If I were to be asked which year would I consider as the turning point in Bombay�s Night Out Life, I�d say 1999. And If I were asked who are the people responsible for pioneering this movement of change that is now sweeping over the entire country, I�d put two names on top of the list. A.D. Singh and Rahul Akerker. And most people who have been following the city�s changing trends would probably endorse that. For some reason I also associate these two men in one frame in my mind�s eye. Why? For a multiple reasons. For starters, both started out at the same time and � what a lot of people don�t know, together as partners in Just Desserts. The year was 1990 and AD bored with just his Party Line operations wanted to do something new. He got this space on Homi Mody Street which was only a lunch-time restaurant (Parisian), and converted it into the most happening night spot in town. He did this very simply. By offering to his patrons the most droolworthy desserts which they ate in a young, warm and vibrant atmosphere accompanied by great Jazz music! The first-of-its-kind in India. Rahul had returned from the US at this time, with loads of culinary expertise having worked at many trendy restaurants in New York. AD, just that summer, had had the pleasure of eating one of the best meals of his life at Rahul�s home, cooked by Rahul naturally, and invited him to join up with launching Just Desserts. He did, and their combined talents went on to create magic, prompting Adman Gerson Da Cunha�s comment, "This is the future of jazz in India.�

From there on, they went solo, until 1999-2000, when they both hit big time and the public eye again. AD now married to sweet Sabina, a stewardess with an international airline, started Olive. Rahul, also now in harness with wife Malini, without whom he would never have achieved the phenomenal success he did, started Indigo. And here lies their �together-in-one frame picture� again. Rahul�s Indigo at Colaba in South Bombay was driving townies mad with joy with the new zing in their lives and AD�s Olive situated at Pali Hill in North Bombay was keeping the neighborhood awake night after night, making the suburbs rock like it had never before. While the uptown people always drove downtown without a murmur, it was only now that the spoilt and snooty socialites of downtown Bombay actually condescended to drive to the suburbs. They just had to check out AD�s Olive, the Mediterranean Villa! It was a tough effort on the part of these young men, both of whom returned more or less at the same time from the US with Science Degrees in hand and who are more or less the same age, Rahul 46, AD 45, to not just carve a niche for themselves, but grow from then on, not as much backed by stupendous finances as much as creativity, innovation, passion and drive. They pioneered the lifestyle revolution which we are presently witnessing in full force.

Now to trace back the life of these two, AD first. AD Singh, though born in Delhi, grew up in Bombay. He went to school at Cathedral and John Connon, college at St. Xaviers. Then on a scholarship he proceeded to study Electrical Engineering at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, USA. He graduated in 1984 and not wanting to be a second class citizen all his life, returned home to India with stars in his eyes and raring to go work with NGO organisations. Rather an unusual choice for a person as young, I�d think, and which is what AD himself soon realised. The concept of working at NGOs in India he saw was that of a sacrifice. His genuine desire of working at Agriculture Economics, making a contribution to rural life, came to naught when he saw his takehome salary would come to Rs.300. End of idealistic dream, he moved on to taking up a job at Cadbury�s in the computer department at Talegoan. In this small-place environment, with mountains and streams around, he had time enough to reflect this was not his calling. He realised he had skills and aptitude not relevant to that job and he decided to move on. But one objective was clear, he had to make about 4,000 bucks a month. About this time his sister Ayesha was getting married, they had a difficult time organizing a boat to go cruising on the Arabian Sea, for one of the wedding functions they had planned. After the marriage AD got an idea, why not get into business organising these kind of things, there is a great need after all. That�s how Party Lines was born and AD�s creative streak took over. Partying on the high seas was a new idea for Bombay and it became a huge hit. After a while AD felt the urge to do something new and that�s when Just Desserts started. After two years of successfully running this place he spent the next two years having fun. Meaning he took jazz over to the Gorai island, where at the Manori Bel, the rustic weekend seaside resort with thatched cottages, he organized music soirees with great panache. Then there were other spectacular jazz evenings at the Guestline Hotel and the laidback Rippon Club at Kala Ghoda. These jazz evenings were held on the terrace of the ancient club, overlooking the rooftops of other architecturally grand edifices around, the Bombay University, the Rajabai Tower, the High Courts! AD was enjoying himself being his own boss, indulging in un-reined creativity, dreaming away. Working was such fun and to top it he was making loads of money.

Then followed his consultancy services to Sanjay Narang where he was instrumental in starting up Jazz By The Bay, a place most successful to this day, which is 12 years later, albeit with a slight change in name, Not Just Jazz By The Bay. Soon after AD with Anupam Mayekar of the London Pub fame as partner, started India�s first Tapas Bar at Chowpatty called Copa Cabaana. The extra �a� in Cabaana, added for reasons of good Feng Shui, paid off. Again the very young in town rushed to party at the new place in town and the cash registers went ringing. Having surpassed way beyond the old objective of making Rs. 4,000 a month, AD then went on to become the master crafter shaping Bombay�s future in areas of leisure and entertainment. Atul Ruia approached him to develop a much larger space, namely the area we now call the Phoenix Mills Mall. When AD first paved the way, started conceptualising the grand plan and succeeded in translating his vision, the outcome was "The Bowling Co." and we used to say, "Let�s go to the BO". It was simply awesome for Bombay which had until then never seen such a place. It was expensive but it was worth it, the equipment was the best the world offered. If you recall, Fire and Ice, the rage of a disco, was discreetly tucked in the same premise in those days, with Soul Fry, AD�s home-styled cooking, coastal food restaurant, round the corner. This project changed the perception of Central Bombay. From being merely a wasted downmarket, redundant mill land it was now the new entertainment center. To see what this place has today transformed to, turn to Page 131. The story of a tiny acorn and a grand Oak tree!

After spending three-and-a-half years at this place, AD moved on. He gave Bombay its first floating bar off Chowpatty Beach in the form of Suzy Wong and then in November 2000, Olive happened. Bombay was clearly overwhelmed with this charming new restaurant. Casual dining in a fine setting. To walk on pebbles, sit in an open air courtyard, drink from a fabulous bar. The power of the suburbs came into play, and the rest of Bombay sat up and noticed for the first time that there was life in the suburbs too! That they can party just as hard, if not harder! Not one to rest on his laurels, AD opened Olive in Delhi in November 2003 and will open another Olive in Bangalore this year-end.

Which gets us to Rahul Akerkar. Rahul is among one of those who you see once and never forget. With his maverick ways he creates a lasting impression. And he does look like a chef � completely, bald pate included. I would describe Rahul as an unconventional person who does his own thing and doesn�t give a damn about anything. He is a passionate human being, that shows in his cooking, and also a perfectionist, even outside of the kitchen. Malini, his wife, tells me with eyes wide open, if she at all dares to file even an innocent letter that is just slightly crooked, there can be a war! But, she adds, he does have a great sense of humour and is a super father to their two daughters, Amalia, 6, and Shaan, 11. What will surprise people is Rahul�s educational qualification. He is an M.Sc from New York�s Columbia University, which is fine, but take a look at his chosen subject. Bio-chemical Engineering. Thesis Topic: "The effect of extracellular NADH on the growth behaviour of a type II methanotroph: Methylocystis parvus OBBP." Phew! Goes beyond me, but as long as this helps him to create the perfect sour dough bread, (for which you need the perfect live culture) I am all right with his thesis. Incidentally, Rahul is a double graduate. B.Sc from Columbia in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA. Philosophy was his minor subject. If that surprises you let me surprise you further, he used to play the sitar. And he can speak Italian and French with equal flair. And he is a self made man. He financed his college education through full time employment. His culinary repertoire started off as a dishwasher in a French Bistro.

Rahul was born in Bombay. Started off at Bombay International and went on to The Doon School at Dehra Dun. He never ever thought he would one day be working in a kitchen. It was two years into his Phd, back in the US, that he got disillusioned by the "Politics in Academia". He lost heart when his advisor pooh-poohed his thesis, which was really good. After spending weeks in labs, researching day and night, he was so demoralised he just didn�t want to research anymore. It was at this point that Paul Asso, Rahul�s friend, took him under his wing. Got him a job at Jetro�s, their hangout place in New York. Dishwashing, salad making, frying, stirring the slow pot! From then on Rahul took on odd jobs in other restaurants, computers, real estate, even selling Indian jewelry at flea markets. One day he awoke to the realisation that the constant factor in his working life all along in the US was restaurants. He got comfortable in his mind about the switch and switched full time! Then there was no stopping Rahul. His latently discovered flair for cooking took his memories of the lab out of him completely and into many of New York�s finest kitchens. Realising his true passion lay in food, Rahul over a ten-year period during the 80s honed his skills under the tutelage of several celebrated chefs. From dishwasher to chef, and from waiter and bartender to general manager, Rahul has had the good fortune of gaining much experience working every facet of New York�s premier restaurants between 1981 and 1989.

Then once while on a holiday in Bombay, noticing there was a void in the food and restaurant business, he decided to return. He moved back in late 1989 and started The Moveable Feast, a gourmet catering operation. The company instantly carved an identity in the foodie circles of Bombay and Rahul landed himself a good client base comprising major banks, industrial houses, foreign consulates and high profile individuals. In one go Rahul established a business for himself and at the same time got to understand the Indian palate - without any overheads! During this time Just Desserts opened and Rahul contributed to the conceptualization, giving it the creative touches to move on in about six months to start Under The Over in 1992. This was a tiny casual eatery offering fabulous pastas and other Italian fare. In two years time it was listed in The Best Of The Best of Asia, by Time Publications restaurants guide spanning 134 premier eateries from Pakistan to Japan. From then on to this day Rahul has been winning awards for his restaurants, creating for himself a formidable reputation as a super chef. Someone who is 100 per cent creative, who has no rules for cooking, someone who has tastes all filed away in his mind.

After this endeavour, for two years Rahul ventured into the business of the "boutique hotel" industry. He formed a new company, deGustibus Hotels Pvt. Ltd. and moved to Bangalore where together with his wife Malini, helped construct, develop and manage Kuteeram Retreat, the brainchild of Protima Bedi. After their two year contract, Rahul returned to Bombay with the hope of starting another new restaurant. The Akerkars searched high and low for an appropriate location but were not very successful. Rahul at this stage was in two minds, he felt he should get back to New York and was in fact already there and working at the Union Square Cafe when he got a call from Malini saying "Come home, I�ve found �the� place.� She had even gone ahead and signed the deal. Atta girl! And so Indigo took shape and the restaurant opened in April 1999 with a sit-down dinner where each plate that came out of the kitchen was cooked by Rahul.