It started on a bad note for me. The cab that I had booked to take me to The Lalit Ashok was late by 10 mins. And the driver said that he was caught up somewhere in Domlur and it would take him another 30 mins to reach Marathahalli. Though I have used OLA cabs multiple times, it was the first time I faced something like this. I tried reaching their call center. It took multiple attempts but luckily I was able to speak to one of their guys who assured me another cab in 10 mins. Though it took a little more than 15 mins instead of 10 mins, I cab finally arrived at my doorstep.
The cabbie informed us that since there was traffic on the way ( it being a Sunday afternoon ), it would take us around 45 min to 1 hour. The route took us through MG Road which was bustling with activity and skimmed the precincts of the Chinnaswamy stadium which was to host the RCB Vs DD IPL match that very day. With the teams supporters being wooed everything ranging from T-shirts, banners, flags to even colorful headgear and the large number of police vans parked outside the stadium, that stretch of road did its best to look the part.
Finally we arrived at the hotel. A good one hour late for the meet. Though it was strikingly beautiful, we hardly had the time to appreciate the ambiance before rushing into the lift. As we entered the room, all the foodies were already ensconced in their chairs and enjoying the treats laid out for them. We were quickly ushered onto a table and after a swift introduction, the plates were laid out for us. As Ms. Randeep from the Askme team enlightened us about Askme, its user friendly interface and the plans (in pipeline) for the food community, I dug into the lovely looking treats. Most of them were the miniature ( or bite sized ) types that are much in vogue these days. Since most of us were there after a rather late Sunday brunch/lunch, it was just as good.
It was followed by a quick session on food photography by Mr Satheesh. Nothing earth shattering, just the regular stuff that one can come across while googling. Now everyone would agree that it is rather tough to cram a session on DSLR usage in a foodie meet that last for just about 3 hours. By that time desserts has been laid out and everyone had already dug in. And suddenly the emcee announced a quick contest in which everyone had to click the dessert plate. But only with their mobile cameras. There has to be a catch..rite. The hotel guys were gracious enough to bring out the fresh plates ( one per table ). The laid back atmosphere of the room was magically transformed as everyone got busy clicking the pics. It ended with two winners being picked out.
The dessert plate as I clicked it !! |
Then there was a quick session on presentation with Chef Ajit, one of the in-house chefs of Lalit Ashok. We picked up some useful tips about the basics while working with the sauces on the plate. Another quick contest followed. This time it was about coming up with the best plate.
Finally there was a quick session on food carvings by Mr Bibhuti ( Chef BB as we call him ), who also happens to be the founder member of FBAB (Food Bloggers Association Bangalore). We were presented with a small starter kit for trying out the carvings. By the time the session ended, it was almost 6:30 pm. A quick photo-op followed and we were handed over the goodie bags on a final thank you note.
Thank you FBAB, Askme.com andThe Lalit Ashok for the wonderful experience !!