Zerruco by Zilli, celebrity Chef Aldo Zilli’s first venture in India, launches in style in the Capital with a hedonistic celebration from brunch to midnight.
There’s a hip, new eatery in town, and it’s also slated to be the Capital’s sleekest club during the weekend. This Sunday saw the opening of Zerruco by Zilli, a contemporary Mediterranean restaurant that marks Italian-bred and London-based celebrity chef Aldo Zilli’s maiden foray into Asia.
Brought to India by restaurateurs Kashif Farooq and Prashant Ojha, and promoted by Prashant Aggarwal, Bikram Uberoi, and Munish Kher, with the expert support of ex-Oberoi GM Manish Kumar Baheyti, Zerruco by Zilli is located at Hotel Ashok, in the Diplomatic Enclave, next to Amatrra Spa.
Guests began streaming in for an early brunch, and were treated to a delicious spread of Zilli salads, cold cuts, cheeses, pastas, grilled seafood, oven-fresh pizza prepared by Chef Francesco, and divine desserts, including a heavenly pudding that is a Zilli specialty. Delhi’s glitterati was in full attendance, with Ala and Rajan Madhu making an early entry with diplomat friends from the Ukranian Embassy. Ramola Bachchan and Rohit Bal too, came early to sample the delicacies at hand, as did Vikrum Baidyanath, Akhil Nath, Gautam Seth, and Prateek Jain. A spirited Bikram Uberoi was accompanied by his parents, and was spotted mingling with guests, never once taking off his white-rimmed shades. As live jazz music by Manta Sidhu and her band played, brunch turned into a sundowner cocktail, which then again morphed into a night of revelry, with the transcendental beats of the DJ, who had been especially flown in from Russia.
“Having tasted some of the best Indian food from great chefs in London such as Atul Kochhar, to say that I am excited about Zerruco by Zilli is an understatement, as I have fed and met some fantastic people from India in my 35 years in London. I am expecting a big culinary adventure, and I’m sure I am not going to be disappointed,” said Chef Aldo Zilli, who’s a television celebrity in his adopted UK. During the evening cocktail hour, Manish Baheyti showed guests how the inside seating area could be converted effortlessly into a dance floor, with the sofas folding into a ledge for people to dance upon. “What we are bringing here is a truly international experience. At night the lightsare dimmed, and the tables inside are spot-lit, while people can hit the dance floor. Food-wise, the Zerruco Menu has a separate vegetarian section, since Chef Aldo Zilli found a majority of his patrons at Zilli Green in London were well-heeled Indians with a penchant for Italian vegetarian food.”
The party raged until midnight, with people swaying enthusiastically to the hypnotic music, delicious cocktails in hand.
Zerruco By Zilli, Ashok Hotel, Diplomatic Enclave, 50 B, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi
Text by Priya Kumari Rana