Mumbai is on the list of the Best Food Cities in the World for good reason. And one establishment in the city that holds the torch out to this culinary heritage is Gaylord, which opened in 1956. The flagship dining house in Churchgate embodies a rich history, having been the flavour of international and Indian celebs. Bollywood veterans B R Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and singer Lata Mangeshkar had their fave delicacies here, so did the iconic musicians Pandit Ravi Shankar and The Beatles!

After it’s first-ever extended closing, Gaylord has reopened. It’s a case of old-meets-new, as co-owner, Divij Lamba, calls the decor, “a love letter to our past”.

Divij goes back in time as he shares how his great-grandfather, Pishori Lal Lamba launched Gaylord in collaboration with Iqbal Ghai (both Delhi-based entrepreneurs who established the Kwality restaurant chain in 1947).

Divij and his brother Dhruv grew up hearing stories of the who’s who dined at Gaylord. He says, “Celebrities were regulars here, so were a lot of cricketers. They made it their post-match destination as CCI Club almost opens into Gaylord. Veteran composer duo Shankar-Jaikishen also used to visit all the time and they had a table reserved here.”

The transformation sees Gaylord’s iconic alfresco-style seating now exuding a warm and contemporary Parisian vibe along with red couches on its mezzanine floor. But the makeover apart, Gaylord also holds on to its past. “We’ve made sure that history is not lost; the decor still takes people to another age,” adds Divij as he points to a collection of 155 photos around — sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar with George Harrison. French designer Christian Louboutin had also visited.

Of course, the food undeniably does the talking, too. Divij adds, “We’ve ensured that the faves — Chicken à la Kiev and Lobster Thermidor are back. So is the signature butter chicken, given the North-Indian lineage of the restaurant.” The revamped space has plans to host cultural nights from live grand piano recitals, to live music events and specially curated high tea parties.

Today, as the brothers helm the business, Divij admits, “There is this sense of responsibility to carry forth our legacy. We’ve tried not to change the DNA of the place as that is what Gaylord is known for. The idea is to maintain the past, as that is the real treasure.”

Gaylord is a combination of both the partner’s names ‘Ghai’ & ‘Lamba’. Lamba had posted an advertisement asking for suggestions and one of the reader suggested the name ‘Gaylord’. They liked it as it had both partners initials.