2,500 dishes served at $600M wedding of Asia’s wealthiest billionaire heir

Anant tied the knot with Radhika Merchant, daughter of pharma tycoons Viren and Shaila Merchant last week in a wedding reportedly costing up to $600 million, India Express reported.

The wedding rituals, including exchanging garlands by the couple and walking around the sacred fire, began Friday and were completed early Saturday.

According to Bombay Times, the wedding menu selected by Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire Mukesh, features vegetarian dishes, traditional Indian dishes and over 100 dishes made from coconut served by an Indonesian company.

The Ambani family served elite guests a variety of exclusive and world-class vegetarian dishes prepared by top chefs such as Virgilio Martínez and Avinash Martin.

Two famous chefs Virgilio Martínez (R) and Avinash Martin (L) take on many important parts of Anant Ambani’s wedding party. Photo courtesy of their Instagrams

Virgilio Martínez is the Peruvian chef behind Lima’s Central, which was named the world’s best restaurant in 2023. Along with Martínez, famous chef Avinash Martins was also brought to Mumbai, creating a menu that blends the culinary style of Goa, a state of India, and traditional Gujarati vegetarian cuisine.

The menu served by Martinez included dishes like zucchini and asparagus tiradito, purple amaranth, avocado emulsion and Peruvian corn, cantaloupe ceviche with burrata, cashew roll with mountain chimichurri, fresh cheese, dates and lentil triangles and pistachio tiger’s milk.

Some dishes prepared by chef Avinash Martin at Anant Ambani’s wedding party. Photo courtesy of his Instagram

Chef Martin served dishes including tender coconut carpaccio, pao de queso, Jeeresal pancake, Dangar artisanal goat’s cheese, asparagus & pine nut caldin and grilled sweet potato & corn gallette.

In addition, Indian street food also appeared at the lavish wedding party.

According to local media, Nita went to India’s oldest and most famous Kashi Chaat Bhandaar restaurant located in Varanasi City to enjoy several dishes there.

She then invited the owner, Rakesh Keshari, to provide specialty snacks for the wedding.

The famous chaats served by the restaurant were available during the wedding party, highlighting the family’s connection to India’s rich culinary heritage.

Some other dishes served at the wedding include tikki, tomato chaat, palak chaat, chana kachori, and kulfi.

Another notable inclusion in the menu is the famous Filter Coffee from Madras, which is also known as Madras Kaapi, Kumbakonam Degree Coffee, Mylapore Filter Coffee, and Mysore Filter Coffee. This aromatic coffee is a staple in South Indian families.

Prior to the July wedding, the couple celebrated with two pre-wedding parties: one in India in March and another on a yacht traveling from Palermo, Italy to the South of France at the end of May.

Anant, 28, is the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, who leads the Reliance Industries conglomerate with annual revenues of US$110 billion.

As of now, Forbes estimated Mukesh Ambani’s net worth at over US$122 billion, positioning him as the richest person in Asia and the 11th wealthiest globally.