Masque Turns 10: Inside A Decade Of Reinvention With Aditi Dugar

From an accidental entrepreneur to a seasoned name in the F&B industry, and with four brands under her belt, it has been a particularly interesting decade for Aditi Dugar. In 2016, she co-founded Masque with her partner and husband, Aditya Dugar. The restaurant soon became a hallowed name among food connoisseurs, and continues to hold that power nearly a decade later.

Masque, Aditi says, started with: “Just let’s do this.” “It was an adventure to travel through India, to discover new ingredients and to do something that everybody was telling us we were going to fail at. We decided to see where it would take us and I’m so glad we saw it through,” adds an ever cheerful Aditi.

The path to the summit was not without its unexpected turns and difficult moments. But there have been incredible highs, unexpected turns, difficult moments, discoveries and friendships, not to mention the tremendous learning, opines Aditya. “We’ve grown as entrepreneurs and restaurateurs. But the feeling is still very much the same as it was in 2016: we are curious about what comes next,” he adds.

A Decade Of Curiosity

Now, as Masque turns 10, the Dugars are celebrating in style with a host of events. The first is a dining experience at the newly revamped Masque, with Chef Varun Totlani going all out with a 10-course meal. The flavours are robust, the ingredients—unusual, and the dishes—beautiful but deceptive. Case in point the course which looks like rava dosa but is actually rabbit khurchan kebab, served atop a shiso leaf along with star fruit thecha.  Another dish has a papad made of bombil, and one resembles a garden in a pot, brimming with greenery and a celery stick popping out, which we are told, is to be used as straw.

Since Chef Totlani wants the menu to be a surprise for his guests, we will refrain from divulging other details, but will definitely urge you to arrive hungry.  The inspiration ranges from Kerala to Maharashtra and this contributes to the sheer variety and flavour profile that the meal offers. The ingredients comprise corn, kokum, squid, mango, mutton, sunflower seeds, ladyfish, green beans, jasmine among others.

A New Masque For Its Next Decade

To add to the excitement, the space has undergone a three-month long upheaval and has a brand new look and feel. At the new Masque, there is nothing accidental. Every element has the stamp of an experienced crew. The kitchen steals the spotlight—a deliberate move so the diners can be privy to the theatrics in the kitchen. After all, food at Masque is not just a dish on a plate, it’s a grand production.

“When we started Masque, we were very inspired by minimalism, by wabi-sabi, and by Japanese and Danish design philosophies. The space had very clean lines and felt almost theatrical. We wanted the chefs to emerge from behind this huge drop curtain and come to your table to take you on a journey through food. The fluted walls made you feel like you were sitting inside a theatre,” explains Aditya, adding that today it’s very different. “You walk in and it feels like you’ve arrived in a more lived-in space. What doesn’t change is the warmth and hospitality, and it’s something that will never change. And of course, the delicious food.”

Twelve Chefs, One India

Aditi and Aditya have also managed to bring in 12 chefs from all over the world, including names like Chef Dharshan Munidasa, Chef Rydo Anton, Chef Han LG and Chef Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn, to curate a 12-course meal. “We wanted each chef to cook a signature dish, the only caveat was that it needs to have an India connection. To interpret India as a feeling, an ingredient or a memory, in their own special way,” says Aditi.

As the celebrations get underway, Aditya says that it is exciting for him to see people genuinely enjoying themselves, talking about the dishes, remembering something they’ve eaten at Masque before or connecting a dish to a personal memory. “It’s that moment when the room has its own beautiful vibe and you can feel that people are having a really great time. To me, that’s the most fulfilling bit about steering this ship.”

While the restaurant is a recipient of a number of awards and accolades, there is no room for complacency. Aditi says that they have a roadmap to understand where they’d like to reach, but the journey is as yet unknown, which is half the thrill. She adds, “We keep hearing that Michelin is coming to India. So, I hope Masque is the first three-Michelin-star restaurant in India. That’s the next big dream for me!”