We love celebrating Bombay's big festivals. We've run a halal street food event in a Shoreditch warehouse for Eid, we've celebrated Diwali with Qawalli and for the past few years we've brought Christmas carols to King's Cross. Combining food and culture to bring people together is very much at the heart of what we do – and honestly, we just love nothing more than a big, happy, joy-filled bash!
At our carolling party, friends and family are all invited to come along, sing their hearts out and leave feeling as festive as whisky-laden mawa cake. Lead by the masterly Tommy Antonio, many festive tunes are belted out while bellies are filled with Mince Pies and House Chai. There's room for singers of all timbres and tones, so we hope to see you next year for another super evening!
The origins of chintz can be firmly – and humbly – traced back to 16th century India. The word ‘chintz’ is derived from the Hindi word ‘chint’, meaning spotted or splattered. These intricate designs and endless patterns were traditionally hand-printed using wooden blocks - kalamkari - and brilliantly coloured natural dyes.
We often find it too easy to hurtle through the days, in an attempt to outpace the bustling city – be it London or Bombay – which always seems to be running away like a steam-engine train on a rickety track. Occasionally, it does us good to pause for thought, to disembark the carriage and sit on the platform awhile.
How does one create a space where people can truly connect over food? How can a host make their guests feel relaxed, at ease, and suitably cared for? Since launching our all-new Dishoom Crockery, we have been pondering the answers to these questions even more than usual. We recently discussed them with Creative Director - and frequent dinner party hostess - Kirthanaa Naidu when we invited her to create a first-class tablescape in our Canary Wharf café.
Each year, the spring equinox – when day and night are equal length – marks a transition in earth’s relationship with the sun. This event, sacred to many cultures throughout history, today thrives as a new year celebration for hundreds of millions.
In Bombay, London, and throughout the South Asian diaspora, you’ll find many folks of the Zoroastrian faith (amongst others) celebrating this new year, or Navroz as we like to call it.