Archive · 15 Jan 2026
Mumbai's Mukesh Mills hosts immersive food festival
This weekend, a very old mill in Mumbai called Mukesh Mills is turning into a special place for food, art, and stories.
It's called The Gathering, and it's a big food festival.
There are five special restaurants run by famous chefs.
Each restaurant serves a five-course meal to only 20 people at a time.
The food is not just about eating; it's also about art and memories.
For example, one chef's food is about Indian fabrics, and another chef's food is about a place called Kalimpong.
There are also talks, workshops, and a place to relax by the sea.
The festival is run by a woman named Sushmita Sarmah.
She wants to show how food can bring people together and tell big stories.
After Mumbai, the festival will go to other cities in India and even to places like London and Singapore.
The Gathering is a three-day food festival at Mumbai's Mukesh Mills, featuring five pop-up restaurants led by renowned chefs.
Each chef serves a five-course tasting menu for 20 guests per seating, with menus themed around art, memory, and place.
The festival includes art installations, cultural conversations, workshops, and a seaside lounge.
Festival director Sushmita Sarmah aims to create a new vocabulary for modern India through food, art, and storytelling.
The Gathering plans to expand to Bengaluru and global art and design festivals, with future pop-ups in cities like London, Dubai, and Singapore.
- Who
- Chefs, artists, and cultural thinkers, including Niyati Rao, Ralph Prazeres, Doma Wang, Sachiko Seth, Bawmra Jap, Priyam Chatterjee, Rishabh Seal, and festival director Sushmita Sarmah
- What
- A three-day immersive food festival called The Gathering, featuring pop-up restaurants, art installations, workshops, and cultural conversations
- When
- January 16 to 18
- Where
- Mukesh Mills, Mumbai
- Why
- To create a new vocabulary for modern India through food, art, and storytelling, and to share India's food story with the world
- Event Name
- The Gathering
- Location
- Mukesh Mills, Mumbai
- Dates
- January 16 to 18
- Chefs Involved
- Niyati Rao, Ralph Prazeres, Doma Wang, Sachiko Seth, Bawmra Jap, Priyam Chatterjee, Rishabh Seal
- Festival Director
- Sushmita Sarmah
- Unique Feature
- Five-course tasting menus with artistic and cultural themes
- Capacity
- 20 guests per seating
- Future Plans
- Expansion to Bengaluru, global art and design festivals, and international cities