8 Course Degustation Menu by Darkins + Chef Smriti

Darkins 8 Course Menu on the Chefs Table by Smriti Iyer

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17 March, 2024. A mildly warm spring afternoon spent within the confines of a factory… wait, what? But not just any factory. It’s a chocolate factory! Bound to stir up a nostalgic Willy Wonka-esque feel in those who always wondered what a chocolate factory looks like! But thanks to Darkins, they have the most visitor-friendly setup that also conducts occasional tours. And their collab with renowned Chef Smriti Iyer was simply a dream come true.

Let’s say, food for me has never been just about the meal.

Food is Art.

Food is perfection disguised as flavour.

Food is experimentation…

Food is something that elevates the experience and surprises you in ways you couldn’t imagine! And i must applaud Chef Smriti Iyer to bringing to life never-seen-before dishes that would delight any chocolate lover… connoisseur or not, you would be surprised at the sheer genius of the healthy recipes being served.

The idea behind the concept was that chocolate is not just reserved for sweet desserts. But to tinker with the possibilities of having savoury, drinks and whole grains combined with all forms of cacao was a rare feat to accomplish. And it surprised my taste buds.

I’ve been to several farm-to-table experiences. At homes, in real farms, at restaurants… but it was the first ever experience of eating from the unique source – a factory this time!

Move over mousses and cocoa shavings. This 8 Course menu was about the possibilities of what can be done with cacao…

Darkins 8 Course Menu: The Factory Setup

We were welcomed with standees and decor that was minimal but on point. Featuring cacao bean bangs and ferns. The factory had enough space to create a niche that was fully transformed by a dreamy decor with overhanging lights, leaves and lush green elements. The whole Cacao Experience was timed for 2-3 hours of leisurely dining. The dishes were diverse and represented fusion cooking at its finest.

Darkins 8 Course Menu curated by Chef Smriti Iyer

Innovative recipes took centerstage in the forms one wouldn’t find at even fine dine or gourmet restaurants. Period. That was one of the reasons why I didn’t miss the tasting menu – modern Indian cooking at its finest.

Having consumed Darkins chocolates since 2018, i was familiar with their making process and attention to quality. From procuring single origin cacao from Indian farms to maintaining highest levels of hygiene at the facility, their team’s idea of an in-factory dining experience was more than welcome!

You can take a look at a previous memoir from 2018 i wrote after my first factory tour, when Darkins operated out of a smaller facility. It was a boutique cacao factory complete with a tasting lounge and a transparent, visible manufacturing unit.

At the Chef’s Table, I tried to take pictures of every distinct course and hope that the low-key camera does justice to them!

There is a delicate balance that occurs when citrus blends with bitter. Among Darkin’s Bean to Bar artisanal chocolates, my favorite Darkins is 63% Dark with Orange Zest. I do have an acquired taste for dark chocolate (up to 99% cacao), having been to Swiss factories and chocolate-making workshops. So it was a reaffirmation of my palate to sip orange tea with cocoa nibs… and with some healthy jowar crackers. The portion sizes were just right and the plating, needless to say, aesthetically pleasing.

The preparations were mindful of the sensitivities of people and what ingredients qualify as healthy. The Chef did justice to our awareness levels and discernment, catering to a wide palate of taste preferences.

Darkins 8 Course Menu: Few Snapshots

Here’s a little round up of what else was on the table. When you have been consuming dark chocolate for the longest time (hoarding amorphous chocolates from hill stations as a teenager to Lindt-ing), you feel ready to be diving into an experience like this…

It’s so hard to pick one favorite when each dish was carefully crafted and served as fine art. But the Kukum Rice with Chocolate Dal and the actual chocolate dessert: Chocolate Kapi fudge was what stayed with me.

It was not a riot of flavours. It was not a cacophony of cacao that would stun the diner.

But when you are in the company of connoisseurs with a certain degree of discernment, going into uncharted food territory becomes easier. Chef Smriti Iyer certainly honored that faith and trust.

You can view the full menu on the Facebook page of Chef Smriti Iyer. The mousse did make an appearance (Course 6), but paired with parval – which was a twist accompanied by Amaranth crunch.

Like i said, it’s hard to pick a favorite when each dish is a star – i mean, just look at Course 7 🙂 It made me feel like a Masterchef Judge, sampling something rare and exceptional…

The team behind the perfect cacao tastes…

The entire 8 course meal was created within the kitchen of the factory and served by the attentive staff. Ms. Richa Chaudhary, the “Chocotarian” and founder of Darkins, was travelling at the time. But the team led by Mr. Prajnay left no stone unturned in executing everything to perfection! The Darkins factory is located in Okhla, New Delhi, and offers tours and experiences from time to time.

Will look forward to be at this one-of-a-kind Chef’s Table whenever it happens next.