Today we thought of bringing you an expert’s opinion/recommendations and so here’s Nikhil Merchant talking about top cafes in Mumbai. Check out what he has to say…
Nikhil Merchant
At the age of 12, curious about all things food, I started by cooking my very first dish. A resident of Mumbai, India – a land rich in culture and cuisine I started my journey on the culinary trail quite early. Beginning my food career in journalism where I still write extensive on food and the people behind it for luxury publications, nationally as well as internationally. My love for cooking and thirst for knowledge opened doors to some of the best kitchens in India and abroad where I got to interact, cook, learn and execute finest cuisines of the world from culinary masterminds. My inexhaustible penchant for simplifying fine dishes and turning spirits into potent potions are an expression of my culinary sensibilities, picked from travels around the world and my fervent liaison with the food world. Thus, was born Nonchalant Gourmand, a space where I relive my experiences and share my cooking escapades with the world.
Cafes in Mumbai I love.
Coming back to Insta-worthy go-to cafes in Mumbai, all these cafes have some form of quirky old world, nostalgic and dreamy charm. Most of them have an Al Fresco (a rare sighting in Mumbai) as well as large frontage windows which allow in a lot of natural light. Thus, making it easier for it to be superbly photograph friendly. Light interiors, pastel shades or monochromatic design flow with a smart well thought of themes make it easier on the eyes and highlight the food even more so. Each of them also have a lot of whites in their backgrounds thus making colours stand out even more as also make the walls reflectors for light in daylight. Of course, the buzz and cacophony add to the drama of the place and I think they each individually have some very interesting spots to easily take pictures.
What I love from the menu of these places is-
About Flat-lays.
In addition to the café and the food, an important part of them being Insta-worthy is a good flat-lay. I dabbled into proper flat–lay quite recently. My work for Kelloggs actually made me rethink the way I should work with flat lays. You need a large background – could be a piece of plywood, wood, paper or any flat material which is not too glossy and ideally Matt finish, Then it is all about layering – start with twisted pieces of fabric snaking around the space, then add the vessels in rounds and squares or other shapes and start by placing them in a puzzle format (about to be fitted together but with space in between), these vessels could hold your food or liquid – meanwhile ensure the bigger ones which are to be in focus start in the center and then move to smaller around it (maybe condiments?). Add ingredients in raw around the space. Maybe flowers or dried plants, bright greens or leaves to bring freshness. All this while ensuring the colour schematics match and not become too rainbow style (sometimes those work too but I prefer to remain in a colour palate of 3-4 colours). Add metallic or shimmer to glam it up, or pastels to soften hues. Always try and pair contrasting shades to highlight the entire picture. Last but not the least – invest in a proper good tripod to hold the frame steady while you go about rearranging the products / ingredients for the best possible flat lay you can achieve. I usually don’t work with lights and prefer natural light so will pull up my layouts near a window or balcony with sheers so I can control the amount of light entering and yet draw the sheers if I want to soften the lighting.
What makes a good flat-lay?
With that creating a good flat lay is keeping all the points I made above intact and being creative with your backgrounds and yet retain a particular style of showcasing your photos. A bad one can be identified with a lot of unnecessary shadows and hidden ingredients which tend to get lost in the layering of fabric or vessels. Too much of flora and fauna can also make one lose the essence of the product to be highlighted so try and keep it simple.
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