Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

AS I PEN MY FIRST Editor’s Note, I can’t help but smile with delight. There’s no better homecoming than diving into the pages of this delectable issue, a prelude to our July edition dedicated to the art of discovering culture through culinary travel. It brings to mind an insightful quote from Anthony Bourdain: “The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself.” Through my travels, I’ve often found that while exploring the world, my deepest connections are forged over shared meals. In this issue, we rekindle that love of exploration by looking at familiar places with fresh eyes, revealing a kaleidoscope of experiences. Our cover star, Aditi Rao Hydari, embodies a tempest of grace and flavour at…

What drew you specifically to the world of chocolate and led you to specialise in it? Food has always been the route to my soul, especially South Indian cuisine due to my mixed cultural background. Growing up surrounded by family and living across different countries exposed me to various chocolates — from the classic Dairy Milk to After Eight thins and nougat-centred Toblerones. Early in my career, I delved into the world of international chocolatiers, fascinated by the intricate blend of creativity and science in chocolaterie — the chemistry behind this indulgent ingredient and the endless possibilities that it brings to the table. What do you think makes Manam Chocolates unique? Chocolate is only as good as the bean. At Manam, our dedication lies in bringing out the fullest flavour…

TIPS + TRICKS TO HELP YOU TRAVEL SMARTER AUSTRALIA IS HUGE, so why would we narrow it to a few kms-long stretch of the country for a week-long escape, asked my well-travelled friend. It was our 20th, also called the China or Emerald anniversary, and as clichéd as it may sound, we wanted it to be special—a second honeymoon perhaps! A redemption for what we did wrong the first time: too much travelling, a low budget, and too much stress. And no, China wasn’t the destination we had in mind. Instead, we homed in on Gold Coast (destinationgoldcoast.com), Australia. Considering the long flight from Delhi to Brisbane, a 400-sq. km. stretch of the sixth largest country in the world, was a carefully contemplated bet. Within Queensland, or the Sunshine State,…

THE RED BULL UNFORESEEN 2024 event at the vibrant and unconventional Dirt Candy in New Delhi was an electrifying spectacle that left everyone spellbound. The event perfectly encapsulated Red Bull’s ethos of adventure, excitement, and unpredictability. Top DJs, renowned influencers, and a dynamic mix of entertainment gave the young audience an experience they didn’t expect. Attendees gathered at a central meeting point before being whisked away to a secret location. The theme was a nostalgic nod to the past with a hark to the present and had iconic elements from both eras to create an immersive experience. Participants were invited to enjoy a time capsule that took them on a journey that transitioned between the past, present, and the future. For example, an arcade zone with classic video games was…

How did you start exploring the science of Indian cooking? I always loved deriving knowledge from science principles, rather than memorising it. I got interested in cooking since I would cook for myself and my roommates as a teenager while I lived abroad. The combination of the two was quite natural. It struck me that much cooking knowledge in India is tacit, and not captured in recipes. It doesn’t capture what we do, and why. That got me interested in exploring the science of Indian cooking — to ask questions like why we add water to rice or how the ratios for making chapatis were finalised. How do you choose which topics to explore on Masala Lab? The topics in the book [of the same name] were chosen based on…

A FRIEND TIPPED US off to the surprising number of Modernist architectural gems in Athens. “All you have to do is look,” she said. When Jason and I started researching, we found a few crumbs right away. For instance, the U.S. Embassy was designed by Bauhaus founder and Modernist pioneer Walter Gropius as a reinterpretation of the Parthenon. Another crumb: in 1933, Le Corbusier visited Athens, where he praised the work of Greek architect Kyriakos Panagiotakos by signing “Compliments de Le Corbusier” on the wall of a school that Panagiotakos had designed. Intrigued, we decided to plan a trip to Athens that would swap the usual ancient ruins for a tour of the city’s more mysterious mid-20th-century masterworks. We started at the most visible monument to Modernism, the Hilton Athens, which…

TRAVELLERS’ TALES, FROM NEAR + FAR IT’S 12 NOON WHEN I arrive at Tokyo Station, excited to take my first ride on the famous bullet train or Shinkansen to Kyoto. The station, one of Tokyo’s busiest transport hubs, is a gastronomic playground in itself—there’s every possible kind of food and restaurant to suit all cravings, including a Kyoto Ramen Koji (street) within the station which boasts eight ramen shops. We had every intention of grabbing pastries and coffee from one of the bakeries and an ekiben for the train ride. Ekibens are a specific type of bento box meal sold on trains and at train stations—the one time eating on public transport in Japan isn’t frowned upon. Little did we know what a labyrinth the station is and how crowded…

IT IS AN UNUSUALLY bright June morning, and I am standing right outside the most popular address in the city of Gouda, De Goudse Waag. The square is lined with bright yellow cheese wheels that rest on low wooden planks. Around them stand a motley set of men, some dressed in traditional jumpsuits and some in white aprons, but both looking at the cheese intently and talking animatedly. In one corner of the square stands an old-fashioned horse cart even as young men and women dressed in traditional Dutch attire offer samples of cheese to onlookers and pose for pictures with them. A gabled building, its balcony overflowing with visitors, stands in the background, and stalls offering everything from souvenirs to beer and cheese dot the area. I have to…

IT WAS CLOSE TO SUNSET, and our boat had just pulled in to Menemsha Harbor. Menemsha is a fishing village on the tail end of Martha’s Vineyard, in the literal sense. If you look at the Massachusetts island on a map, it resembles a fish. The popular towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown are positioned on the top and bottom of its mouth, and are connected, fittingly, by “Jaws Bridge”—nicknamed after the 1975 blockbuster, which was filmed in the area. What kind of fish the island looks like, besides an expensive one, I couldn’t tell you. I’m not originally from there, unlike most of the people who dwell in Menemsha. Many residents’ families have lived in this tiny community of grey shingled homes for generations. During the day, you can…

A GLOBETROTTER’S GUIDE TO THE LATEST IN TRAVEL 1 SUPPER THEATRE IN CRAWFORD MARKET This quaint traveller’s lodge in the heart of Crawford Market shifted focus earlier this year to become the playground for an immersive theatrical dining experience. PaChaak Productions launched New India Lodge last year, as a part-dining, part-theatre experience. Diners or theatregoers meet different residents of the lodge, sharing a dish with each one, and listening to their stories. “We built the story around meeting travellers in 1940’s India. They are frozen in time, telling stories of that era and what freedom means to them and food,” says Divya Rani KV, founder, paChaak. PaChaak teamed up with The Nommers-Home Cuisine Collective to create a five-course menu, which included dishes like the Gujarati locho paired with the Bohri dry…

Hublot BIG BANG UNICO SORAI Hublot’s association with SORAI is responsible for the third limited-edition Big Bang Unico SORAI timepiece. It features a 44mm monochromatic grey (the rhino’s colour) ceramic case and a unique skeleton dial with colours of the sunset, a reference to the dangers rhinos face after dark. A percentage of the proceeds will go to the largest rhino sanctuary in the world—Care for Wild—which works on nurturing and protecting orphaned baby rhinos. Price on Request Seiko 1968 DIVER’S MODERN RE-INTERPRETATION SAVE THE OCEAN LIMITED EDITION A 1968 Seiko classic is reborn and returns to the Antarctic. The 1968 Diver’s Modern Re-Interpretation Limited Edition builds on the original watch’s look. The case, bezel and crown are crafted from Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant Steel. The Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean series…

VIBRANT, PLAYFUL, AND BOLD are just some of the adjectives used to describe Saaksha & Kinni’s boho luxe ensembles. That’s the premise the label has been built on — seeing a steady rise in appreciation since it first launched in 2016, appealing to women looking for Indian craftsmanship with a dash of contemporary flair. Relaxed silhouettes that celebrate Indian prints and craftsmanship are the label’s hallmark — from breezy, micro-pleated dresses and co-ord sets to capes, kaftans, and even lehengas. Although coming from different professional backgrounds (Bhat earned a degree in law before pivoting to fashion while Kamat, who studied at NIFT, was supplying embroidery swatches to global fashion houses), the sister-in-law duo soon realised there was a gap in the market for occasion wear that wasn’t too traditional, but…

What inspired you to start The Kindness Meal? While eating with friends, I noticed how our diverse cultural backgrounds led to surprisingly similar meals. At home, our fridge had vegetables and fruits we didn’t grow up with. This made me wonder: Where is diversity going? In 2022, I visited a craft cluster in Rajasthan where our hosts — a little boy and his mother — refused to show their everyday food, instead preparing an elaborate meal for me. They explained, “This [their] food is for the uncivilised.” This deep-seated shame around native food left me questioning the narrative we are building for our children. That’s what led to The Kindness Meal. What were some of the initial hurdles you faced when you started out? The idea of travelling from village…

IN THE APERITIF HOUR in Tangier, visitors gather on the rooftops of hotels in the medina to watch the sun set over the Strait of Gibraltar. Turtle doves swoop and swerve in the lilac dusk. The lights of the port come up and reflect on the bay, where a grand old sailboat is putting to sea. To the east, the hunched backs of the Rock of Gibraltar and Jebel Musa, the Pillars of Hercules, loom in the distance, purple in the falling light. Just after 6 pm, a hollow crackling comes over a loudspeaker, followed by a hoarse chanting, which is joined by another voice, and then another. A song in the round from several sources, at various decibel levels: the Maghrib adhan, or the evening call to prayer. In the…

AFTER TRACKING TIGERS the entire day at Zone 2 of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, we managed to track Arrowhead (T-84)’s whole family — including her three cubs and her mate, Ganesh (T-120). After a failed attempt to wake up their father, two bold cubs came out of the caves, cuddled with each other, and decided to settle on the big stone. A few moments later, their shy third sibling also joined them. I watched this blissful moment until the official jungle hours were done for the day. —NIDHI SOOD SHARMA ON HER PHOTOGRAPH, TAKEN WITH A SONY α1 ON JUNE 3, 2024.…