Mumbai, November 2025: Marking a significant milestone in the narrative of Mumbai’s culinary scene, Olive Bar & Kitchen, Bandra, commemorates its 25th anniversary by unveiling its most dynamic evolution yet. As one of India’s most influential hospitality brands, Olive’s longevity is no accident. This season, guests are invited to rediscover the institution through the bold, rebellious lens of newly appointed Executive Chef, Alessandro Piso, a name already generating buzz among food insiders. Piso’s arrival signals a fresh chapter for the iconic Mediterranean eatery, one rooted in legacy yet unafraid to disrupt expectations and rewrite the menu’s rules entirely.
“Olive has always been about more than just food, it’s about moments that stay with you long after the last bite,” says AD Singh, Founder of Olive Bar & Kitchen. “Celebrating 25 years is a wonderful milestone, but for us, it is really about staying true to who we are while exploring new ideas. With Chef Alessandro joining us, the kitchen feels full of fresh energy and we have created our most playful and inventive menu yet, honouring our legacy while also embracing exciting new directions.”
For the past two and a half decades, Olive has set the bar for luxury dining and experiential lifestyle moments across the nation. The restaurant’s courtyard has hosted and often defined Mumbai’s conversations about food, culture, and creativity. Now, as part of a bold anniversary reset, Chef Piso brings a singular, globe-spanning culinary perspective of this legendary restaurant. Born in Melaka to an Italian father and Malaysian-Indian mother, his sensibility fuses Italian provenance with a fearless appetite for invention. Piso’s decorated career—spanning Michelin-starred institutions in Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, and Italy underscores his creative authority. He thrives in the liminal space between tradition and rebellion; his plate is a story where heritage meets curiosity, comfort is subverted with whimsy, and flavour always takes precedence over formality.
“Rules? We made them for 25 years. Now it’s time to redefine them,” says Chef Alessandro Piso. “My goal is to keep Olive’s soul alive while giving diners something adventurous and unexpected. Food is about stories – where you come from, where you’re going. At Olive, we celebrate every twist and turn in that journey.”
The new menu is a statement of intent; it’s deliberately unpredictable, proudly inventive. Guests can expect familiar Mediterranean food reimagined in inspired new forms. From the pillowy, cheese-stuffed Focaccia al Formaggio and indulgent Cold Cuts Platter, to fresh salads like Beetroot with balsamic pearls and cold appetisers such as Burrata Hummus, the opening impression is one of generosity and creative edge. Signatures extend into playful hot appetisers such as Olive Ascolana and Mediterranean Manti, while house-made pastas and pizza amplify Italian authenticity with intriguing twists, such as the Gnocchi alla Genovese with smoked salmon or the Genovese pizza with pesto, mozzarella, smoked salmon, roasted pine nuts, and basil oil.
But the reinvention runs deeper still. Piso’s approach to mains reads like an homage to craftsmanship – Eggplant Moussaka sits alongside three-day marinated lamb, Chilean Sea Bass with beurre blanc, and Espetada skewers that showcase a global pantry spanning New Zealand lamb to Mediterranean-style Prawns, offering a vibrant play of flavours and textures. The dessert programme also receives elevation, with playful touches like II Pane, a creative ode to simplicity and nostalgia, and a deeply evocative Tiramisu, each plated to delight the senses and stir the emotions.
At the heart of all this is Piso’s own story, one of adaptation, curiosity, and relentless pursuit of new flavour narratives. Having honed his skills alongside Michelin-lauded mentors in Europe and Asia, with formative spells at NOBU and Maison Francaise, Piso brings a cross-cultural fluency that is rare, and urgently relevant to India’s eclectic food landscape today. He is fiercely reverential to tradition yet unafraid to upend it, always encouraging his team (and his guests) to rethink, reimagine, and relish each plate without the burden of rules.
With this relaunch, Olive Bar & Kitchen, Bandra, continues to set the pace for high-end, experiential dining in India. The new menu is both a love letter to the past 25 years and a reminder to diners and the industry alike: the rules may have brought us here, but redefining them will shape what comes next.
For more information and to make reservations:
Olive Bar & Kitchen, Bandra
For Reservations: +91 72084 78228
Price: INR 4,000
Timings: 12:00 pm – 1:30 am
14, Union Park
Khar (W)
Mumbai – 400052
