The newly-opened Provenance is for those looking for gourmet gifting products from across the world
On a rainy evening post work, we step inside Provenance to be immediately transported to another world. There is a wonderful aroma that one can only associate with freshly ground coffee, there are pretty little souvenirs adorning the walls and a lovely showcase of carefully-curated products and gifts from around the world is spread across the cozy boutique.
Gifts galore
The brainchild of Avani Raheja and Samir Gadhok, the couple behind Burgundy Hospitality, the newly-opened Provenance at Palladium in Lower Parel, doubles up as a gift boutique and a coffeehouse. Says Samir, “At Provenance, we want to offer the perfect gift for a thoughtful and discerning individual. We showcase the finest and most authentic gourmet gifts, sourced from independent and boutique brands from across the world and India.” There's Belgian chocolate as well as French croissants imported all the way from Brittany region to Chocolate Dragees sourced from the coastal town of Pireaus in Greece, teas from TWG, chocolates, fruit jellies and chocolate biscuits from Maxim's, tea cakes from Tier Nom, craft coffee roasted by Koinonia, and gourmet gifts from Sustenance among other products that stay authentic to their heritage, lineage and origin.
Provenance is the result of six years of research and creation. It was on their travels that the couple discovered beautiful products, which they felt deserved to be introduced in India as well. “We want to the tell the story of producers, makers and craftsman who make items with passion and showcase products that may not necessarily fit into a gourmet store,” says Avani. The in-store gift stylists are trained to custom-make and personalize gifts for any occasion. To add the finishing touches to any gift, the store also retails an exclusive collection of greeting cards, official cartoons from The New Yorker magazine, and a select range of wrapping paper sourced from Italy. There is also a customization-station where gift boxes, ribbons and cards can be embossed with your personal message or initials.
Coffeehouse chronicles
At the 17-seater cafe, we encounter the 'Mirage' - a custom-made, expressionistic coffee machine hand-built by Kees Van Der Westen in the Netherlands and imported exclusively for the brand and promptly order a Mocha. “We have fantastic coffee beans in India and some excellent craft roasters. We want to tell the story of Indian coffee, and a coffeehouse, where customers can taste freshly ground coffee, is the best way to tell this story,” says Samir.
The buttery soft croissants are best enjoyed with a cup of coffee, which we did, immensely. It's difficult to look away from the pretty tea cakes by Vahishta Zandbaf of Tier Nom Patisserie, and we are tempted to try the Rose, Pistachio and Honey Cake, that actually looks too good to eat. Apart from that, there's Chocolate Cookie Crunch Cake with Sea Salt and Caramel, Almond Orange Cake with Dark Chocolate, Tender Coconut, Banoffee and Oatmeal Caramel Chocolate Bars.
The enterprising couple have lot of plans for Provenance. “We would like for 50 per cent of our products to be sourced locally in India. The market for small batch and boutique gourmet is only just picking up in India, and we aim to offer a platform to showcase the finest gourmet products from India. We hope to have 3-4 stores in the next 24 months. We hope one day to open a Provenance boutique internationally as well,” they add.
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 "Avani Raheja and Samir Gadhok of Burgundy Hospitality")
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