New Delhi’s luxury dining scene got a taste of Portugal’s olive-growing heritage at The Portuguese Pour: Chef DK’s Tasting Series. The event brought together five decades of Chef Davinder Kumar’s culinary expertise and the old-world craft of one of Portugal’s most storied olive-growing regions. It’s perhaps time that olive oil became a serious ingredient at the Indian table.
The Tasting Series hosted chefs and food aficionados alike at the Le Méridien in New Delhi for an olive oil-led culinary experience, marking the India introduction of Coração Do Vale: an ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) sourced from the olive groves of Baixo Alentejo, Portugal.
The tasting experience explored how high-quality olive oil can move beyond being a supporting ingredient and become central to flavour-building across cuisines. Designed by Chef Davinder Kumar, popularly known as Chef DK, the menu showcased the versatility of Coração Do Vale through a series of dishes that combined European techniques with familiar Indian flavours and ingredients.
The afternoon ended with a MasterClass by Chef DK on how exactly olive oil fits into your own kitchens and tables, ending on a rather immersive note.
On The Menu
The menu, designed especially for the occasion by Chef Kumar, served a dual purpose. Of course, to showcase the versatility of the oil and demonstrate how a European ingredient like olive oil can find a genuine use in Indian food.
After a welcome with crostini, olive focaccia served with the oil, and roasted makhana, served as a finger food to go with a shot of olive oil each (I’m not making this up), Chef DK took us through a live presentation of his craft using signature recipes conceived exclusively for the occasion.
Starting off with a tomato and raw mango carpaccio with kalamata dust and shaved parmesan, he moved on to a charred sweet potato chaat with bajra crisp, imli jaggery, and EVOO reduction. Following that came the pan-seared sole with mint, caper, and EVOO tapenade, and he ended with a rustic carrot and cinnamon cake. And yes, we did get to try them all! Each dish was designed to showcase different aspects of the oil’s range and how it can harmonise with distinctly Indian flavour profiles.
Other preparations up for grabs started with a broccoli-almond soup with EVOO, then made way for murg tikka lazeez, paneer khaas, pasta aglio e olio, and dum subz biryani. Desserts included tiramisu, mango flan, phirni, and ice cream. The cherry on top? The signature mocktail infused with olive oil was an experience that was, for most guests at the table, entirely new.
What Makes Coração Do Vale Different
Not all olive oils are made equal, and Coração Do Vale’s distinction begins at the where and how. Sourced from the sun-bathed groves of Baixo Alentejo, one of Portugal’s most revered olive-growing regions, the oil is made from a combination of seven native Portuguese olive varieties: Arbequina, Arbosana, Cobrançosa, Picual, Cordovil, Verdeal, and Galega. Each variety contributes a distinct note to what the brand describes as a final profile that is fruity and grassy with a creamy mid-palate and a clean, peppery finish.
Produced as an early-harvest, cold-extracted olive oil, it is specifically designed to retain high levels of natural antioxidants, including polyphenols, and carries low acidity. It is, in short, built for the discerning palate—one that notices the difference between an oil that merely coats a dish and one that actually contributes to it.
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