‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a rock song by one of the world’s most popular Indian-origin rockstar Freddie Mercury was the inspiration for a unique dining experience organised by the students of V.M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), Manora-Raia recently.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was one of the two annual events conducted by the First Year students, the other being ‘Flavours of India, a 8-course fine-dining experience with modern twists on traditional Indian dishes influenced by Mughal, European and Chinese cuisines.
According to the organisers, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was a dining experience inspired by a famed concert by the legendary Freddie Mercury-led rock band, ‘Queen’. The event had performances by a four-member student band, dressed up as members of ‘Queen’ which added to the concert’s theme. The menu, a four-course dinner, was also inspired by the legendary band. In keeping with the theme, a paani puri shot – homage to Freddie Mercury’s Indian roots – was served with fig sauce, concoction of Jaggery water, chillies & lemon, pomegranate and coriander.
“We chose Bohemian Rhapsody as we thought it would be a challenging idea to incorporate rock and dining. We had to team up into different departments each showcasing a different skill and technique we’ve been honing in our degree program. From financing and marketing to kitchen and restaurant management, we were expected to put together the entire event from scratch,” said Endrea Fernandes, First Year student, the event-coordinator for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
‘Flavours of India’ showcased the influence of different regimes on Indian food and cuisines. A team of 30 students, with 15 students each in kitchen &service, presented a 8-course fine dining menu with an Indian theme.
Traditional dances from Goa to Kerala were infused after each course of meal, to visually entertain the guests. The menu included a lobster tea appetiser inspired by Pondicherry, a former French colony, chaat depicting India’s vibrant street food inspired by Shah Jahan’s rule in Delhi and main courses such as fish wrapped with deep-fried hakka noodles inspired by the burgeoning community of Chinese settlers in Kolkata in the ’60s and Goan sannas stuffed with prawn balchao, a Portuguese influence. The dessert was an assortment of Indian sweets.
“It was the first time we had an opportunity to serve people from outside our campus. It was a daunting task as we had to make sure every detail of service and food was to a consistent standard. We had to ensure the customer’s satisfaction was of utmost importance,” said Raashi Shetty, member of the organizing committee from ‘Flavours of India’.
“Overall, the ‘Flavours of India’ event and the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ concert were a grand success. The events showcased the students’ skills, and they received positive feedback from the attendees. The events which incorporated music and fine dining, also helped in evaluating the progress of the students,” said Prof. Irfan Mirza, Director & Principal, VMSIIHE.
