“I’m going to a lunch hosted by Nigella Lawson,” I excitedly announced to my friends. They responded with oohhs and aaahhhs; and a teeny bit lots of envy.
Upon seeing Nigella, I fangirled hard... and shrugging off any shred of coolness, rushed to click a selfie. On Instagram Stories too, I was keeping the anticipation of the Nigella-special-five-course-meal pretty high.
But moments before the lunch began, to my horror, Nigella declared that the dishes she would be cooking had no place in a professional kitchen!
Here’s what she said, and I quote verbatim
The dishes that I am sharing with you, I will admit, have probably no place in a restaurant with a chef and a team as professional and splendid
However, with her subtle confidence, she later added
But sometimes... the simple has its own power.Nigella Lawson, Celebrity Chef, Author and Presenter
Nigella couldn’t be more right. The simplicity of her cooking *is* what left me so joyous and overwhelmed. And graced me with an experience that’ll forever remain on the pin board of my food memories!
The ingredients Nigella used: dill, greek yogurt, salmon, pumpkin seeds, watercress were not just super healthy, but also came with a strong personality of their own. The meals were wholesome; and oozed the warmth that can only come with home-cooking, which is what happens to be Nigella’s signature style.
Now, I would have said more, but after a five-course meal, she’s left my tongue.. well... tongue-tied!
Here’s what happened: American Express invited its Centurion cardmembers to a private lunch hosted by Nigella Lawson. And the menu looked something like this:
Statutory Warning: Wagging tongues and severe FOMO could be witnessed during the course of this!
Pre Course: Turkish Eggs
“Everything mingles together so well,” mused Nigella as she described this dish. As the poached egg and the greek yogurt got together, they began a party of their own. The dill too beautifully lent its crunch. Meanwhile, the generous dollop of butter had my belly screaming, “Heaven is here!”
By the end of the meal, as Nigella had described, it all did come together as a perfect symphony.
While normally Nigella recommends turkish eggs as a breakfast dish, I can safely report that its flavours were as wondrous in the afternoon as well!
Starter: Salmon and Pumpkin Seed Salad
Trust me, health was the last thing on my mind when I sat down for a lunch hosted by the Nigella Lawson. But beyond a sensual food experience, the health freak in me couldn’t stop obsessing over just how much nutrition the superfoods in this salad: salmon, watercress and pumpkin seeds came with!
Even though I had always purchased pumpkin seeds as a boring-but-healthy-evening snack, Nigella’s treatment taught me that pumpkin seeds too could be very, very sexy. And so, I have vowed never to underestimate the power of pumpkin seeds to add drama to a meal!
Main Course: Chicken with Bitter Orange and Fennel
Sometimes your *gut* just knows that the chicken you are eating is amazing. Well, that’s what happened to me sitting on that table, as I took my first bite off the main course prepared by Nigella.
The chicken was infused with bitter orange. But it didn’t fall into the trap of being overdone. It also felt super light. By the end of my meal, I simply could not fathom how I hadn’t felt bloated at all, even though I was three courses down! But now I know, where’s a Nigella, there’s a way.
The Dessert: Summer Pavlova
Light and breezy, the pavlova came with a heady punch of passion fruit, reminding me of the summer sun. Even more vividly than the name set out to suggest!
There was also coffee or tea with salted chocolate tart, but already a few glasses of wine down, I had no intention to get an unnecessary jolt of caffeine. I did, however, try it, owing to my fear of missing out. But while it was good, my heart had already been lost to the pavlova. So please forgive my step treatment to it!
Now now, I must confess that I am by no means, a food writer. But I do know an honest, clear-from-the-heart-kind-of-cook when I see them. And Nigella is definitely one of them.
Nigella’s First Time in India
Even though American Express has got Michelin star chefs to India before, for the first time they experimented with a home cook.
“Sometimes you do things a little differently. She’s the world’s most renowned chef, why would American Express not take the vantage point?,” says American Express India CEO Manoj Adlakha. But from the audience responses, Manoj is certain that the bet has paid off.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone to interact with Nigella, not only to eat her food but also understand her thought process.Manoj Adlakha, American Express India CEO
Similar to Delhi, Nigella Lawson also curated a private lunch for Amex Cardmembers in Mumbai, which is in line with American Express’ focus on creating special events to provide its Card members with exclusive access to the best restaurants and chefs.
“Interacting with the chef, understanding their thought process, those are experiences that money can’t buy,” says Manoj.
Besides events, Amex through its Global Dining Collection also offers special access to reservations and customized experiences with world-renowned chefs and exclusive culinary events across the world.
Last year, some of the most popular dining destinations for its premium Cardmembers from India were Zuma in Dubai, Park Chinois in London, Novikov in London and Gaggan in Bangkok.
As Manoj says, “Fine dining is not going to go away. But we keep it restricted and that’s what also creates its own charm.”
Would the Nigella Lawson lunch have been as charming if it had been open to the public? Perhaps, no. Large food gatherings, barring ritualistic ones, often end up becoming highly impersonal. Dictated more by what the people want, than what the chefs want to feed.
But what I still don’t understand is how Nigella even believes her food doesn’t belong in a restaurant kitchen. Because if food is a story, then she is a masterful author of it.
Each bite out of her ‘simple’ recipes evokes the same awe that a well crafted sentence evokes in a reader.
As for me, I will always remember how Nigella’s food left my head feeling breezy and light... just like my first sip of beer.
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