Palate by Design, a debut festival curated by Nitya Reddy of Ramky Signature One Pvt. Ltd., brought together architects and chefs in a series of immersive pop‑up dining environments at Hyderabad’s Signature Estates, a 101‑acre, 93‑villa community. Rather than treating space as a mere backdrop, the event positioned architecture as a collaborative partner to food, creating a choreographed dialogue between built form and gastronomy. The show‑villa and clubhouse, designed by Habitat Architects, emphasize understated opulence, abundant daylight and fluid circulation, reflecting a luxury‑focused, low‑density development.
“With Palate by Design, fine dining, architecture, and lifestyle retail have surged with new energy. At the estate, instead of high‑volume developments, the focus has been on luxury and rarity,” said Nitya Reddy, Curator, Ramky Signature One Pvt. Ltd. Zafar Choudhary, CEO and Founding Partner, Habitat Architects, added, “Rather than imposing a dense vision onto the land, the project listens to it. The show villa, specifically, is not about presentation — it’s about giving people a sense of how life unfolds across the estate.” Sahir Choudhary, Design Lead for the clubhouse, noted, “The design focuses on fluid circulation, and experiences that feel active without ever feeling crowded.”
Four designer‑chef collaborations illustrated this exchange. Farah Agarwal of Chestnut Storeys (Chennai) paired with Chef Manav Khanna of BANNG (Mumbai, Gurugram) to create a home‑like dining room with layered materials and warm woodwork. Apoorva Shroff of Lyth Design Studio (Mumbai) worked with Chef Ralph Prazeres of Praça Prazeres (Goa), drawing on Konkan motifs and a mirror‑box entry to echo Goan hospitality. Gowri Adappa of A Design Co. (Chennai) collaborated with restaurateur Gauri Devidayal of The Table (Mumbai), using local crafts and nostalgic modernism to shape a relaxed yet curated space. Abin Chaudhuri of Abin Design Studio (Kolkata) teamed with Chef Nooresha Kably of Izumi (Mumbai, Assagao) to translate Japanese minimalism into a restrained, stone‑table setting.
Image Courtesy: Palate by Design
