30.10.20 A date I will never forget 🥰!!

57 guests including 3 Ambassadors (Brazilian, Argentinian & Indian) their wives and the German Defense Attaché and his wife - how humbled, honored and grateful am I to have fed them and showcased Indian cuisine! My heart is full. My biggest moment was when the Brazilian Ambassador asked for my business card (omgosh!!). And Mrs. Ambassador of India said she absolutely loved everything and that I had given her ideas - imagine!! Beyond honored!

How many people does it take to pull off a 7 course meal - a village and the team at Credo Restaurant (Courtyard Marriott Belgrade) did just that! Chef Max and his team not only executed everything with clockwork precision but also made my vision of each plate come to life. Not forgetting Chef telling me every 1 hour - ‘It’s gonna be fine Simy we were born ready’. Oh the giggles amidst my nerves!

I am the lucky one because I got to finish cooking, get dressed up, come out and socialize with my guests and then post on social media how glam it all was. But the crew in the kitchen continued till every last plate was done and they didn’t get to socialize or enjoy with the guests and no one even saw the faces that were my support system. Guys that’s what social media is about - showcasing the nice but not seeing the hours (I stood 12 hours on every prep day) and hours we spent in the kitchen to put out a good plate. Huge respect for the kitchen team and their hard work!

Incredibly grateful to my God for the opportunities and for being able to showcase authentic Indian cuisine. Thank you Serbia for the love! PS: it took me a week to recover and let it all sink in 🙏😊

For the menu I had always wanted to showcase Serbian produce and incorporate some iconic Serbian dishes into an Indian twist. Worked on a 7 course menu and here's what it looked like:

Welcome Drink
Banta Soda (Delhi)
Popular drink from North India made of Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup, Chaat Masala and Soda, insanely fused with Serbian Quince Rakija

Starters
Kaddu Ka Ambal (Kashmir)
Kashmiri sweet & sour Pumpkin curry served as a Soup
Chaat (Uttar Pradesh)
Fruit chaat served as a salad showcasing Serbian Pears served with Doon Chetin a Kashmiri chutney made with Walnuts and hung curd and garnished with crispy corn kernels
Kebab Sliders (Lucknow)
Minced meat patty served in bread and 2 types of chutneys Mint & Coriander / Date & Tamarind
Veg option – Aloo Vada Sliders (Potato dumplings fried in batter served with chutney)

Palate Cleanser
Berry Lassi Shots (Punjab)
Thick creamy yogurt sweetened with berries

Mains
Malabar Chicken Korma (Kerala)
Delicately flavored chicken cooked in whole spices, coconut milk and cashew nuts served with Serbian Proja (cornbread)
Veg option – Vegetarian Korma
Choriz Pulao (Goa)
Basmati rice cooked with Serbian Kobasice (sausages) and whole spices
Veg Option – Vegetable Pulao
Thakkali Thokku (Tamil Nadu)
Tomato chutney cooked with spices and dressed up with Serbian Ajvar (a condiment made with roasted red peppers)
Doi Begun (Bengal)
Fried Serbian Eggplants dunked in yogurt mildly seasoned with spices and mustard oil

Dessert
Cheesecake with Beetroot Halwa (Pan India)
Plazma biscuit base, cheesecake layer with Kajmak (a Serbian cheese similar to clotted cream), topped with Serbian beetroot cooked in milk, sugar, ghee & cardamom and garnished with walnuts