The Loveless Cafe team joined forces with celebrity Chef Maneet Chauhan during Dine Nashville’s Music City Way Chef Collaborations last Saturday, February 3. Our Executive Chef, Scott Peck, along with Chef Maneet and her team served an Indian and American Southern brunch that left everyone feeling the love (and very full!). Menu standouts included mini Loveless Cafe Biscuits (of course!), Naanzanella Golden Beet Salad, Chicken Tikka Masala meatballs, and a Creamed Corn Brulee. The dynamite duo served up a four course culinary experience for over 45 guests in the heart of downtown Nashville. Cheers to one of the first collabs of its kind, preferably with the specialty cocktail (and mocktail) we served at the event, made with our Blue Lightnin’ Moonshine Mixer!
Cocktail & Mocktail: Lemon Blueberry Moscow Mule
Our Blue Lightnin’ Moonshine Mixer shakes up a traditional Moscow Mule with a sweet and fruit-forward twist. We added vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lemon juice for the cocktail, and swapped out the vodka with club soda for the mocktail. Get the recipe here.
Course One: Mini Loveless Biscuits and Assorted Naans & Papadum
It’s not a Loveless Cafe meal without biscuits! Executive Chef Scott Peck cooked up a mini version of Tennessee’s Best Biscuit, complete with whipped butter and our trio of preserves. Chef Maneet Chauhan’s assorted naans and papadum, paired with spiced honey and whipped paneer, enticed guests with the fusion brunch to come.
Course Two: Creole Shrimp & Grit Spoons, Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Herbs, and Naanzanella Golden Beet Salad
The brunch took a colorful twist in Course Two with Chef Maneet’s naanzanella golden beet salad, chocked full of garbanzo beans, cucumber, frisse, lemon raita, mango mint chutney, and masala boondi. The Loveless Cafe’s additions were two of our most popular Loveless Events appetizers, Creole Shrimp & Grit Spoons and Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese and Herbs.
Course Three: Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Peach Glaze & Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs
The chefs delighted guests with a “meat and three” style entree. Chef Chauhan first served guests with Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs, basmati rice, daal makhani, and saag paneer. Chef Peck followed up with a popular Loveless Events entree, Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Peach Glaze made with our Peach Preserves, served with creamed corn brûlée, spicy southern turnip greens with pot liquor, and twice baked red potato with country ham.
Dessert: Mini Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake & Carrot Halwa Tarts a la Mode
Guests were practically bursting at the seams from all the Southern and Indian deliciousness, but the Chefs had one more course to say farewell to the crowd. Chef Peck baked a mini chocolate Kahlua bundt cake, another popular Loveless Events item, and Chef Chauhan provided carrot halwa tarts with saffron cardamom ice cream.
Guests truly received the best of both worlds – old and new, in this once in a lifetime experience!
Setting the Table
To bring the Loveless Cafe flair into Chauhan Ale House, we selected a blue and white chicken toile (in true Southern Belle fashion!) and a rich navy fabric to accessorize the tables. To serge the edges of the napkins and table runners, our team used a Singer serger. The Singer serger was quick, simple, and easy to use, allowing us to bring the sweet Southern charm of the Loveless Cafe into the vibrant world of Maneet Chauhan.
The napkins and runners incorporated the colors of The Loveless Cafe into the gem-tone hues of Chauhan for a cohesive and inviting look. Custom floral arrangements, rattan place mats, and gold candle holders with colorful taper candles finished the look.
We opted for toile over gingham for a more elevated, yet true-to-style Loveless Cafe look. Rather than placing the napkins folded on the table, we knotted them into crescent shapes to gently frame the collaboration menu.
This Dine Nashville Brunch not only brought together two talented chefs, but demonstrated a collaboration of two of Nashville’s most iconic restaurants. The fusion of old and new, Southern and Indian, was not only evident in the menu but also in the carefully curated ambiance. This brunch blended culinary creativity, cultural fusion, and true Southern hospitality. We hope each guest remembers this experience for years to come!
Thank you to Singer for providing the Loveless Cafe team with a serger and helping make this event so magical!