Spaghetti Makeover

Spaghetti Kitchen,the Italian food franchise with branches in Mumbai,Delhi,Kolkata and Pune,is all set to “re-launch” its menu with ingredients that are local and organic. To achieve this,the franchise has tied up with local farms across the country in order to get fresh produce devoid of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Contracts have been drawn with farmers in Himachal Pradesh,Maharashtra and Karnataka for herbs such as thyme,sage,rosemary,oregano and flat leaf parsley — ingredients essential for Italian cooking. Tokri and Trikaya Farms near Pune will be supplying the restaurant with salad greens,lettuce and tomatoes,while the franchise also plans to add locally grown lavender and Tuscan black cabbage to their stock very soon. Among the non-vegetarian items,they have managed to source prawns from Orissa’s Chilka lake,while the beef and pork will be brought down from livestock farmers in Karnataka. Spaghetti Kitchen is also set to offer live cooking counters and a wine trolley to add to the experience.

Local Flavour for Hollywood

Kamal Hassan is considered to be one of the best Indian actors with notable films in several languages,including English,Hindi and Tamil. The multilingual actor is now set to make his Hollywood debut. Barrie Osborne,the producer of Lord of the Rings,The Waterhorse and The Prophet,has signed on the 58-year-old actor. The details of the film are yet to be chalked out but it is being said that the story will be an emotional journey that suits Indian sensibilities. The treatment,however,will be Hollywood style,the kind Osborne is credited for.