisu Day With a Classic That Needs No Introduction

Serious Slice Is Celebrating World Tiramisu Day With a Classic That Needs No Introduction

By Hariharan U

Published on March 12, 2026

Some desserts don't need reinventing, they just need to be made properly. And that's exactly the philosophy Serious Slice is bringing to World Tiramisu Day this year.

The Bengaluru-based Neapolitan pizza kitchen is celebrating the occasion with its classic Tiramisu, a dessert that's stayed faithful to its Italian roots, made the way it's always been made, with no shortcuts and no unnecessary twists.

The dessert itself is a beautiful thing in its simplicity. Layers of espresso-soaked sponge sit beneath a smooth, luxurious mascarpone cream, the kind that's light enough to feel indulgent rather than heavy. Every bite brings together the aromatic richness of coffee with the soft sweetness of the cream, and a fine dusting of cocoa powder on top adds that subtle bittersweet finish that rounds off the whole experience perfectly.

At Serious Slice, tiramisu isn't just a dessert on the menu it's a reflection of how the restaurant approaches Italian food overall. The brand is rooted in traditional technique, ingredient integrity, and a deep respect for the craft behind Neapolitan cuisine. The same care that goes into their wood-fired pizzas,through slow fermentation, high-heat cooking, and quality ingredients,goes into how they've approached this dessert.

It pairs naturally with the rest of their menu, making it the kind of ending to a meal that feels considered rather than added as an afterthought. Whether you're coming in for the pizza and staying for dessert, or making a dedicated World Tiramisu Day stop, the classic at Serious Slice is worth every bite.

Serious Slice has two locations in Bengaluru,Cunningham Road and RR Nagar.


McDonald’s India Recreates Iconic Ad with Sara Arjun for Buddy Meal

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on March 12, 2026

McDonald’s India – North and East has announced actor Sara Arjun as its Brand Ambassador, bringing back a familiar face many viewers remember from one of the brand’s popular television commercials. Years after appearing in the ad as a child, Sara now returns in a new role, marking a nostalgic moment for both the brand and its audience.

The collaboration coincides with the launch of McDonald’s new Buddy Meal, a value offering created for friends who enjoy sharing food and spending time together. The campaign is introduced through a fresh television commercial that also revisits the playful tone of the earlier advertisement.

The Buddy Meal includes two burgers,  customers can choose between the McAloo Tikki or Veg Surprise, along with two Coke and one medium fries. The meal brings together some of McDonald’s familiar favourites in a simple combo designed for two people.

The new film recreates the well-known “girlfriend–boyfriend” banter from the earlier campaign, adding a humorous and relatable twist. In the ad, Sara jokingly talks about how relationships today can feel “too demanding,” with her buddy expecting big gestures and even a bit of “princess treatment.” The moment takes a lighter turn when he admits that all he really wants is a McAloo Tikki, reminding viewers that sometimes the simplest things bring the most joy.

The playful exchange ends with the voiceover saying, “Shukar hai McDonald’s Buddy Meal for 2 hai… starts at just ₹119.” The film concludes with the two sharing the meal together, reinforcing the campaign message “Khao Meal, Baat Ke,” which celebrates sharing food, laughter, and easy moments with friends.

Commenting on the announcement, Anant Agarwal, Vice Chairman, MMG Group and CPRL, said,

“At McDonald’s India – North and East, we have always believed in creating moments that bring people together. Sara’s return to McDonald’s is a wonderful reminder of the deep emotional connections many customers have grown up with. With the Buddy Meal, we are celebrating friendship, nostalgia and the simple joy of sharing a McDonald’s meal together at great value.”

Sharing her thoughts on the collaboration, Actor Sara Arjun said,

“McDonald’s has been a special part of my journey since childhood. Returning to the brand for this campaign feels incredibly nostalgic. The Buddy Meal captures the simple joy of sharing food and laughter with friends, and it’s wonderful to be part of a story that brings back such fond memories while creating new ones.”

By bringing back a familiar face from one of its memorable campaigns, McDonald’s India – North and East taps into the nostalgia many customers associate with the brand, while also inviting a new generation to create their own moments at McDonald’s.

The Buddy Meal is available for a limited period across McDonald’s restaurants in North and East India, and can be ordered through dine-in, takeaway, drive-thru, the McDonald’s App, and leading food delivery platforms.


Chef Hari Nayak Is Back at Four Seasons Maldives — and the Menu Looks Absolutely Stunning

Chef Hari Nayak Is Back at Four Seasons Maldives — and the Menu Looks Absolutely Stunning

By Hariharan U

Published on March 10, 2026

If you've been looking for a reason to plan a Maldives trip this April, Chef Hari Nayak just gave you one.

The celebrated chef is returning to Baraabaru, the award-winning Indian restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa for another residency that promises to be every bit as special as his previous visits. Baraabaru, named among CNN Travel's Top 10 Maldives' Finest Tables, is already one of the most respected Indian dining destinations in the region. With Chef Nayak back in the kitchen alongside Head Chef Kishan Singh, the combination of coastal Indian tradition and global culinary technique is going to be firing on all cylinders.

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This season's menu is a confident journey through India's regional flavours but done with personality and a contemporary edge that makes each dish feel fresh. Gujarat's Anda Ghotala makes an appearance alongside Kolkata's Beguni, while black garlic naan and barbecue butter chicken chops bring bold, satisfying flavours to the table. And then there's the gulab jamun crème brûlée, a playful, East-meets-West dessert that sounds like exactly the kind of thing you'd remember long after the meal ends.

The dish that's likely to turn the most heads, though, is Chef Nayak's signature whole baked lobster with coconut turmeric sauce and lemon rice. Bold, fragrant, and unmistakably his, it's the kind of dish that captures everything great about modern Indian cooking in a single plate.

Chef Nayak will be in residence at Baraabaru from 30th March to 4th April 2026. It's a short window, so if this is on your radar, now is the time to make it happen.

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