Standing in a too-long queue at a home decor store, I found myself alternating between checking my wristwatch and ensuring that I had everything required—extra plates, serving spoons, highball glasses; check. To my left, a set of wall clocks ominously ticked—just twenty-five minutes to go before our guests were supposed to arrive. My phone buzzed as I sped downstairs and hauled my fragile cargo into a rickshaw. I smiled as we ran two green lights in a row—I was going to make it.
Time management, I learned that Sunday, was perhaps one of the most important aspects of running a supper club. These four-to-twelve-seater social events take on several shapes and forms, ranging from extravagant feats of technical gastronomy to humble attempts to revive childhood classics at home. Though quite trendy at the moment, the phenomenon of supper clubs is quite old, finding its roots in the Prohibition era of the early 20th Century United States. During this period, the sale of alcoholic beverages was banned, leading certain establishments to adopt a clever strategy: they began serving meals, often in remote or rural locales, and discreetly offered alcoholic beverages to patrons. And so, about a hundred years later, folks from across the world would replicate the idea; only in lieu of alcohol, it was communal eating that was sought after.
‘Khanpaan’ kicked off in a blaze of glory late this March—leaving behind a trail of burned fingers and other minor kitchen disasters, along with several tables’ worth of satisfied diners; first friends, then friends-of-friends, and then strangers. The experience has greatly affected the outlook and personal development of its founder-cook (and my flatmate), Kabeer Khan—who, in between his responsibilities as a PR manager, continues to immortalise old family favourites with a fortnightly showcase of sheer decadence, hand-ground spices, and all things meat.
“These recipes are family recipes,” beams Khan. “None of them are like anything you get in a restaurant.” His culinary inspiration comes from his mother's culture of hosting feasts for up to 20 people at home. “My mom spent a lot of time with magazines like Grihshobha, adapting those recipes and adding her own style,” Kabeer shares. “I’ve learned so much from watching her and then making my own adaptations.”
Khan’s outlook and personal growth from the supper club have been profound. After bumping up the table count from four to six and refining his recipes with each passing week, he has learned valuable lessons in hospitality. “I’ve come to realize how people enjoy their food, what portions work best, and how to take care of guests,” he reflects. “Hosting is an integral part of my supper club, making sure people have a great experience.”
“Finding the right quality of meat is essential,” Khan emphasizes. “Even if you get the recipe right, the meat’s flavor has to be perfect because I don’t marinate my meat. The browning of onions, the creation of your own spice mix, and sourcing of good meat—they’re all crucial.”
Khan continues to innovate, incorporating other people's food into the dessert part and trying new techniques. “I’ve seen people come and feast like my own family, but I’ve learned to adjust portions and refine my recipes over the last three months. It’s all about making sure people leave with a memorable experience,” he says.
Playing With Your Food
Though Khan’s vision for his supper club has resonated greatly with lovers of Lucknow-style, spicy North Indian meat dishes, supper clubs can also be about novelty as much as they can be about nostalgia. In my quest for more experiences across the city, I found myself introduced to Pranshu Poddar and his project, Tanji’s Kitchen. Named after the wily one-eyed feline that serves as his ‘sous chef,’ Poddar’s concept is a freewheeling, experiment-first, ask-questions-later whirlwind of ideas that takes him across genres, playing with textures, tastes, and techniques, all lined up with one thing in common—a dedication to perfecting plant-based cuisine. (And well, a serious sweet tooth.)
“Food has always been a passion. Initially, my exploration was through the consumption of food, but it evolved into creation and curation, which I find equally fulfilling,” says Poddar. “I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with recipes, even as a child. Such memories have always brought me joy.”
At the heart of Tanji’s Kitchen is a smorgasbord of culinary knowledge that Poddar has absorbed; with a rich academic background in his back pocket, learning about food, vegan principles, and sustainable gourmet concepts fuels much of his menus. This plays out across plates ranging from decadent fudge cakes to grilled veggie tapas-style platters, curated homestyle munchies, and on occasion, forays into vegan twists on hyperlocal cuisines, such as my inaugural experience—an ode to Calcutta that left my fingers stained in kasundhi.
“Cooking became more of a manufacturing process, requiring me to create everything from scratch,” Poddar explains. “For example, the granola I sell now was perfected over a year of trial and error. The supper club is about sharing the experience of food, discussing the journey, and the effort behind each dish.”
Poddar’s approach to vegan cuisine isn’t just about substituting meat with plant-based alternatives; it’s about reimagining the possibilities within veganism. “Earlier, I used many replacements and alternatives. Now, I focus on celebrating the vegetable or dish itself. Each dish is its own entity,” he says. This philosophy has led him to experiment with a variety of techniques, from smoking jackfruit to achieve a meat-like texture for his ramen bowls to creating intricate layers in his teriyaki burger.
One of the most striking aspects of Tanji’s Kitchen is Poddar’s commitment to technique. He’s not afraid to blend traditional methods with innovative ideas to push the boundaries of vegan cuisine. “I want to serve someone a cloud on their plate,” he laughs. “Genuinely, just a cloud. As you bite into it, things happen.”
This playful yet meticulous approach extends to his dessert creations as well. “I remember making a hot chocolate cake purely by accident,” Poddar recalls. “I found some leftover hot chocolate, blended it with coconut fibre, and baked it. It came out as this crumbly, fudgy, really gooey brownie. This kind of experimentation is what I live for.”
Poddar’s dedication to local and sustainable sourcing is another cornerstone of his cooking philosophy. “I try to source locally and sustainably. Most of my fruits and vegetables come from a local vendor,” he explains. This commitment ensures that his dishes are not only delicious but also mindful of their environmental impact.
His creativity shines through even in his sourcing choices. “I love using soku, a leafy vegetable, in my dishes. It adds an umami richness that pairs well with lentils and is also used in Middle Eastern cuisines,” Poddar notes. His ability to hero ingredients that are often overlooked is a testament to his culinary ingenuity.
For those looking to follow in his footsteps, Poddar advises understanding the staples you enjoy eating. “Equip yourself with different tools like various sauces and butters. It’s about creating range with fewer ingredients and being able to improvise,” he says. This approach allows home cooks to experiment and find joy in their culinary creations, just as he has.
Beyond Borders
House of Málà, an upscale Sichuan supper club, stands out for its dedication to authentic flavours and its founders' personal journeys. Prachi and Saloni, the passionate sister-cooks behind this venture, started House of Málà as a passion project in May 2023. With diverse backgrounds—Prachi from a tech-focused startup environment and Saloni from a personal experiences and gifting business—they channelled their love for food into this unique dining experience.
Prachi recounts the early days of House of Málà as a whirlwind of activity and learning. "The first month was just thrilling. We were only thinking of scaling this," she says. Initially, the supper club hosted a six-seater table on weekends, but the overwhelming response quickly necessitated daily seating. Scaling up to a ten-seater table, the founders continuously refined their menu and service style based on feedback. "Our first menu was literally all our favourite dishes put together in one menu," Prachi explains. "But the second menu took a lot of research because now we're taking this more seriously."
One of the significant challenges Prachi mentions is sourcing authentic Sichuan ingredients. "We get our ingredients from Hong Kong," she reveals. "All the spices, all the chillies, all the peppercorns—they come from Hong Kong." While tofu, rice, and noodles are sourced locally, this logistical effort is essential to maintain the authenticity and quality that define their dishes. "Having resourceful vendors and connections in Hong Kong has been crucial," Prachi adds, mentioning the 60-odd countries she’s traveled to over the years. In each of these trips, food and culture were major highlights—even the supper club’s name, Málà, is a gastro-cultural reference to Chongqing, the birthplace of Sichuan cooking’s unique flavours.
Málà is a combination of two Chinese characters: "麻" (má) meaning "numbing," and "辣" (là) meaning "spicy." The má element comes from Sichuan peppercorns, which produce a unique numbing sensation on the tongue. The là element is derived from various types of chillies used in Sichuan cuisine, contributing a deep, robust heat. Together, Málà creates a complex and captivating taste experience that is both numbing and spicy and is foundational to many Sichuan dishes.
Prachi reflects on the social dynamics of supper clubs, noting that diners in Mumbai are particularly open-minded and enthusiastic about sharing tables; perhaps something that’s reflected in the bustling city’s dive bar culture. "People are very open-minded when they come to an experience like this. They know they'll be sharing the dinner table with strangers," she says. Icebreaker games often enhance the dining experience, but most guests naturally engage with each other, united by their love for food and new culinary experiences. "The type of people who come to supper clubs are mostly foodies looking for new experiences in the city," Prachi notes.
Ultimately, supper clubs in Mumbai have exploded in popularity because they offer a fresh, communal dining experience that traditional restaurants can't match. Prachi believes that people are constantly seeking new experiences, and supper clubs provide an intimate, engaging way to explore diverse cuisines. "People are looking for new experiences," she concludes. "Restaurants are great, but supper clubs offer something different, something special."
