Catering Diaries: A Corporate Retreat from Bangalore Meets Alibaug’s Flavours

In April, we catered for a corporate group that had travelled all the way from Bangalore—a full-day offsite with 75 guests set against the quiet, green calm of Alibaug. The kind of day where the breeze stays soft, the conversations stay easy, and food becomes the thread that ties everything together.

This one felt special from the moment we began planning it.

Most of the guests were experiencing Maharashtrian cuisine for the very first time. Not just the dishes, but the rhythm behind them—the balance of heat and tang, the interplay of textures, the comfort tucked into rice and dal, the brightness of a fresh chutney, and the way an entire plate comes alive when everything sits together in harmony.

What we were serving wasn’t just a menu—it was an introduction.

The Lunch Spread

Lunch was a vegetarian buffet, abundant but grounded in the flavours we love most.

To begin, we served:

• Crisp kothimbir vadi, golden-edged and fragrant

• Kanda bhajji, because there is no wrong time for a well-fried bhajji

At the centre of the meal were the dishes that carry deep Maharashtra roots:

• Bharleli vangi, rich and warm

• Pineapple amti, that surprising, sweet-tangy note people always remember

• Phodnichi dal, simple but perfectly seasoned

For the rice, we went bold—masala bhaat, studded with vegetables, aromatic, and generously spiced.Alongside it came bhakri, chapati, papad, and the tiny supporting elements that end up defining the plate: lemon wedges, fresh chutneys, pickles, salt, fried chillies.

The things that look small but carry weight.

And of course, no meal ends without something sweet. We kept it familiar and comforting:

• Pineapple sheera

• Ice creamA combination that always draws a smile.

Through the Rest of the Day

Snacks, beverages, and sarbats flowed between sessions. The kind of steady hospitality that keeps a long day feeling effortless. But what stayed with us wasn’t the logistics—it was the curiosity.

Guests asked questions.Compared flavours.Came back for seconds.Shared memories from home kitchens across different states.

There was laughter over who could handle the heat of the thhecha. Equal excitement over the softness of the bhakri. And a kind of openness we cherish—the willingness to taste something new and let it form its own place in memory.

What We Carry Forward

We love moments like these—when food becomes someone’s very first impression of a place. When a meal turns into a story. When what we cook becomes a bridge between regions, tastes, and people who may not have crossed paths otherwise.

If you're hosting an offsite, team retreat, or day-long celebration, and want your meal to feel rooted, warm, and meaningful—we’d be happy to craft a menu that tells a story of its own.