Australian model-turned-chef Sarah Todd loves everything Indian

Pratishtha Rana

A glamorous model turned celebrity chef, Sarah Todd has been on top of her game in every way possible. After contesting in MasterChef Australia Season 6 and winning hearts of Aussies with her version of Indian Aloo Gobi, the young chef soon found her way to India. A renowned restaurateur now, Todd runs her fine-dine Antares Restaurant & Beach Club at the breathtaking Small Vagator Beach in Goa, along with The Wine Rack in Mumbai.

Recently in February, the diva was hosted for an unwinding staycation by W Goa in collaboration with Luxury Escapes. The only W hotel in India, the property welcomed her with a perfect, lavish itinerary, which included all meals, spa sessions and sundowners. LuxeBook caught up with India’s very own Australian sensation Sarah Todd and spoke to her about her travel adventures, fashion on the go and her limitless passion for cooking.

One of my most unforgettable experiences in India was when I was at a masterclass in Delhi. There, I met a couple with two young kids who offered to show me around the city. To my surprise, they took me to Old Delhi. They were so warm and welcoming, and I witnessed how giving the culture in India is. As they say here, “My guest is my god.”

Three must-have clothing items for a beach vacation, for me would be a really comfortable bikini, a kaftan and a hat.

Three things I always carry in my handbag; Obviously my phone, because I work on the go all the time. I always have a lip balm by Papaw, an Australian brand known for its natural lip balms. I also carry a little pouch of jewellery, like bracelets, earrings and other accessories to quickly amp up my outfit.

My quick travel hacks; I usually try and calculate my flight’s landing time, which helps me sleep at the right hour and not get very jet lagged. Smaller portions of food without a lot of carbohydrates is good too. I carry my noise-cancelling headphones; it’s great for music and is fashionable too.

My go-to shopping destination is London! I’ve spent a lot of time there and am familiar with the city. But, for clothes, I shop in Australia and my knick knacks are from Wednesday market in Anjuna, Goa.

My favourite designer brands are Zimmerman and Chanel.

My personal style used to be very simple and understated, and I used to wear a lot of black. But, now I am embracing vibrant colours; all credit goes to India.

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I love Priyanka Chopra’s style and the way she’s been pushing boundaries in her clothing choices. It’s a nice balance of India meets America.

When it comes to my cooking style, everything has an Indian influence now. Initially, I was very stubborn on cooking French food. As time passed, I realised that there is so much diversity, flavour and technique in Indian cuisine.

For me, a culinary heaven in India is Kashmir. It is an untouched beauty and its local produce is so organic.

It was amazing to be a part of Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra’s wedding. I’ve been friends with them for quite some time now, and we decided to do an Italian-style layered wedding cake. It was made of chochazelnut cream and cream cheese.

It is too hard to pick my favourite Indian cuisine. I literally have a favourite dish from every single city in India. But my top 3 would be Goan, South Indian and Rajasthani.

Indian street food is my all-time favourite.

One of my favourite restaurants in India is Dakshinayan in Mumbai.

Banoffee pie is my guilty pleasure. I’m obsessed with it, and feel like eating it right now!

I love drinking Beluga Noble Russian Vodka.

Cookbooks are all I read.

I am the most passionate about family, cooking and travel. Honestly, it’s more about the experience rather than the joy of tangible things.

Luxury to me is comfort, experience and the finer details.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Goa and it was an amazing experience to have a holiday at W Goa. It’s nice to see such beautiful properties here.

I’ve been looking at two destinations to travel to with Luxury Escapes. First, a 12-day tour in Egypt. Second, I’ve been dying to go to the Maldives for a bit more of a relaxing stay.

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