The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and Their Food Extravaganza

It is that time of the year when one of the most anticipated art festivals in Mumbai is all set to kick off! While there are various music and literature festivals, and the winter months bring out plenty of food festivals and events, The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) is the only one that unites various verticals and celebrates them all. It is a nine-day extravaganza that takes part in the trendy Kala Ghoda district in Mumbai and some of its adjoining neighbourhoods. From music, art, dance, literature, theatre and various workshops and talks, everything here is free during the nine-day festival, which really encourages people to attend.

Five years ago, the KGAF decided to include a new vertical and since then, one of the most popular sections at the festival has been their Food section. Like every year, this year promises a host of well-known restaurants and chefs taking part with live food demonstrations and sharing some of their popular recipes. In the past, there have been restaurants such as Indigo, The Table, Café Zoe, Masala Library, Olive, as well as well-known chefs such as Vicky Ratnani and Pooja Dhingra. Every year, the chefs demonstrate their recipes to a packed live audience that relish the chance to learn something from these professionals. This year also promises to be a star-studded event with chefs such as Sanjeev Kapoor and Ranveer Brar, along with a host of interesting restaurants showcasing various cuisines (including Parsi food, Gujarati food and some very healthy and even vegan recipes). While the regular food workshops are ongoing affairs, this year, the food vertical has expanded tremendously. The KGAF has tied up with the government-initiated Make In India programme to bring audiences music, dance, and food, and will play host to 25 food stalls and 15 artisanal stalls from February 6th–17th, 2016. The marketplace, which is a new addition, will have a strong local influence, showcasing brands and restaurants that work with local produce and Indian suppliers, and is going to be a delight for people to discover new and local brands.

For enthusiastic foodies, there are also moderated talks about the Organic Local Food Movement as well as the New Face Of Bombay Food Producers, which is another first for this section.

The biggest highlight at the festival this year is the launch of Flavours of Kala Ghoda, a very special cookbook that showcases recipes from chefs and restaurants that have been a part of the festival in the last four years. The book is being launched by our very own critic, Mr Vir Sanghvi, and followed by an interesting panel discussion.

While food festivals seem to be a trendy event that takes place in all forms across the city, it is unusual to find more than just food stalls at most of these. This year, the festival has plenty happening and for all the folks who grumble that there is never anything interesting happening in the food space, this is absolutely worth investigating. For more details about the festival and the schedule, please check their website: http://www.kalaghodaassociation.com/eventdetails.aspx?subcatid=380&catid=356&id=349

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