Movie-watching to movie-experiencing

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

New Delhi, March 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Creating luxury cinematic experiences through a collection of hospitality offerings that provides world-class gourmet experiences, PVR Ltd, now offers an exclusive experience with innovative F&B concepts, serving a wide variety of freshly prepared food and beverages for total culinary indulgence.

It comes with a series of unique food and beverage concepts such as Kitchen Central, La Madeleine, La Cuisine, Cafe Comptoir, Simply Sushi, The Fries Factory, Concessionaire and Popcorn Bar offers a diverse menu for an elevated gastronomic journey.

Chef Mayank Tiwari, speaks to IANSlife on how PVR, through its 'The Luxury Collection', is focusing on its luxury F&B concepts to ensure the world's finest luxury gourmet experience.

Q: How did you come up with the luxury gourmet concept?

A: India is a country that has made rapid progress over the last decade. Customers' expectations have evolved over the years and we not only need to respect them but constantly try to exceed them.

I always question myself on what more can I do, how can I tweak a dish, how can I enhance the flavour or how can I enhance the guest experience? I believe in experimenting with new flavours making cooking more than just a vocation. I always wanted to change the paradigm of 'cuisines' to 'ingredients'. The focus is about bringing out the best in ingredients; they are the stars of the dish. We use ingredients from various sources to present the best dish and serve the best quality there is to offer. We at PVR, believe in a holistic guest experience that is beyond what is projected on the screen. We offer concepts like 'Simply Sushi', Japanese cuisine that is being served in a bento box inside the auditoriums or Kitchen Central with over 100 dishes on the menu available in a cinema apart from other gourmet concepts.

Q: What are the results of these luxury concepts?

A: Food & beverage (F&B) consumption at cinemas has been a significant contributor to the revenue. We have seen phenomenal growth because of the quality and service that we provide to our customers. The training of the team members, therefore, becomes important. This backed by the latest technology both in the kitchens and with our operations team has played a pivotal role in ensuring a delightful experience.

Q: What exactly is HOME? Can you share more details about the new cocktail menu?

A: HOME' is an intimate family space designed especially for people who have an affinity for music. It is located at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj. HOME combines five rooms meshed together by a common thread, all under one roof. With an eclectic calendar of live performance events, it features a top-notch kitchen, an international cocktail bar, a cosy, library-style wine-tasting lounge and adjacent private dining room harbouring a collection of contemporary artworks, a lush alfresco rooftop lounge for sundowners and cigar aficionados, and one of the largest professional sound stages in the city. It is open to members and their guests every day of the week except Tuesdays and features a curated film club on Mondays, and live performances from Wednesdays to Sundays, including music, stand-up comedy shows, close up magic and other entertainment formats.

Invoking the history of the true Gentlemen's Club of the world and taking inspiration from the drinks served during the era of the Reform Club in London, the cocktail list focuses on the lesser-known elegant drinks developed during the pre-prohibition or golden era of cocktail making, the popular old school "Classics" that have travelled the world over generations, and progressive drinks inspired by Japanese bartending techniques.

"The new cocktail menu by our Head Beverage, Santanu and his team is inspired by fermentation and solar system. The Solar System formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud, Solar energy is irreplaceable for the survival of human beings." All the drinks are inspired by the energy of solar power whereas fermentation is used for preservation in a process that produces lactic acid. Fermentation is widely used for the production of alcoholic beverages through the process of distillation. In our garnishes, we have used a distinct variation of fermented fruit and vegetables.

Q: Differentiate the movie-watching experience through food and beverage innovations?

A: Through the years, we have transformed and redefined the way India experiences entertainment on the silver screen. We have changed the general notion of movie-watching to movie-experiencing. From state-of-the-art projection systems and advanced sound engineering to plush seating and a wide range of F & B options, every PVR screen enraptures audiences in a world of fantastic movie experiences.

We have come up with unique food and beverage concepts. These include 'Kitchen Central', offering a diverse menu of Indian and international dishes ranging from European, Japanese and Indian street food based on healthy and fresh produces. While the 'La Madeleine' specialises in Patisserie, Boulangerie and Viennoiseries, 'La Cuisine' consists of oriental cuisine that includes a Spanish Tapas and Japenese Sushi Counter. 'Cafe Comptoir' is an ultra-luxe concept that specialises in a range of cold and hot beverage coffee and gelatos and 'Simply Sushi' churns out the best of Japanese cuisine with the freshest ingredients and carefully handpicked seafood. 'The Fries Factory' provides a fabulous combination of straight-cut French fries with signature toppings and in-house sauce blends. 'Concessionaire' offers guests some of the popular bestsellers along with the local flavours of the city. 'PVR's Signature 'Popcorn Bar' is home to a variety of exciting new flavours available for in-cinema dining or as takeaway treats.

(N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)

Source: IANS