Cannes 2024: Mumbai chef chef Varun Totlani collaborates with Godawan to curate five-course meal with Indian flavours at the film festival

The spread featured a variety of locally sourced ingredients such as Kashmiri morel, cacao, and Ponkh, in five courses, with each course designed to pair with Godawan 01 Rich and Rounded, and Godawan 02 Fruit and Spice. Photo Courtesy: Godawan

Godawan, the award-winning artisanal single malt whisky from Diageo India, marked its third year at Festival de Cannes by collaborating with renowned culinary expert, Chef Varun Totlani to produce an exclusive five-course meal dinner on May 15.

The collaboration featured an exclusive dinner for 30 discerning guests - including renowned actors Rajpal Yadav and Taha Badusha, Pankaj Saxena from the Film and Television Institute of India, musician Sunanda Sharma, and Ambassador Javed Ashraf - to experience heritage Indian cuisine.

The spread featured a variety of locally sourced ingredients such as Kashmiri morel, cacao, and Ponkh, in five courses, with each course designed to pair with Godawan 01 Rich and Rounded, and Godawan 02 Fruit and Spice. Held at La Terrasse Du Gray, this dinner was in line with the brand's mission to showcase Indian rarity and excellence on a global stage. Keeping in mind the artisanal single malt whiskey's core philosophy of celebrating craftsmanship and production, this blend of Indian craftsmanship and culinary expertise also reaffirmed Diageo India's ethos of ‘Made in India, For the World'.

Speaking on the dinner and collaboration, Varun Totlani, head chef at Masque, said, "This dinner was the perfect encapsulation of heritage India and the contemporary world, with a blend of culinary trends creating a five-course meal. Each dish, while uniquely Indian in its roots, imbibes a global flair to it. We wanted the entire experience to tell a story, with each dish complementing the other as well as the vibrant flavours of Godawan's 01 Rich and Rounded and 02 Fruit and Spice - tapping into the brand's anchors of heritage, culture, and craft."

Recognised for its innovation, exceptional taste, and design, Godawan is one of India's most awarded single malt whisky in recent times - with 46 national and international accolades. Given that most Indian Single Malts are smoky and rich, its whiskies aim to cover flavours across the 4 quadrants of a traditional Whisky Flavour Map - Light, Rich, Delicate, and Smoky.

This dinner crafts dishes that pair perfectly with the flavours of the two expressions. Godawan's 01 Rich and Rounded expression offers notes of sultanas and dried fruits on the nose, and raisin, sultana, fig, and apricot on the palate. The finish ends with mature wood, caramel, and a butteriness like baklava. Godawan's 02 Fruit and Spice expression has fruity aromas on the nose and a palate that boasts rich fruit and floral notes, along with vanilla, sweet ginger, and coconut. It leaves a lingering finish with a dash of spice and roasted coffee beans