A gift-wrapped tale

It was in 2010 that couple Avani Raheja and Samir Gadhok, both students of an illustrious French business school, met for the first time. What got sparks flying was a shared love for travel and culinary experiences. And Provenance, their first homegrown coffeehouse and gift boutique in the city, is an expression of that. "We sat on this idea for six years because we wanted to handpick each product with one theme in mind - does this product embody the love, history or magic of the maker? We are passionate about their origins, craftsmanship and passion, and this we felt was the best way to go about it," says Raheja.

It's all Greek
Available in orange, pink, blue and silver, chocolate dragees are vibrant bite-sized chocolate pebbles. The owners source it from the coastal town of Piraeus, Greece. Founded by entrepreneur Nikoloaus Hatziyannakis, it's a 65-year-old family business, with each dragee capturing the detailing of two generations of Greek craftsmanship. "No artificial colours or vegetable fats are used. They use the best raw material and each chocolate is like a masterpeice," he says.
PRICE: Rs 995-Rs 1,895

Brewing the best
It's the robust aroma of coffee that will hit you the moment you walk in. The source is a custom-made coffee machine titled Mirage, handcrafted by Dutch designer Kees van der Westen, whose company has been building these machines by hand since 1985. What's worth writing home about is not only its futuristic good looks and ability to produce the perfect cappuccino, but also its astronomical price, R12 lakh (for sale). "When we came across it in Netherlands, we were blown away by the taste. Westen is the Picasso of coffee machines," says Gadhok.
PRICE: Rs 12 lakh

A Parisian box
The seed for Provenance was sown when the couple bonded over Maxim chocolates while studying in Paris. Founded in 1893, Maxim's was considered one of the most fashionable restaurants in Paris. Today, it is owned by French designer Pierre Cardin. "During our student years, Maxim's was one of the first chocolates we tasted. The tin is inspired by the traditional serving caviar tin," he says.

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