Curated menu with choice crafts and hands-on workshops – this is how Hyderabad is socializing and partying in 2021 after the pandemic
Post-pandemic, private get-togethers in Hyderabad are all about exclusivity and curated menus.
After several months of lockdown, these are designed to bring like-minded people above common interests. So in addition to meals, the focus is on planning an activity for the group, from cook-offs to photography classes. This trend started during the pandemic when friends and family met in small groups, keeping in mind the mandatory safety protocols.
Suryaveer Singh, Founder Hyderabad Wine Society was pleasantly surprised when the wine dinner they announced sold out in one night. He says that, as the lockdown eased, a growing number of people approached him, seeking help hosting a wine dinner for a private get-together. “It was not like this before the pandemic. Hosting curated events for like-minded groups of people is an entirely different experience as it has to be specially curated. “
While curated private dining experiences are not new; Suryaveer says pandemic and excessive time spent watching cook-offs and reality shows on OTT platforms Bling Empire And The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills have made them more popular, and therefore accessible.
Curated events are not classes at all. These sessions, which take place before or with a meal, are all about a stress-free and engaging activity so that participants can connect with each other. Deepa Reddy – chocolatier and owner of Fonse – was in two minds about Fonse launching High Tea. The response was unexpected. “We get bookings not only for the high tea experience in the cafe, but also for the outdoor experience. Guests typically prefer small gatherings of eight to 10 people, usually sets, in the comfort of their own homes. In their gardens or farm houses.”
She further adds that she is receiving requests for bridal showers, as well as bookings for regular visits with friends. “We designed a special high tea set for a gentleman who used the experience to propose to his girlfriend. The concept of celebrating occasions in this city has changed for good,” she says.
keep it simple
Curated events like these don’t always come with fancy price tags. The key is to gather like-minded people, who can also just be family, and choose a topic. Syed Hasnain, a medical student and a coffee lover, made a coffee brew meet for his cousins, and says everyone loved it. Syed explains roasting, grinding, and different brewing techniques, then shows them four ways to make coffee—a French press, pour-over, aeropress, and a mocha pot. “The whole thing and aroma of coffee also attracted the curiosity of the elders of the house,” he says.
Not all events are about food and drink. For example something sociable like photography involves acquiring new skills. A professional photographer, Aditi Talwar says she was surprised when an event planner approached her for a high tea, which included learning how to take good pictures with the phone.
Aditi says, “After online classes during the pandemic, I gladly accepted the offer as it was a new experience for me as well. I kept the session simple and only talked about lighting, composition and angles. She adds, “We followed the class with a series of portrait and selfie sessions that kept everyone engaged.”
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