The world of dining is undergoing a seismic shift, as a new wave of culinary experiences is sweeping across the globe. Gone are the days of simple meals in quiet restaurants. Today, diners are seeking out immersive and experiential dining experiences that engage all the senses and create lasting memories.
At the heart of this trend is a desire for something more than just sustenance. People want to be entertained, engaged, and amazed; to escape the ordinary and step into a world of fantasy, adventure, or nostalgia. And restaurants are responding by creating dining experiences that are as memorable as they are delicious.
Restaurants around the world are crafting environments that create a narrative, transforming ordinary meals into multi-dimensional experiences. For instance, dining concepts like “dinner in the dark” challenge guests to eat in complete darkness, heightening their taste and smell while sparking conversations about the way we perceive food.
One of the key elements of immersive dining is the creation of a unique and immersive ambiance to create a sense of wonder and enchantment. Another element is a focus on storytelling, where decor, food and drinks tell a story, to create a deeper connection with guests and make the meal more meaningful.
This storytelling ingredient in creating a mood-setting atmosphere is vital, says Paul Christie, co-owner of Modern Tailors, the popular Indian restaurants leading the charge in immersive Indian dining. Far from only relying on food to be the hero of a diner’s night out, he and Miki Milovanovic, founders of the Doppio Zero group, have made sure that every detail of their restaurants in Rosebank and Groenkloof, Pretoria has been crafted to reflect a chic exotic Indian feel, the perfect setting for their cuisine, which pays homage to Mumbai’s street food and Durban’s best loved dishes.
“Mumbai, often called the City of Dreams, is a colourful, vibrant tumble of sights and sounds. People from all economic classes eat on the roadside almost round the clock, with some saying the taste of the street food is better than restaurants in the city,” says Christie. “The dishes we serve are a combination of our very own Durban curries shot through with the unique flavours and textures of Mumbai.”
The decision to open Modern Tailors was born when Christie and Milovanovic observed a growing trend of diners looking for unique experiences. “We noticed that people are increasingly wanting more than a meal when they go out; they also want to be entertained, engaged, and amazed. We decided to create a restaurant where diners are captivated by both the food and the ambiance of every detail around them – from the ornate menu design to beautiful crockery and nostalgic pictures on the walls. Everything that guests see, hear and taste needs to capture an exotic Indian feel.”
Christie loves the notion of going out for a meal and encountering something completely different to the norm, “an experience that takes them closer to a city or country they may only have dreamed about visiting, that exposes them to the warm soul of that place’s people, food, and culture. If the atmosphere is engaging enough, people are encouraged to immerse themselves fully in this new experience for a few unforgettable hours. It’s a style of dining that is redefining how we think about food, culture, and community,” he observes.
Of course, the food itself remains the cornerstone of any dining experience. But in the world of immersive dining, even the food is elevated to a new level. Chefs are experimenting with innovative techniques and ingredients to create dishes that are both visually stunning and incredibly delicious.
“People expect classics like lamb rogan josh and chicken biryani at an Indian restaurant. And while traditional curries are a treasure trove of flavours and I use many of the recipes passed down to me by my mother, I love infusing them with modern twists for food that is both familiar and exciting,” says Executive Chef Jessica Munisamy.
In Pretoria, for example – a city known for its red meat lovers – Chef Jessica has tweaked Modern Tailors: Ambassador’s menu to create unique Indian-style meaty dishes like pan-fried Black Angus Sirloin with spiced ghee, garlic cloves, and curry leaves, served with a spicy version of chimichurri. There’s also an exquisite pepper fry beef short rib, marinated in ginger and garlic then slow cooked to tender perfection.
According to the award-winning chef, that magical moment when food transports you to another world should start the moment you’re reading the menu. Every dish description needs to create a sense of excitement and anticipation, making the meal feel like a special occasion long before the food arrives. “Imagine a Bollywood Basmati Rice with dried mango, pistachio, and mint, or triple cooked crispy potatoes coated with masala… even the vegetarian dishes need to entice you!”
This blend of bold flavours and evocative dining atmosphere offers a fun, yet elegant, departure from the mundane. And for anyone seeking a place where family and friends can meet in the summer months ahead, an environment layered with such rich detail as this invites participation and fosters connection, creating a memorable shared experience. “We want our restaurants to be an experience, where people can relax and immerse themselves in the allure of the setting while enjoying the feast of food on offer,” concludes Christie. “All that’s left then is to toast such beautiful moments with a refreshing Mumbai express cocktail, with Bombay Sapphire gin, pineapple syrup, lime, mint and coriander, and enjoy!”