NEW YORK (TIP): Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and renowned Indian-American actor Manu Narayan hosted the Varli Culinary Awards in Manhattan on November 15. The inaugural awards are a revolutionary concept that honors the best culinary skills amongst varied categories related to Indian cuisine. Varli Singh, the brand owner, is a prominent member in the field of world cuisine and has been consistently promoting Indian cuisine internationally. “We really wanted to recognize and applaud the contributions and amazing achievements of Indian chefs, restaurateurs, and key influencers on the international culinary stage,” Singh said in a statement to the press at the event. Celebrated Chef Sanjeev Kapoor also extended his appreciation for the event.
“This is a wonderful platform to promote our Indian cuisine on a world stage. But most of all, this is a great opportunity to bring in the best chefs of Indian cuisine under one roof and celebrate our food together,” said Mr. Kapoor. Bollywood actor Chandrachur Singh, Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri and many other celebrity chefs, attended the exclusive black-tie event. Chef Jehangir Mehta judged the event along with popular UAE food critic Gaurav Tandon. The other panel of judges included culinary experts such as Vikas Khanna, Rajesh Bhardwaj and Hari Nayak. The award function also had a sample tasting of incredible Indian cuisine and delicious cocktails made by some of the best restaurants in the Tri-state area. “Guests will experience a classy and entertaining affair filled with celebrity personalities, delicious tastings, and of course drinks!” Varli Singh added. The event also introduced a new line of kitchenware called ‘Varliware’ which was much welcomed by the international attendees, as most are starved of traditional Indian cooking utensils.
The award categories and winners from the event are:Varli Appreciate Award
Sarina Amin – Diku Bhai – Hemant Mathur – Rajesh Bhardwaj – Avtar Walia – Sanjeev Kapoor
Varli Cook Off Contestants
Preet Singh – Reshma Bathija – Sonny Chatrath – Jyoti Singh – Roni Mazumdar – Niru Kumria (Runner up) – Saira Malhotra (Winner)
Best Mixologist
Raju Somerpet
Best Food Critic, UAE
Gaurav Tandon
Best Dessert & Pastry – Presented by Mithaas
Sweet Silk – Confections by Shefalee Patel
Best Restaurant, UAE – Presented by Nanking Restaurant Group
Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor, Dubai
Influential Women in the Restaurant Scene
Rohini Dey, Vermilion restaurants
Best Dessert & Pastry Chef
Jehangir Mehta, Grafitti & Mehtaphor
Best Chef 2012
Vikas Khanna, Junoon
Rising Star Chef – Presented by Junoon
Shravan Shetty, Urban Spice
Lifetime Achievement – Restaurateur
Avtar Walia, Tamarind restaurants
Lifetime Achievement – Chef
Sanjeev Kapoor
Best Chef, India
Sabyasachi Gorai
Best Restaurant, India
Indian Accent, New Delhi
Best Restaurant, Toronto
Amaya
Best Restaurant, Washington, DC
Indique Heights
Best Fast Food
Mithaas
Best Restaurant Upstate, NY
Jaipore
Best Restaurant, Connecticut
Thali
Best Restaurant, Long Island
Mint
Best Restaurant, New Jersey
Palace of Asia
People’s Choice – Best Restaurant New York City
Bukhara Grill
Critic’s Choice – Best Restaurant New York City
Junoon
Movers & Shakers
Rakesh Agarwal – Shaun Mehtani – Sneh Mehtani – Nitin Vyas – Shiva Natrajan – Avtar Walia – Kamal Arora – Rajesh Bhardwaj – KN Vinod – Surfy Rahman – Gary Sikka – Prasad Chirnomula – Munish Narula