Hidden Ferments
Indian fermentation has long lived in home kitchens and ancient texts, yet rarely takes centre stage in restaurants, especially on the global stage. This collaborative event invites you into that quieter, largely unseen world as chefs Saavni Krishnan and Sriram Aditya from Melbourne's Saadi restaurant, and chef Vaibhav Vishen, from Wellington's Chaat Street, bring a fine-dining lens to India's deep fermentation traditions, set against Wellington's wild, coastal produce. Across an intimate evening, the menu combines age-old techniques and new terroir: cultured grains, pickles, kanji-style ferments, and lacto-preserved fruits.
For both chefs their cooking is rooted in memory and comfort but expressed with restraint, clarity, and precision. Think fermented rice and lentil batters reimagined as delicate snacks, vegetables transformed through lactic fermentation to echo both Indian aachar and Wellington's coastal flora, and broths built on aged, cultured bases for depth and length. The journey traces a loose path from the grain and pulse-based ferments that underpin everyday Indian eating, through preserved vegetables and fruits, to experimental applications responding to Wellington's climate and producers.
Your ticket includes a five-course tasting menu with thoughtful beverage pairings designed to echo ferment-forward flavours. Non-alcoholic options feature pickled, infused, and cultured elements without overpowering the palate. This event has shared seating.