11^th February, 2022 marked a grand milestone of pride and achievement for culinary management expert and PT columnist, Shiraz Kotwal, as his increasingly sought-after catering establishment, ‘Gourmet Catering’, served a formal lunch to India’s foremost citizen, President Shri Ram Nath Kovind, along with other political big wigs, at Mumbai’s Raj Bhavan.

Known for catering to India’s leading celebrities including socialites, Bollywood stars, politicians and other personalities, ‘Gourmet Catering’ is headed by industry experts – Shiraz Kotwal and Pramod Poojary, each commanding over twenty-five years of expertise and success in the Hospitality sector, handling events comprising twenty people to ten-thousand!

Sharing his delight with Parsi Times, Shiraz Kotwal says, “We got a call from the Raj Bhavan, around January-end, requesting a meeting on an immediate level as they needed lunch catered for a VIP on 11th February, for around 300 persons. We were handed a dossier with all the dos and don’ts, the flow of the event and the list of allergies and preferences of the VIP, not once being given any inclination of the Chief Guest’s identity. Returning with our hands and heads full of information, Pramod and I started working on the planning and execution details of the menu and catering. Only later did we get to know that we were selected from amongst numerous other caterers contending for the event. In early February, we were informed that the Guest of Honour was none other than the President of India himself – Shri Ram Nath Kovind!

Now, while every event is equally important to us, catering for the President assumes a different level altogether! We were thrilled and worked meticulously to ensure that every aspect – from setting up, cooking and serving the food to working the back end – was executed to perfection. We served a brilliant vegetarian fare – a delectable amalgamation of North, West and South-East Indian kitchens, for a sit-down service for 55 VIPs at the newly renovated Durbar Hall, and a buffet service for the rest.”

Curating the most elegant and fun dining experiences across the board – from Lagans and Navjotes to corporate events, intimate sit-down dinners, brunches or even home-dinners, Gourmet Catering has in the recent past catered to the Mantralaya for the Vidhan Bhavan Adhiveshan – a 4-day event for Cabinet Ministers, as also for the wedding of the Revenue Minister, Balasaheb Thorat’s daughter; and its latest Bollywood event – catering an intimate bash for Katrina Kaif’s birthday and a pre-wedding dinner for Vicky and Katrina.

“The rest, as they say, is history, with congratulations and praises being the order of the day from numerous guests who complimented the excellent and crisp service,” concludes Shiraz.

Due to high demand for their delicious cuisine, Gourmet Catering also offers popular weekend menus, delivering delicious Asian, Indian and Continental cuisine. For queries, e-mail: shirazkotwal@gmail.com or Call: +91 9833720369