Roger Ely has been cooking, designing and presenting the multifarious cuisine known as lndian food for over 20 years. This he has done throughout North America, Europe and the U.K., presenting food in spaces as unusual as an lndian Mausoleum, the Yorkshire Moors and at innumerable art festivals - in particular his 'Belle Epoque' banquets presented by The Devil's Chauffeur. His customers range from Debbie Harry, William Borroughs, Victoria Principal, london currency dealers to the impoverished artists of this world ! As a chef in New York City and San Francisco, Ely introduced Indian dishes to the French and ltalian menus, cross blending techniques and recipes. In Toronto he worked with the infamous 'Om Taka Taka' film catering company, cooking Japanese, Thai, European and lndian food for television and film productions. Ely has presented the much underrated Indian cuisine in all its variety over 10 major regional styles of cooking (restaurant menus offer only 10% of this wonderful cuisine), but also 'invents' new dishes combining the principles and techniques of world cuisines with that of Indian cooking. 

For this special banquet he will draw upon the cuisine of Southern lndia, in particular Kerala and Ceylon, with their wonderful fish and seafood dishes as well as an extensive range of vegetable, pulse and pickle/chutney dishes. The South roasts whole spice seeds and coconut and blends coconut milk with tamarind to produce rich and healthy dishes. It will be a joyous occasion.