Film producer Netra Mantena and entrepreneur Vamsi Gadiraju hosted one of the year’s most talked-about weddings in Udaipur, choosing the Jagmandir Island Palace as the centre of their celebrations. The venue, surrounded by the sweep of Lake Pichola, created a setting where old-world architecture merged seamlessly with contemporary spectacle. High-profile guests flew in from around the world, including Donald Trump, Shah Rukh Khan, Jennifer Lopez, Madhuri Dixit, and several Indian business families. With a guest list that blended Indian cultural icons and international names, the food naturally became the quiet anchor of the festivities.
Image credit: Chef Nishant Chaubey
How The Culinary Blueprint Took Shape
The menus were designed by Chef Nishant Chaubey, who collaborated closely with Saltt Catering, led by Sameer Gogia. Speaking about the initial brief, Chef Nishant shared, “The wedding was an intimate and beautifully curated celebration for Vamsi and Netra, and I had the privilege of designing the entire culinary experience along with Saltt Catering. Our vision was clear: create thoughtful diversity on the plate.”
With guests arriving from the US and Hyderabad, the kitchen needed to move fluidly between regional Indian flavours and international favourites. This balancing act became the soul of the food planning, shaping the menus into multi-day chapters where each event carried a new culinary narrative.
Image credit: Chef Nishant Chaubey
Menus That Reflected Identity And Comfort
One of the earliest commitments in planning was to honour the groom’s Andhra roots. Chef Nishant explained how the family emphasised sincerity and precision in every element, saying, “The family’s directive was straightforward, ensure absolute perfection in every dish.” That clarity allowed the team to design an Andhra station that brought in deep, confident flavours, an important cultural marker for the groom’s side of the family. The station showcased traditional techniques and ingredients but presented them with finesse suitable for the scale of the celebration.
Image credit: Chef Nishant Chaubey
To create contrast, some sections leaned into European and American styles. Chef Nishant revealed how certain dishes became unexpected favourites, including the blue cheese and orange-glazed prawns, which drew constant attention for their bold profile. These were balanced with cleaner seafood, handmade pastas, and vegetable-forward plates meant to appeal to the international crowd.
The Live Grills: Where Guests Gathered Repeatedly
At the lakeside terraces and inner courtyards of Jagmandir, the live grills became a focal point. The aroma of seafood and meat cooking over open flame drifted constantly through the venue. Chef Nishant said, “The grills came alive with lobsters, Australian lamb chops, and Chilean sea bass.” The final evening saw many guests returning specifically for these items. Ram Charan enjoyed both the lamb chops and the sea bass, which became a small talking point among the culinary team because it showed how equally well the menu handled richness and delicacy.
What The Most Prominent Guests Loved
Over the course of the wedding, several guests developed their own favourites. Chef Nishant described the experience of serving former US President Donald Trump, saying, “We had the honour of serving Mr. Trump, who sampled most of the dishes across all days. He particularly enjoyed the pizzas, butter chicken samosas, and our palak paneer cigar rolls.”
The Mewar family also took a keen interest in the menus. “Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar relished the lamb chops paired with prune jus,” Chef shared, while “Nivritti Kumari Mewar loved the ravioli and miso-infused gnocchi.” These preferences offered the kitchen team a moment of insight into how the spread spoke to guests with varied palates.
Image credit: Chef Nishant Chaubey
Performances And Plates That Worked Hand In Hand
With performances by Bollywood stars and international entertainers, the evenings moved between dance, music, and food. Menus were designed to be easy to navigate for guests walking between the lakeside stage and the palace’s marble courtyards. Handcrafted canapés, seafood on skewers, stuffed pastries, and delicate desserts circulated continuously so no moment of entertainment was interrupted. The culinary team worked with a rhythm that felt more like a restaurant service than a typical buffet, one of the signatures of Saltt’s catering style.
Image credit: Chef Nishant Chaubey
A Wedding Where Food Carried A Narrative
By the time the celebrations concluded, the food had done more than just accompany the events. It created a sense of movement, identity, and hospitality that reflected the families’ priorities and the couple’s background. In Chef Nishant’s own words,“Each day showcased a new culinary narrative.” The wedding may have been defined by its star-studded guest list and spectacular venue, but its heart lay in how every plate was imagined, executed, and presented, one carefully crafted story at a time.