California on Your Plate

And a Glass of Wine With It

Michelin-starred Chef Steve Litke served a 5-course dinner in India, and it was literally All Things Nice with wine pairing by sommelier Nikhil Agarwal.

Text : Shraddha Mishra

He’s had a long journey from California to Bombay. He’s had a long day in the kitchens of Sofitel, BKC. He’s served a 5-course Californian meal to around 80 guests but he was happy to chat with us over a glass of wine. “That’s how I like to unwind, I enjoy a glass of wine after my dinner,” says the chef who comes from the land of fine wines.

The wine that evening came from the exquisite pairing by sommelier Nikhil Agarwal of All Things Nice, who paired the five courses with a fine selection from various wine regions of the world. Nikhil, fortunately, had a common friend on Facebook with Chef Steve, who helped him connect with the culinary expert. “Will you come and cook a meal in India?” Nikhil asked him, and “Yes, most definitely!” was the chef’s excited response.

That brought Michelin-starred Chef Steve Litke, to Bombay. Here he presented a meal that was spectacular, giving a glimpse of the farm-fresh, ingredient-driven food served at his California restaurant Farmhouse Inn. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2007, and Chef Steve Litke has upheld the honour ever since.

“Good food doesn’t just come from following trends that might come and go, but there’s one that I believe in,” says the chef. His restaurant at Farmhouse Inn champions the concept of farm-to-table, not leaving a large carbon footprint, since much before the trend caught on. “Today, anything that is sustainable is what will go a long way,” he firmly believes. In that regard, another food trend that the chef has recently seen and appreciates is reducing wastage of food and utilising all waste. Restaurants are constantly trying to find ways to cook with the chopped-off parts of fresh fruits and vegetables, that usually end up in the bin. At Farmhouse Inn, all the waste is put to good use, offering it as feed to the turkeys, chickens and rabbits at the ranch.

Rabbits at the ranch! Does that give us a clue into what’s special at Farmhouse Inn? Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit, the dish is called. It is one of the fastest moving dishes at the restaurant, the chef informs us and we believe him, for a serving of applewood-smoked bacon-wrapped loin, roasted rack and confit of leg served with fingerling potato in whole grain mustard cream sauce is simply an irresistible description on the menu!

Apart from cooking with farm animals, Chef Steve also does wonderful vegetarian preparations, featuring fresh produce. His love for fresh produce is such that he
can’t even resist stopping by at every farm from home to work, checking out what’s fresh today!

And so at Sofitel BKC, we enjoyed Michelin-starred Chef Steve Litke’s 5-course dinner, and were suitably impressed. The salad course was art on a plate! It looked like a beautiful farm recreated through colourful ingredients including cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, garnished with edible flowers. The dressing was indeed awe-inspiring. A light, sweet-n-sour jelly gave a flavour that enhanced the salad. What a unique preparation! It was tomato gelée. And Nikhil suggested we sip on the easy-breezy Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc along with it.

Every dish representative of the farm-to-table philosophy, the second course brought on our table a Roasted Beet Tartare, with fermented chilli, ginger, scallion, miso edamame and sprouts, while the non-vegetarians enjoyed Ahi Tuna Tartare done similarly. The citrusy, light Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay paired particularly well with the savoury-sweetness of the beets.

Roasted King Oyster Mushrooms followed next, impressively presented on a bed of sprouted lentil, quinoa, short grain brown rice and almonds. Cherry on top was a cherry! For California is known for its cherry farms and fresh seasonal berries, and we get a taste of that with this course. The cherry red wine gastrique that dressed the dish was complimented by not one but two wines. Between the deep-red Ego Bodegad El Gory and the rich ruby red Fetzer Eagle Peak Merlot, the glass of 2014 California Merlot was one we didn’t mind refilling.

Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Reserva, a 2017 Argentina red was served next, as we waited for our main course, when Nikhil saw us sipping on it and puckering up. “Wait till you try this wine with your next course,” he says spiritedly. And was he right about the pairing! Arrived on our table, a fluffy-as-can-be Roasted Garlic Three Cheese Polenta, while the non-vegetarians had a Rack of Lamb. Alongside was a garden ratatouille, making use of fresh vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers and eggplant. Served with a red pepper jus, the subtle flavours came alive with every sip of the Malbec.

Dinner came to an end with this course, but not before we had the dessert. Yoghurt Tart and Seasonal Berries made for a simple yet delicious dish, and just like that it was a bright California spring right here on our plate.

We had to tell Chef Steve how lovely and refreshing his salad was, as was the Rack of Lamb that the non-vegetarian main course served. And on that note he shared with us that this meal was a glimpse into the food he serves at his restaurant in USA. So when we particularly want a unique tomato gelée salad, we know where to head! “Come to Farmhouse, try some wines, I’d love to host you in California,” he said, and also shared his signature recipe with us, which we present to you here.

We bid adieu and let him take a night’s rest before he heads on to Delhi for another grand 5-course meal, for the eager diners. Eager he was too, to grab a bite of the much-talked-about Murgh Makhanwala while in Delhi.