Spanish Chef Omar Allibhoy on his Mumbai connect and uniqueness of tapas

Herersquos a pro tip if you find yourself dining out in Spain Donrsquot just sit at opposite ends of the table with your companion quietly enjoying your own orders Head to the bar which celebrity chef Omar Allibhoy likes to call the ldquoepicentre of a restaurantrdquo mdash not just for drinks but food as well Itrsquos where small plates of Spanish appetisers or tapas are shared over bottomless chatter ldquoItrsquos a more sociable experience with shared dishes which enhances conversationsrdquo reveals the chef behind the popular chain Tapas Revolution in EnglandTorrija bread and butter puddingThis evening the chef and cookbook writer is set to tapas into that same sense of community with a multicourse dinner at Sette Mara in a Lower Parel fivestar The evening is conceived by Nikhil Agarwal CEO All Things Nice who will curate a selection of wines to pair with Allibhoyrsquos treats We caught up with the chef ahead of the dinnerHow did your culinary journey take off Did your IndianSpanish heritage play a role in itThe one thing that was not present in my life was Indian cuisine although my father hails from Mumbai It was limited to what my grandfather or abuelo cooked on special occasions But yes I discovered spiciness through him as it was then quite unheard of in Spain to use so much chillies in food My culinary heritage has really been Spanish Irsquove been drawn to the kitchen since I was a little boy One of my earliest memories is of my mother cooking After school I would play football and then help my mother with dinner By the age of eight as she says I became the head chef of the kitchen It was always a humble spread at home mdash plenty of vegetables and fish On Sundays the whole family would gather and whip up special dishes When I turned 14 I started studying culinary arts in college and then went straight to work Feeding people has been in my DNA which is why I became not just a chef but also a restaurateurChef Omar AllibhoyWalk us through the different dishes that yoursquoll be serving up in MumbaiTapas or small plates for us is not a trend itrsquos a tradition Spanish cuisine developed into tapas to satisfy our need for socialising The dishes on the menu tonight will all be small plates Spanish cuisine is a rich and diverse one because of firstly our cultural heritage mdash which comprises influences of Iberians Romans Greeks Venetians and the fact that it was an Islamic region for many years Then therersquos the vastly varied geography Plenty of these influences will be reflected in the menu Wersquore cooking some lamb covered in Arabian spices and a creamier version of paella with plenty of shellfish Then we have torrija a bread and butter pudding which is called the poor manrsquos dessert Therersquos also courgette and vegetable pisto cannelloni wild sea bass fillet and mushroom croquette among several other dishesWhatrsquos on your todo list in MumbaiMy dad is accompanying me on the trip He was born in the city and lived here till he was six before his family migrated to Europe He has not visited in the last 41 years so wersquore on a journey of discovery Wersquove already started strong by heading to Bademiya We plan to freeflow and exploreOn Today 8 pmAt Sette Mara The St Regis Mumbai Lower ParelCall 9820698883 limited seatsCost Rs 7500 allinclusiveGet tapasready at your homegtgt Prepare a few things in advance so you can join the table donrsquot just slave away in the kitchen Keep some clams with garlic ham white wine capers and a little paprika Serve it with padroacuten peppers and Spanish chorizo gtgt Add a couple of salads mdash a tomato watermelon goat cheese salad for instance mdash and cold items like cheeses cold cutsand anchovies to the mix gtgt Add something you can keep cooked in the oven like a paellagtgt Prepare garlic prawns with extravirgin olive oil that can be brought sizzling to the table or like a curryesque chicken with Arabian influences that is heavily spiced includes saffron and a sauce of egg yolk and fried bread Chef Omar Allibhoy