Chef Picu blends the elements of Nature in his Bengaluru pop-up

Chef Rahul Gomes Pereira, fondly referred to as chef Picu, is currently hosting a pop-up at The Conservatory that he has been working on for the past five months. The pop-up is themed on pairing each course with an element of Nature such as earth, or the sea, and he says the idea stemmed from bringing the best of both menus at his restaurants Saz and Jamun.

While restaurants across the city are busy prepping festive menus, here is a meal that is all set to take you on a journey to experience the elements of Nature, albeit on your plate. 

Chef Rahul Gomes Pereira, fondly referred to as chef Picu, is currently hosting a pop-up at The Conservatory that he has been working on for the past five months. “Since we’ve heard about The Conservatory, we have always been excited to do a pop-up there,” says Rahul, partner and executive chef at Passcode Hospitality which runs restaurants such as Saz, Jamun, Pings, etc.

As for the theme of pairing each course with an element of Nature such as earth, or the sea, he says the idea stemmed from bringing the best of both menus at his restaurants Saz and Jamun, and “amalgamating it into one menu”. “The robust Indian flavours of Jamun with the finesse of Saz is something we are very excited about,” he says. 

Diners can expect a vegetarian course in The Earth that brings together morel mushroom, white truffle oil, water chestnut, and porcini dust; Goan-style butter garlic prawns, crab claw balchao in The Sea; a beef short rib and pork belly in The Game; and jeera samba, arroz refogado in The Bhog. For dessert, savour Textures of a Mysore Pak,  one of Rahul’s favourites on the menu. “It consists of a besan, sabayon mousse, cardamom crumble, blackberry gel, and a little bit more!” 

Another favourite is the prawn balchao, which he says was one of his most-loved dishes growing up. “I’ve taken inspiration from that and recreated it with crab claws. I believe this creative approach to traditional flavours not only pays homage to my cultural roots but also introduces a fresh twist to a classic dish,” says the chef who also has dishes such as prawn and fish cutlets, a chicken ros curry, and beef roast pot, among others.

The varied menu aside, a key highlight of the dishes is the use of local, seasonal ingredients. Right from dried prawns from Goa to mackerel from Gujarat, the menu is “exciting and fresh” promises Rahul, who will be bringing kokum and cashew from the Konkan coast, red amaranth from Karnataka, and morel mushroom from Kashmir.

At The Conservatory, Shanti Nagar. On November 4 for lunch and dinner at 12.30 pm and 7.30 pm respectively. ₹4,100 per person. For details, call 07338677996.