World’s greatest Chef Massimo Bottura brings his celebrated food to Delhi for the first time

Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi will host Osteria Francescana’s maiden pop-up in the capital with two special dinners on 21st and 22nd April 2023

New Delhi, 4th April 2023:  A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian gourmets, Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace New Delhi present Osteria Francescana, rated as the Two-Time World No.1 restaurant by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and helmed by celebrity chef and philanthropist Massimo Bottura. Bottura and his team will travel to New Delhi for the first time to re-create the magic of their Three Michelin starred restaurant from Modena, Italy at The Leela Palace New Delhi on 21st and 22nd April 2023.

Massimo Bottura, the Italian maestro chef, widely known for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine was included as part of Time Magazine’s World’s 100 most influential people list and is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). A key ingredient in Massimo’s food is the underlying social and environmental consciousness imbued in every dish he serves. As founder of Non-Profit organization called ‘Food for Soul’, Bottura leverages his global platform to advocate for reduction of food waste and protecting the environment and biodiversity through sustainable cooking practices and ingredient sourcing. His commitment to sustainability echoes the eco-aware values championed by The Leela.

Osteria Francescana, the 12 table restaurant he started in Modena in 1995, is widely recognised as one of the most difficult restaurant reservations in the world with waiting list than goes into the thousands. The restaurant was awarded the title of ‘The World’s Best Restaurant’ on two occasions in 2016 and 2018 by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

The special menu created for New Delhi will feature vegetarian and non-vegetarian renditions of Bottura’s signature and most iconic dishes such as ‘Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart’, ‘The Crunchy Part of the Lasagne’ and ‘Psychedelic Cod Not Flame Grilled’ amongst others. In the lead up to the dinners, Bottura will also host an invite-only interactive session, where he will be in conversation with Vir Sanghvi, India’s leading food authority. 

Commenting on this collaboration, Mr. Anupam Dasgupta, General Manager The Leela Palace New Delhi said, “Food has long served as a bridge between many nations, cultures, and people. At The Leela, we are committed to elevating our guests’ experiences by integrating thoughtful experiences that resonate with our guests’ passions. We are delighted to collaborate with Culinary Culture to bring Chef Massimo to the city and it is our privilege and honour to host him at The Leela Palace New Delhi. We look forward to the magical epicurean delight that Chef Massimo will curate and are excited to watch it unfold.”

Raaj Sanghvi, CEO, Culinary Culture added, “It’s an honour to have Massimo and his team back with us in India. His dinners in Mumbai sold-out within minutes and we are anticipating an even greater response in Delhi. Bottura is much more than a chef, he is a global inspiration and uses his platform and stature to bring about positive changes in the world. At Culinary Culture our mission is to bring the best of the world to India and we are grateful to our partners The Leela Hotels and Diageo who have made this possible”.

Chef Massimo Bottura shared his excitement and said, “Namaste India, I can’t wait to be back in your beautiful country very very soon! I’m bringing my team from Osteria Francescana in Modena to cook two amazing meals in New Delhi in partnership with Culinary Culture and The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. We are preparing a beautiful menu and I can’t wait to be back in India and give everyone a warm hug!”

During his last visit to India, Bottura wowed lucky diners in Mumbai with his spectacular rendition of Osteria Francescana and now Delhi can experience the genius of the world’s greatest chef. 

With very limited seats available, guests are advised to reserve their experience for this extraordinary event priced at INR 55,555 plus taxes per person, to be held on 21st and 22nd April 2023. 

To reserve your experience and for more information, contact: 

Ashish.arora@theleela.com 
Contact@culinaryculture.co

About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and now Kovalam.  The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World’s Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World’s Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021.  The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a leisure resort in Ashtamudi in Kerala. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.
Website: www.theleela.com

Media Contact:
Anjali Mehra
+918800466085
anjali.mehra@theleela.com

About Culinary Culture

Founded in 2019 by Sameer Sain, Co-founder and CEO of the Everstone Group and Vir Sanghvi, India’s leading food authority, Culinary Culture is a movement that encompasses all aspects of the food space in India. It is the country’s only authoritative, independent rating organisation, awarding stars to restaurants. It also recognises and rewards India’s best chefs and street food artists. It organises global culinary exchanges, bringing the world’s greatest chefs to cook in India and sending Indian chefs to cook at the best restaurants in the world. 
Instagram:@CulinaryCultureCo

Media Contact: 
Rini Chatterjee
+917506025114
chief@canaryyellowmedia.com