Ottawa’s East India Company is known for treating its customers like family, and the holidays are no exception.
After two years of COVID slowdowns, this festive season is extra special for local business owners and vendors like the Mehra family. Community members and colleagues are finally able to reconnect and celebrate the holidays as they were intended – over some delicious food.
With that in mind, the team at the East India Company is making its offerings especially creative to make sure there is a bit of spice for everyone this year.
Sharing food never goes out of style
In a new world filled with hybrid work teams, the holidays are the ideal opportunity to bring everyone together over some good food and a perfectly paired wine. East India Company has plenty of space for teams to gather and try a variety of dishes at the restaurant’s ever-changing buffet.
“We are really excited to be hosting Christmas parties again, whether it’s a group or a family dinner,” said East India Company general manager and sommelier Anish Mehra. “We’ll be welcoming people over the next few weeks and well into January.”
While Mehra and his brother Nitin — East Indian Company’s executive chef — are sommeliers, make no mistake: a gathering at the East India Company is not meant to be a fancy-pants affair. It’s the perfect place for your team to come together to kick back, relax and swap stories over food that’s bursting with flavour, adds Mehra.
“With our amazing selection of entrees and the buffet, everyone will be able to find something to enjoy.” said Mehra.
And with two locations in the city – one located downtown and the other in the West end – there is ample opportunity for teams to gather.
Running out of gift ideas for the family foodie?
If the foodie in your life has all the kitchen gadgets, what they may be missing is some quality time with a master chef who cooks Indian food just like his mother taught him.
In January the East India Company will again be offering this unique opportunity to 20 aspiring chefs who want to learn the art of Indian cooking. They’ll be treated to three demos of appetizers and entrees, as well as taught how to pair flavours with wine.
“We love hosting our cooking classes and showing guests how fun it is to recreate our entrees at home,” said Mehra.
In these classes you’ll discover that the family vibe isn’t just for the dining room. If your work family could use a fun holiday activity for some quality bonding time, the East India Company books private cooking classes to groups of up to 50 people at their Bells Corners location.
Support local businesses and give some folks a helping hand
Since the holidays are an important sales period for many businesses, East India Company wanted to give its neighbours a boost this season, partnering with several shops in the community to curate holiday gift baskets filled with specialty items from the Ottawa area.
Within the baskets, you’ll find local flavours – including one of East India Company’s homemade sauces – alongside some artisanal favourites:
- Chocolate from Almonte’s Hummingbird Chocolate
- Fancy cooking oil from Wellington’s Aurelius Oils
- Soothing body butter from Kanata’s Pure Heart Essentials
- Beer brewed in the heart of downtown Ottawa’s Beyond the Pale
- Ottawa’s favourite caffeinated pick-me-up from Happy Goat Coffee
- A bit of spa-like luxury courtesy of Manotick’s White Clover Soap
- And for tea-totalers, something alcohol-free to drink from City Seltzer
It was also important to the Mehra family to think about those less fortunate during the holidays, so they have also committed to donating five per cent of each gift basket purchase to the Ottawa Food Bank to make sure folks who need some extra help this year are also being supported.
“We have greatly appreciated the support of the Ottawa community over the past year as we return to normal so we wanted to give back,” said Mehra. “We’re excited to see what 2023 holds.”
You can reserve a spot for your Christmas party, book a cooking class, or order a gift box by emailing East India Company’s Anish Mehra at eic.anish@gmail.com.
