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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

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The millionaire matchmakers Apps for the elite make sure the rich and famous meet people who share their rare tastes and occupations, so that the head that wears the crown may not remain alone forever

et’s face it; we’re too busy for our own good. In a world full of young leaders who’re constantly on the move, working longer hours and travelling longer distances; the time we spend interacting socially has plummeted drastically. In this rapidly changing social realm, how do young professionals meet new people, build relationships and fall in love? The answer lies in the seemingly never-ending world of online applications, websites and contemporary technology. The advantages of personal social contact seems to be a thing of the past, and in this race to step into the spotlight, we’ve begun relying on technology and the internet to bring us closer. Here are the three best dating and matchmaking online platforms for you to pick from. These websites and apps promise a less lonely future, so long as you’re part of the upper crust of society. Targeted at the young, rich and successful, these platforms are a great place to meet likeminded individuals looking for meaningful relationships. Go ahead, upgrade your love life.

Gray & Farrar Based in London, this premium global matchmaking website accepts only the “most eligible single people” as

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The answer lies in the seemingly neverending world of online applications, websites and contemporary technology 

clients. This online matchmaker has an extremely strict vetting process, making it available only to a niche and wealthy audience. Gray & Farrar ensures complete privacy and blatantly states that the “internet has no place in our business”. The vetting and matching process is manual and not driven by a computer programme. Selections are made from a pool of like-minded and financially equal individuals. The website offers limited information and allows you to receive more information or set up a personal consultation meeting, once you fill out a simple form. A personal meeting can be set up with Gray & Farrar at the matchmaker’s headquarters in London, Paris, Monaco, Brussels, Geneva, Zurich, Hong Kong, Singapore, Los Angeles, New York. If these cities are inaccessible, Gray & Farrar also arranges other locations on request. As a premium matchmaking platform that takes on only a selected few as clients, the fee is suitably steep. The standard service costs £15,000 (approximately ₹15 lakh), while the price of the Gray & Farrar Bespoke service is quoted solely on application. This service isn’t accessible to everyone, but guarantees confidentiality and satisfactory results.

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Motif to masterpiece Boucheron’s ‘Bleu de Jodhpur’ is inspired by Jodhpur’s blue houses, marble palaces and royal heritage

ndia has always played a major role in inspiring the international circuit of high jewellery. The imprints of Indian architecture, regional motifs and its colours have inspired many jewellery collections. But the latest collection, ‘Bleu de Jodhpur’ from the French jewellery house Boucheron, uplifts the inspiration from literal motif-picking to a more tactile version by cleverly incorporating daring material like Makrana marble and sand from Thar Desert into it. Adding calibrated gemstones and diamonds in custom shapes enhances the overall experience of the collection. Amalgamating the innovation of contemporary India with the beauty of the traditional, Boucheron’s director of creations Claire Chosine has designed an astoundingly visual journey of the city, interpreted in necklaces, brooches and rings. Under close consultation with Gaj Singh II of Marwar, Claire drafted the 105 piece collection in four different chapters — Jodhpur, Indian palace, Garden & Cosmos and Maharani. Tracing its historic link to India, the collection has a staggering 105 designs which are reminiscent of different elements of Jodhpur, the City of the Sun. Inspiration comes from the rows of blue houses, mehndi designs on princesses’ palms, pieces worn by the resplendent royalty and even the incredible ﬂora and fauna. The most noteworthy piece from the collection is the Jodhpur necklace with diamonds, blue sapphires, rock crystals and the famous Indian Makrana marble. The hints of blue and white portray a romantic interpretation of the Blue City bathed in dazzling white light, with geometric shapes of the gems, such as the kite-shaped diamond in the center, infusing it with strong Art Deco characteristics. This masterpiece is the very ﬁrst reversible high jewellery necklace ever created, designed as a tribute to Indian jewellery that traditionally was crafted to be equally stunning on both sides.

Boucheron is known to push boundaries with every collection that the house produces

Inspiration abounds

Ode to blue Jodhpur's blue and white imagery are interpreted in diamonds and makarana marble in this necklace named after the city

One of a kind The reversible Jodhpur necklace

Crafting a vision The Indian palaces like Umaid Bhavan and the majesty of Nagaur, a fortiﬁed town in the middle of the Thar Desert are inspirations for the second chapter. The Nagaur necklace is a true work of art with an ingenious union of design and manufacturing. The seven-row pearl necklace,

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strung on silk threads, bears a magnificent floral pendant made of rock crystal, with sand from the Thar Desert encapsulated in-between as a souvenir. A two-carat cushion shaped diamond in the centre is like an oasis in the middle of the desert and adds the much-desired sparkle, and a pearl tassel finishes the look. The pearl strings are skillfully strung, and the Nagaur necklace can be worn in three different ways with the use of simple mechanisms.

Art imitates life The Fleur de Lotus necklace features tourmaline, rubellites and spessartite garnets set in a gradation of colours to represent petals of the lotus

Azure The famed blue houses of Jodhpur that inspired the collection

The approach to the third section of the collection is more vivid and strong on trends. Playing with flora and fauna, one can see pieces like the colourful question mark Lotus necklace, the realistic hopi bird rings with large coloured gemstones and the trendy double finger tiger rings. The Fleur de Lotus necklace creates the visual of an idealised Garden of Eden with a graphically treated lotus studded with rubelites, pink tourmalines and fiery orange spessartine garnets along with a 15-carat kite-shaped pink tourmaline in the center. The mehndi brooch from the final chapter celebrates the women in Indian royalty and their extravagant wardrobes. With paisley motifs picked from the art of applying mehndi (henna), the ethereal brooch is light as lace and can also be converted into a necklace in tune with Boucheron’s traditions of creating multi-wearable jewellery. A delicate pair of earrings and a ring also accompanies this wondrous creation of brooch-cum-necklace. Other pieces such as the Plume necklace and watch set also highlight the use of Makrana marble, bringing to mind a shimmering white peacock. Smaller themes like the bindi, the festival of Diwali, birds like the eagle and the parakeet take shape in very intricately detailed jewels which are part of the collection. Boucheron is known to push boundaries with every collection that the house produces. It takes patience and skilled craftsmen to create these rare designs and transform a sketch into finished jewels. Their jewels are full of surprises, focus on innovative techniques and stay true to their inspiration, and that is the reason why the French maison has an unending list of A-list fans across the globe. PREETA AGARWAL is a Delhi-based writer and photographer

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

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The millionaire matchmaker Black service, which is a step ahead of the regular services on offer. Luxy Black comes with a ton of additional features to make your search simpler and more fruitful. For example, the Luxy Black service lets you ﬁlter your search preferences according to users’ income. Simply put, it is an app for millionaires to connect with other millionaires. This app is certainly a great way to spend those long commute hours, connecting with people who have similar tastes and incomes as yourself. While the app’s subscription options start at $12.99 per month (approximately ₹900), only users with a proven income over of $200,000 (approximately ₹1,35,80,000) receive a veriﬁed badge.

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Elite experience These boutique matchmaking services promise exclusivity and secrecy SHUTTERSTOCK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Luxy Luxy, nicknamed “Tinder for rich folks,” is one of the few dating apps that caters exclusively to the elite. The app is widely used by entrepreneurs, investors, celebrities, models, and artists, among others. It enables you to swipe through profiles and chat with other users whom you might find interesting. Apart from this, Luxy also sports a Topics and Moments feature that allows you to talk to users you haven’t been matched with yet, but who share similar interests. Each profile created on the Luxy app features a user’s name, age, gender, location as well as their favourite brands and yearly income, making sure you only meet the crème de la crème of society. For verification purposes, Luxy requires users to upload clear copies of passports, tax records, banks statements and other documents that prove the user’s assets. If all of this were not enough, you can also opt for the special Luxy

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At Linx, representatives meet each and every client, ensuring a legitimate service

Linx calls itself an “offline boutique curated dating and social network”. Based out of Silicon Valley, Linx focusses mainly on people from the San Francisco region, but also services clients from around the world. The service is more than just a matchmaking platform and is referred to as a network of well-educated and successful professionals from the Silicon Valley and Bay Area. Linx is exclusive to college-educated non-smokers; representatives meet each and every client, ensuring a legitimate service. The selection process is again quite stringent, given the fact that each member is interviewed personally and background checks are conducted. The service is offered to both men and women, and the matchmaking process is apparently done “client-to-client”. Founded by Amy Andersen in 2003, Linx has quickly turned into one of the most popular hotspots for the young and educated masses, who are looking for soulmates. What makes Linx an attractive platform for users in India is the fact that it hosts a multitude of Bay Area clients. This makes the platform great for dotcom honchos, CEOs and young entrepreneurs from the diaspora. A membership contract with Linx can last anywhere between 24 to 28 months, since members are allowed to freeze their accounts for a total of four months, whenever required. Only men and women aged 30 and below can apply for a membership. Apart from the regular meet-and-greet services offered, Linx’s concierge also includes services like wardrobe styling makeovers, date coaching, travel and restaurant arrangements, as well as ﬂower delivery and gift shopping. A regular two-year Linx package costs $2,500 (approximately ₹1,70,000). The VIP package for the same duration costs $50,000 (approximately ₹34,00,000), while the international package is priced at $100,000 (approximately ₹67,88,000). DHIRAM SHAH is the Mumbai-based founder of Luxurylaunches.com

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4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPRECIATE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Conversation starter Wine racks that span your entire wall or just a small section - whatever your collection, there's a size-speciﬁc and stylish way to showcase your bottles

Stock up in style What if it was wine-o-clock all the time at home? It’s possible with a wine cellar made to suit your needs

enjamin Franklin was right — wine is indeed constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. This spirit has gained many new followers in the last few years, some of whom are taking their relationship with wine to the next level by becoming collectors and connoisseurs, who would of course then be in need of a fine cellar. For these select few, the design and planning of their home includes a dedicated space for their cherished wine collection. “For less than 100 bottles storage, a DIY (do-ityourself) approach is best, with many solutions available off-the-shelf in the forms of automated wine caves. For more than 100 bottles to be stored at a time, it would be best to engage a consultant to recommend and implement the solution for you after considering all variables,” says Colonel Ravi Joshi, an authority on wines and spirits, and Managing Editor of Vino India magazine. Having identified the need to build a cellar, wine lovers must ensure adequate availability of space for the bottles in a horizontal/tilted position. Humidity and temperature are the key ingredients to building a fine cellar, with a dug-in one being ideal. With the technology available in the market, these perfect conditions can be simulated with air-conditioned enclosures, though these would come at recurrent running costs. Joshi recommends situating a home cellar away from direct sunlight or heat generating devices and from vibrations (gadgets like blenders, washing machines etc.). “It would be a good idea to factor-in future growth,” he says. Companies such as STACT, EuroCave and Vestfrost have been creating wine coolers and modular wine storage compartments, and their range of cellars are available at a premium price of ₹1 Lakh and upwards. The actual costs depend on the size of the cellar and specific features that are chosen. Smaller wine coolers (for stacking less than 20 bottles) are available at lower costs, with options like those being offered by Croma retail for storing 16 wines, available at a discounted price of ₹ 10,000. CM YK

Humidity and temperature are the key ingredients to building a ﬁne cellar, and these perfect conditions can be simulated with airconditioned enclosures, though these would come at recurrent running costs.

Even in countries like the US, until recently, premium wine storage cellars were almost exclusively found in avant-garde restaurants and wine bars. With the rising urban population and real estate coming at an increasing premium, people are moving into smaller spaces, where even luxury residences lack the type of spaces traditionally suited to wine cellar storage. “In response to this, not only was it more practical, people realised that it is most desirable, to have their wine cellar right out in the open — as a focal point in the home. In fact the bulk of our business is now to builders using our STACT wine storage panels within glass cellars in new luxury homes and remodels”, says Jamie Kasza, founder and president of STACT, a Vancouver based company that provides modular wine storage options. The trend in India to build wine cellars at home is still fairly limited, since the appreciation for this spirit is only now catching on. Connoisseurs with the knowledge and desire to own 100 or more bottles will only come in the future. “India is a whisky drinking country and wine consumption here compared to the US or Europe is still minuscule. Indians are still learning to understand wine, its varieties and the ways to drink it. Proper storage of wine at home has still not caught on in a big way and is restricted to a very small affluent section of wine lovers”, says Bishen Kumar, group editor and publisher of Spiritz, a monthly magazine that writes about different kinds of liquor and its associate industries. If you are among the few who have gone from wine lover to connoisseur, a cellar can take centre stage at home. Everything about building one is mostly about controlling temperature, humidity and maintenance costs, and one should choose a wine cellar depending on these factors. Once you have these in control, your cellar can become not just a storage unit for your prized collection but a ﬁne conversation piece to begin home tours with. MANIKA DHAMA is a freelance writer and journalist based in Dubai

Treasure that vintage

f you’re not ready for a cellar just yet, wine expert Col. Ravi Joshi recommends using this storage checklist for your wine range: ● Store in a cool room not affected by sunlight. Avoid

storing along walls that receive direct sunlight. ● For wines intended for long term storage, you can use a

space that is not used often (e.g. wooden boxes) so as to minimize movement ● Always store still wine bottles with cork closure horizontally in order to keep the cork moist and swollen up for a tight seal. For sparkling wines and screw cap closed wines, vertical storage is not a problem. ● Store away from any material with strong aromas e.g. spices, detergents or worse — naphthalene balls

T for Terroir Modulotheque, from EuroCave, is made in solid oak wood, and is a classic way to store and display your wine ....CH-X

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02-13-2016

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

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Beauty and the beast The F-Type Coupe R can sell on looks alone. But why stop at just looks?

Fastest cat in town Good design, great features make the Jaguar F-Type Coupe R well-suited for Indian roads

t some point during the 400-km drive in the Jaguar F-Type Coupe R, I became immune to over enthusiastic onlookers. Everywhere I drove, heads turned. Whether it was the trendy neighbourhoods of South Mumbai or the laidback suburbs, people stared. As some hurriedly took photos and videos, I imagined I would be almost-famous on a couple of social media accounts by now, thanks to the bright red Jaguar. The FType Coupe can sell on looks alone. But why just stop at looks? The R model comes with a 550 hp supercharged engine mated to an eight-speed ZF gearbox that can take the car from a standstill to 100 km/hr in 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of 300 km/hr. Yes, that is really fast. Waiting at a red light is an exercise in self-restraint. When idle, the engine lets out a calm yet menacing hum. It's a barely restrained beast waiting to pounce ahead with the slightest press of the throttle. And pounce it does. Press the throttle down and the monstrous V8 will ﬁll its lungs with air, the back wheels will put power on the ground and as the revs shoot upwards, the engine will give out a wicked scream all while your surroundings slowly fade away and your spine presses ﬁrmly on the bucket seats. This is more than enough to settle any test drive for a cheque paid in full.

The R model has a 550 hp supercharged engine and goes from standstill to 100 km/hr in 4.2 seconds

On the prowl The two modes — Sports and Dynamic — come with steering, suspension, throttle response and gearshifts accordingly. For racing enthusiasts the F-Type Coupe R stores lap telemetry along and offers conﬁgurable dynamics. To make things more dramatic, Jaguar has designed the car to let additional fuel in the cylinders when you lift off the throttle. The result is ‘a controlled misﬁre’. In plain

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terms: a melodious symphony of pops and crackles that makes every driver, especially when driving through a tunnel, roll down the window and tune in to the amplified echoes. If this is a bit too much for the daily commute, the exhaust can be toned down at the press of a button. I had no more concern driving this car in the city, than I would a luxury sedan except for those pesky oversized speed-breakers that brush the kitty's underbelly. The cockpit is logical, comfortable and plush with its share of leather, chrome and carbon fibre. I particularly liked the memory sport seats. They come with side bolstering which just hug you from behind as you slice through curvy roads. The trunk is a tiny compartment which is good for a laptop bag or two, but then Jeeves can always get the luggage in the Land Rover. The electric steering is well-planted and offers plenty of feedback. The suspension is well-balanced and the car happily goes over ‘Indian’ roads at ease without breaking your back. I drove straight for 320 km and after a quick stretch and a fuel stop, I was ready to do it again. Overall, the F-Type Coupe R is a beautiful car with gorgeous curves and an engine that is outrageously loud and fast. I expect more than a few sales to be impulse buys, sealed the first time the customer goes for a test drive. The Jaguar F Type Coupe R is available for ₹2.4 crore (on-road price) in Mumbai. DHIRAM SHAH is the Mumbai-based founder of Luxurylaunches.com

Tech Specs Engine 8 cylinder, 5 litre supercharged Torque 680nM at 2500 – 5500rpm Power 542bhp at 6500 RPM Top speed 300 km/hr Transmission 8 speed, ZF single clutch automatic transmission City 4.5 km/litre Highway 2.5 km/litre 0 to 100 kmph 4.2 seconds Price ₹2.4 crore (On road - Mumbai)

Smooth ride The cockpit is logical, comfortable and plush ....CH-X

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02-13-2016

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Time ﬂies Salon International de la Haute Horologerie 2016 brought us these marvellous time pieces to look out for this year

ou’re going to love watching every minute of the new year pass by with these beauties introduced at SIHH 2016. Salon International de la Haute Horologerie is one of the most anticipated shows in the world , as it hosts the ﬁrst watch assortments of the year, by leading Swiss watch brands. Here are the top ﬁve lust-worthy pieces from SIHH that may have you loosening your purse strings in no time.

Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Ronde des Papillons Poetic Complication ‘Poetic complications’, according to me, is the finest haute horology watch collection for women. It is amazing how watch makers at Van Cleef can club complicated horology with jewellery in the most harmonious, seamless and aesthetic way. In this Lady Arpels watch, prominently enamelled in blue-black and white, a swallow flies back and forth on the 0 to 12 arc to indicate time. The multi-level dial also uses butterflies that fly around between clouds to count passing minutes.

Roger Dubuis Blossom Velvet Pink The Blossom Velvet Pink comes in a lovely soft 36 mm pink gold case. The mother-of-pearl dial is engraved and sculpted with floral marquetry design. Delicate and colourful in appearance, the design includes pink flowers with red and lavender petals and a diamond at the centre. A total of 86 diamonds are used to decorate bezels and lugs of the watch. The curly flower stems and the hands are both made in pink gold.

Richard Mille 07-02 Automatic Pink Sapphire There are very few Swiss watch brands that invest creativity in making ladies watches with truly unique aesthetics and complications. Last year, RM introduced a mesmerising ‘flower tourbillion’, which became the showstopper at SIHH. This year RM continues its ingenious drift with RM 07-02 Automatic Pink Sapphire for women. In ‘07-02’, RM has created a watchcase never seen before on a ladies watch. Sapphire crystal glass is used in watches on the face and back because of its scratch resistant properties but RM 07-02 redefines the way it is used in a watchcase. The entire block of the dial, comprising the bezel case-band and back, is carved out of a single block of pink sapphire, a feat difficult to achieve from both an engineering as well as a technical standpoint. RM watch-makers took nearly 40 days to produce a single flawlessly carved and polished pink sapphire case. Even on the back, RM has used rotor wheel ornate, wisely with diamonds, so as to not hinder the functionality of the rotating power charger.

Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Fabuleux Ornements Who’s going to look at the passing time when the art on this watch is so delightfully distracting! Vacheron Constantin Metiers d’Art Fabuleux Ornements collection has been around for two years. 2016 will see new and awe-inspiring additions to Vacheron Constantin’s ladies’ watch collection. Crafted with open and intricate work, these ultra thin feminine watches are made of 18 carat gold. Each of the new watches represents popular ﬁne-art from different countries. Chinese embroidery, French lacework and even Indian traditional designs can be seen carved on the dial face. The Indian manuscript watch sparkles with restrained elegance of 85 neatly laid, round-cut diamonds weighing approximately 1.1 carats.

Cartier Panthères et Colibri It’s what Cartier is known for; illustrating the grandeur of the wild cat through jewellery and horology. At SIHH 2016, Cartier introduced Panthères et Colibri. The diamond studded case and dial may deceive you to believe that it is a simple, decorative watch. But the timepiece actually comes with a cool complication. When the crown is pressed, it activates the animation on the dial. A baby panther made in pink gold peeps out from the protective ﬁgure of mother panther. Simultaneously, the humming-bird seen above the mother panther’s head soars along an arc. The distance it covers along the arc indicates the remaining power reserve in the watch.

SHILPA DHAMIJA is the Editor-in-chief of LuxuryVolt

Exceptional, expensive and worth it BeoLab 90 is the most advanced set of speakers Bang & Olufsen has made

or its 90th birthday, Bang & Olufsen went on a bit of a design bender. The result is the BeoLab 90, a totally insane speaker that stands more than 4 ft tall, weighs more than 300 pounds, and costs more than a BMW 3-series. And, oh yeah, it sounds pretty great, too. When you first look at the BeoLab 90, it’s easy to feel as if you've entered some kind of Hunter S Thompson-esque hallucination. You’re not on a strange trip, though, I promise. The unusual geometry conceals 18 individual driver units, each with its own amplifier. This means sound comes out at of the BeoLab 90 at a full 360 degrees, with a total power of 8,200 watts. You don’t need to know anything about audio equipment to know that's a lot of sound. Holding all this together is a 145-pound cast aluminium skeleton with some wood accents along the base. The speakers have been in development for more than two-and-a-half-years, and for good reason. The goal wasn’t to produce speakers that sound great when the listener is squarely between them, but instead to create a unit that could deliver top quality sound no matter the listening conditions. With the help of an accompanying app, users can adjust the sound profiles and the balance of the various drivers, so you can fine tune the BeoLab 90 to do just what you need, whether that’s watching a movie alone or powering a dance party. During my brief test, I only found reasons to smile and chuckle. A jazz recording seemed full of subtle foot taps, and I could hear the texture of sticks on drums. If the BeoLab 90 is the most exceptional speaker Bang & CM YK

The goal wasn’t to produce speakers that sound great when the listener is squarely between them, but instead to create a unit that could deliver top quality sound no matter the listening conditions. Olufsen’s ever made, it’s also the most expensive. Each unit comes with a $38,995 price tag — and to take advantage of all of the best features you’ll need two, so you’re looking at $79,990 for a pair. Forget the 3-series; this is Audi A8 territory we’re talking about. If you need something a little more reasonable, the new BeoSound 35 is just as easy to get excited about. Bang & Olufsen’s actual birthday was back in November, and preorders have been going on since. The hardware is all ready to go though, and the first pairs will start being delivered by the end of January. A significant software update will finish things off in July. STEPHEN PULVIRENT Bloomberg

Surreal sound The BeoLab 90 is suitable for both thumping parties and a solitary eve ....CH-X

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02-13-2016

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

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Soul food for a progressive palate Fine dining manages to serve comfort food with an edgy, unexpected twist at Gaggan Bangkok

Cooking up a storm Gaggan in Bangkok is often called the “world’s best Indian restaurant”

confess to approaching the evening with some scepticism. I’m not naturally drawn to so-called fine dining. “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food,” the American chef Paul Prudhomme once wrote, and I couldn’t agree more. I would happily choose an unprepossessing dhaba or my grandmother’s vegetarian Punjabi cooking over a Michelinstarred establishment. But a few weeks before heading to Bangkok, my nineyear-old son, whose culinary tastes are somewhat more refined than mine, read about Gaggan and insisted we visit. Gaggan, in case you’ve been living under a rock lately, is the brainchild of Chef Anand Gaggan. The Kolkataborn prodigy honed his skills at, variously, the Taj Hotel group, an Indian restaurant in Bangkok, and El Bulli, Ferran Adrià’s now closed Spanish masterpiece. Gaggan’s self-described “progressive Indian” restaurant was established in 2010 and has been taking the culinary world by storm ever since. Last year, it was named the best restaurant in Asia (and the 10th best in the world) on the prestigious San Pellegrino global rankings. It has often been called “the world’s best Indian restaurant”. And so it was that my wife, our two sons and I found ourselves stuck in thick, coagulated Bangkok traffic on a winter evening, emerging just in time for our 6 pm reservation at Soi Langsuan. The restaurant sits in an elegant white colonial building with high ceilings, wooden floors, and walls inlaid with slabs of marble. We were ushered upstairs, and seated at a table next to a Swiss watch designer, a man who — as he later told me — travelled the world sampling the best restaurants. Gaggan is now firmly ensconced on the global map of foodie destinations. So what, exactly, is “progressive Indian” food? Chef Gaggan’s stint at El Bulli (a restaurant he has compared

Experimental, complex and innovative as the meal inarguably was, the food also retained just enough simplicity, to make it a real meal

Main man Chef Anand Gaggan refers to his food as ‘progressive indian’

to “the Vatican” of cuisine) has established him as a purveyor of molecular gastronomy. Gaggan has himself expressed some ambivalence about this label, talking about the classical origins of his food. Nonetheless, the menu contains touches that undeniably fall within the pantheon of modern molecular cooking: incongruous mixes of ﬂavours, often expressed in foams, and elements like “edible plastic bags” or “edible charcoal.”

has been ﬁnalised in Mumbai, and the restaurant could open by the end of the year. Arora, the 28-year-old veteran of the Copenhagen-based Noma restaurant, will be running the show. Keeping in mind the difficulty of securing our reservation in Bangkok, I told her she could expect a call from me when she opens. “There will always be a table for you,” she said. I intend to hold her to that. AKASH KAPUR is the author of India Becoming: A journey through a changing

Molecular magic

landscape (Penguin)

Mostly, molecular cuisine is an adventure — a journey into the unpredictable and unexpected. This is precisely the sensation evoked by a meal at Gaggan. As we made our way down the 15-item set menu, we found ourselves encountering tastes and textures — and mixes of tastes and textures — that were at once familiar, and new. There was, for instance, the “Chocolate Chilly Bomb” — a taste of pani puri, encased in a thin shell of white chocolate instead of a puri. Then there was Gaggan’s variation of macher jhol, except here the familiar taste of a Bengali fish curry was transformed into a condensed ball of fish in a layer of tempura batter. (In a typically playful touch, the menu didn’t say what we were eating; it simply asked us to “Be surprised!!!” and guess. For the record, no one at my table guessed correctly). The standout of the evening — at least for inventiveness — was the “Old Fashioned” cocktail I sampled. Upon ordering from the long list of drinks “Nacho” (I never learned his real name), the restaurant’s genial “mixologist” was summoned. My cocktail combined bourbon whiskey, infusions from a jar of tandoori-baked red capsicum, and a crystalline Japanese ice ball. As a finishing touch, Nacho pulled out a hookah, filled it with shreds of Cuban cigars, and proceeded to blow the smoke — and flavour — into my drink. It was one of the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted. As the evening went on, I found myself becoming increasingly less sceptical. Perhaps the real test of the cuisine was my children’s reaction. Shortly after we were seated, a waiter offered to cook something special (“like a pasta”) for my younger son. We were both tempted. I felt somewhat guilty about imposing this culinary adventure on a seven-year-old. But we took the plunge together, and it is a testament to the fundamental soundness of Gaggan’s cuisine that it is not simply inventive or adventurous — but also delicious.

Seal of approval

Real deal The food at Gaggan is inventive and adventurous yet wholesome CM YK

I suppose a food snob would say his food was avant garde. What struck me was that, experimental, complex and innovative as the meal inarguably was, the food also retained just enough simplicity, and perhaps even homeliness, to make it a real meal. I’d even have to say, and this is the ultimate compliment, that it ranked up there with my grandmother’s cooking. Our dinner took over two hours. Time passed quickly. Walking out into the warm night, I encountered Garima Arora, a chef at the restaurant, and the woman tasked with spearheading Gaggan’s planned Indian outpost. For years, there have been rumours that he would be setting up shop in his homeland. Now, it seems a location ....CH-X

LUXE Chennai/ 1 Back_Pg User: cci

02-13-2016

15:25 Color: C K Y M

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Liquid pleasures Four whisky trails from around the world that connoisseurs and lovers of the spirit should not miss

Old faithful The OLd Jameson distillery in Ireland

ou like to elaborate on the ﬁner points of difference between a Tennessee whisky and a bourbon, or wax poetic about the tasting notes of your favourite single malt after savouring a tumbler. Then why not taste it from the dram itself? Here are four ways to savour the best.

Laphroaig, Islay Islands, Scotland Nestled in its peaty environment, this distillery produces a fine scotch whisky that the world’s whisky lovers aspire to as their Holy Grail. A tour of this distillery includes a walk through Wordsworthian streams, peat cutting beds, the warehouse where the whisky acquires its identifiable complexity, the stills and more. To reach Laphroaig, one of the five scotch destinations in Scotland, you could take a ferry or fly down to Port Ellen on the island of Islay.

Yamazaki made history last year when its Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named the best in the world by the Whisky Bible 2015

CM YK

Suntory’s Yamazaki whisky has been giving stiff competition to Scotland’s best in the single malt department since it was built in 1923. The distillery is located at the outskirts of Japan’s ancient picturesque capital Kyoto, at the foot of Mount Tenno. Among one of the major attractions of the distillery is a ‘whisky library’ where 7,000 bottles are on display and visitors can sample some of their whisky, free of charge. The brand made history last year when the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named the best in the world by the Whisky Bible 2015. Kyoto or Osaka are the nearest cities, from where taxi services are available.

Kentucky Bourbon trail This well-travelled whisky pilgrimage covers a sum total of eight popular distilleries — Four Roses, Seven Hill, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Town Branch, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve and Evan Williams. In the beautiful Kentucky countryside, the distilleries are spread out to the east and west of Louisville. Expect to see warehouses full of whisky barrels, huge bubbling mash fermenters, giant metal stills and bottling facilities. The nearest airport you can ﬂy into is Louisville.

Old Jameson distillery, Ireland This tourist attraction very close to Dublin, has 3,00,000 3,50,000 visitors every year. The Old Jameson distillery, established in 1783, is a proud Irish heritage. Enter the distillery and the stiff essence of Irish whiskey overwhelms you. Exposed brick walls house the different parts of the distillery that have been lovingly preserved. The distillery also has a great restaurant, and a gift shop that has miniature casks that make for perfect take-home gifts.

Yamazaki distillery, Osaka, Japan

CONSTANTINOSZ/SHUTTERSTOCK

PAYEL MAJUMDAR

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