Times Now 'The Foodie' awards 2012

The Times Now Foodie Awards 2012, the awards that honour restaurants and roadside eateries from across the country, took place in Mumbai on Saturday night.

Good food was the star at the Times Now Foodie Awards 2012 in Mumbai, and representing it wholesomely was Kunal Vijaykar, the host for the evening and also the official Foodie, who travelled the length and breadth of the country with his co-jurors - Rashmi Uday Singh, food critic and author, Karen Anand, food and wine specialist, and chef Manjit Gill, Corporate Executive Chef, ITC Group, to award the best of the best from five-star fine dining to roadside dhabas.

The evening started off on an unusual 'note' of tenor and altos, as a musical skit tantalised everyone's taste buds with desserts, exotic breads and Greek greens A grand performance medley to the tune of hit broadway musicals - by Merlin D'souza and Asif Ali Baig. Joining Kunal for the evening as the co-host was Tisca Chopra looking like a greek goddess adorned in a shiny black saree.

The evening saw people from different parts of the country and different segments of the food and beverage industry take their awards - there were suave restaurateurs like chefs Rahul Akerkar and Farrokh Khambatta, the legendary chef Imtiaz Qureshi, and earnest small-towners like Siddharth Latkar of Opal in Kolhapur, and Baroda's Raju Omelette Centre.

Zeba Kohli, Kalpana Lajmi, Shaina NC, Kabir Bedi, Raageshwari and, Lalitha Lajmi were among those who gave away the awards. Cyrus Broacha, Dolly Thakore and Mandira Bedi were also present.

The Times Now Foodie Awards 2012

Category Winner Jury Award

Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Swati Snacks

Best Debut Restaurant

Neel, Mumbai

Best Non-veg Restaurant

Fry's Village, Kochi Mubeen's, Lucknow

Best Coastal Food

Martins Corner, Goa and Raju's Malvani Corner(Malvan kutta, Dadar), Mumbai

Best Indian Fine Dine Indian Accent, Delhi Ziya, Oberoi, Mumbai

Best Bakery and Pattisserie Desiree, Mumbai

Best Local Cuisine Opal, Kolhapur

Best Roadside Dhaba Raju Omelette, Baroda

Best International Cuisine Amadeus, Mumbai and Thalassa, Goa

Legend Award Chef Imtiaz Qureshi

Lifetime Achievement Award Gaylord, Mumbai And the stunning spread specially created by Chef Ganguly of Trident for the guests was a supreme sight indeed!