The Hosting Hour

We love a tradition. They're what memories cling to, the familiar rituals we look forward to year after year, often without quite remembering when they initially started. But there comes a point when you begin making a few of your own. Perhaps it's taking over the hosting duties, rethinking the festive menu or introducing a cocktail that, after a few successful dinner parties, becomes known simply as your drink. 

So this festive season, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is exploring exactly that: how the traditions we inherit can be reimagined by a new generation. And who better to demonstrate than two women who know a thing or two about bringing people together? Actor and comedian Ambika Mod and Diet Paratha, the cultural platform championing South Asian creativity, joined forces to host an intimate supper club at Oudh 1722, bringing together some of the UK's most exciting South Asian creative voices for an evening of food, drinks and naturally, a little festive revelry.

For Diet Paratha, whose community has grown around celebrating South Asian voices and giving emerging talent a platform, it was an opportunity to bring those connections off the screen and around an actual table. “There's something really meaningful about having the space to celebrate our culture in our own way, putting our own spin on traditions and starting new ones together,” says Diet Paratha founder Anita Chhiba. “It's such a joy to be surrounded by the people who sustain our community daily.”

Among those gathered was designer Rahul Mishra, Johnnie Walker Blue Label's brand ambassador, Meneesha Kaur Kellay, Tsunaina, Kirthanaa Naidu and Saffron Vadher, while Anita made sure the surroundings were given just as much attention as the guest list. “I always love to go a little over the top with the decor. We even do all our own florals, so every last touch was taken care of by us,” she explains. “In true Diet Paratha fashion, there was an abundance of everything: flowers, food, drinks and fun.”

Naturally, the menu was given plenty of consideration. Drawing on Awadhi cuisine, a style of cooking originating in northern India and known for its slow-cooked dishes and aromatic spices, Oudh 1722 served a celebratory feast alongside two cocktails created especially for the occasion. At the heart of both was Johnnie Walker Blue Label Indian Festive Blend, created by master blender Dr Emma Walker. The Zafran Boulevardier paired the whisky with Campari, saffron vermouth and orange, while a more botanical serve explored the flavours of black tea, tonka and fig leaf. A rather persuasive argument for putting a little more thought into what we're serving guests this Christmas.

Beyond Oudh 1722, Johnnie Walker Blue Label has also partnered with Trèsind in London and Opheem in Birmingham, inviting each restaurant to interpret the new blend through its own culinary perspective. The results range from a banana, cardamom and saffron highball to an after-dinner cocktail incorporating beetroot, chai, chilli and coffee. Certainly a departure from the usual drinks trolley, and perhaps some inspiration for those looking to introduce a new ritual to their own festive gatherings.

After all, the best traditions are often the ones we make up as we go along. Whether that's borrowing a recipe from your family, introducing something entirely new to the menu or simply finding an excuse to get everyone you love in the same room. And if the evening ends with the furniture being pushed aside for dancing? All the better.

Discover more HERE