Tag: Food Event

South Asian Association for Gastronomy Concluded Food for Thought Fest 2018 With A Lot Of Pomp & Show

The Fourth Edition of the Food for Thought Fest concluded in the capital city with celebrating the diverse culinary heritage of the South Asian region. The festival was organized at The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, with countries participating from different parts of South Asia. A one of its kind initiative that focused on the common heritage and history of the region, as well as the unique influences that make up a part of it, it has set a benchmark as a forum for conversations, cuisines and the exchange of ideas and philosophies. The participating countries were India, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The guest of honor for the event was HE Mr. Sidharto R Suryodipuro, Ambassador for the Republic of Indonesia.

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I had a chance to interact with his excellency and he shared some behind the scene facts about the event and how it was conceptualized.

This year’s edition of the Food for Thought Fest brought in the exciting components that made this a truly unique event. There were talks and discussions around culture, health, and cuisine in the “Thought Fest” by the expert, while the “Food Fest” offered cookery workshops with celebrity chefs from the participating countries and television celebrities Puja Talwar, Advaita Kala and Imam Siddique, had food stalls from some of the most superlative restaurants from the South Asia region like Soda Bottle Openerwala, Atara Catering, Chaat Chowk and Orza. This year the Bazaar Section was beautifully curated.

Many celebrity chefs graced the occasion and showcased their culinary skills in preparing wonderful dishes. I happened to meet and interact with a few of them. Here is chef Ruchira Hoon speaking about her experience at the event

The dishes that she prepared were simply wonderful especially the aubergines.

Well, next I interacted with our very own Khurafati Nitin who never fails to amaze me with his abundance of energy and the ability to make laugh. He shared the stage with singer turned chef Anaida and they both literally rocked the stage together.

From bringing out the benefits and correct way to use saffron, Anaida’s preparation and insights both were valuable. Her traditional Irani dish of rice was simply delicious.

The MC of the day was none other than Fashion Stylist, TV Actor & Bigg Boss fame Celebrity Imam Siddique. He held the audience’s interest all through the event and kept them entertained. His association with the event has been a long one and here is he sharing his thoughts on the event and more

During the festival, I thoroughly enjoyed learning from the greatest chefs in the region, explored some fascinating topics related to food and, of course, and tasted some splendid flavors of the subcontinents.

About the founders of S.A.A.G

Mr. Maneesh Baheti, alumni of The Oberoi School of Hotel Management, is a seasoned hotelier with over 16 years in senior positions at leading brands such as The Oberoi Group and Hyatt International, before branching out as a hospitality industry consultant with a diverse projects portfolio. His love for cuisines has taken him on extensive travels, including the SAARC region of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Ms. Sonali Anand, a Masters in Tourism Management from Bournemouth University, U.K, she has spent over a decade in senior positions with multinational companies including, The Oberoi Group. She went for a second Masters Degree in Social Development from Euromed, Marseille, France, which equips her with an insight into international cultural relations and dynamics.

SAAG also has an eminent Advisory Board with PADMA BHUSHAN Mr. Shashi Kant Misra as the Chairman and comprises of experts such as Michelin Star Chef AtulKocchar from The, Master Chef Abhijit Saha, Chef Michael Swamy and renowned hotelier Mr.Gautam Anand to name a few.

Address Home Starts A Series Of Lifestyle Events!

Address Home, the iconic luxury home decor brand recently launched its first-ever series of lifestyle events, starting with an exclusive gourmet session for patrons and media. Joining hands with celebrated Chef Nishant Choubey and Awarded Sommelier, Mr. Ankur Chawla, the event was hosted at their Flagship Store in Greater Kailash 1 on 2nd of August. As a premium luxury brand, Address Home advocates living in style. The objective of this series of events is customer engagement and adding value to their patrons’ lifestyle and entertaining know-how.

There were two interactive sessions held during the day, one at 12 pm to entertain their Patrons and the other in the evening for media and bloggers. This gourmet session promoted the concept of healthy eating, right from the choosing the ingredients to preparation, the idea of sustainability, using only local and seasonal produce. Both the sessions were interactive and informative as not just the recipes but benefits of each ingredient to many curious questions of the audiences were entertained.

For this event, Address Home had joined hands with FoodMate, a community platform for every foodie, as their Powered by partners for this Gourmet workshop. Apart from the patrons, some renown food bloggers enthusiasts like Dr. Radhika Agarwal, Mr. Sameer Bawa, Mr. Anshuman Sood had added power to the gourmet session.

With a successful note to the day, the Address Home team soon will call to many such events in other cities too in near future.

 

About the brand:

 

Address Home is India’s Iconic Online Luxury Home Decor Brand that creates and curates world-class premium home decorative range for the discerning. The brand is a powerhouse of contemporary chic, with global design sensibilities that stimulate a higher lifestyle. With 13 exclusive stores and a global presence with their online foray, they are out to elevate the Décor quotient of contemporary Indian homes with their luxe ranges of linen, dining, décor furniture and lighting.

MAFF, JETRO and ASSOCHAM host India’s first Indo-Japan Food Forum

Ministry of Agriculture Forestry And Fisheries,Japan,(MAFF) held its First Indo-Japan Food Forum in Association with Jetro and Assocham at Assocham House, Delhi, on the 16th of March, 2017.


The main focus of the Forum was to promote Japanese food and it’s favourable food preparation methods and techniques effectively in India.
The theme of the Forum was ‘Food and Health’
The Forum saw high ranking officials from the Ministry of Agriculture from Japan and India, Jetro and Assocham address the issues of creating awareness of Japanese food and food processing technologies in India.


Leading producers of Miso, Marukome Co Ltd, Kagome Co Ltd, and other food processing companies graced the occasion and their representatives explained in detail about the company background and their future plans to invest and produce in India.


Mr Tejima, Founder of Sushi Junction, and online Sushi store took us through their process of opening an online food delivery store to its present day success in this niche segment. He laid emphasis on the quality of food served by them and the growing awareness in the Indian consumers towards Japanese food.

The Forum also saw the presence of some distinguished Indian Chefs who prepared some very innovative Indian Dishes using authentic Japanese ingredients.

Here is a glimpse..

All in a all an exciting time ahead for Indian foodaholics to get a taste of multiple Japanese food products and More Japanese Cuisine to be made easily available for food lovers.

Hoping and Wishing great success to this exciting new phase.

Nawabi Food Festival @Ardor2.1 with MasterClass by Chef Dinesh Patel

Ardor 2.1 recently organised a Nawabi Food Festival, serving delicacies of Lucknow & Hyderabad and the highlight of the event was a masterclass conducted by none other than Master Chef India finalist Chef Dinesh Patel.

The Master Class started by the chef preparing Khubani Ka Meetha, which is an authentic Hyderabadi sweet dish. While preparing the dish, chef Dinesh freely interacted with an even more enthusiastic audience, who kept asking different questions to the chef.

Must say that the presentation of the dish was fabulous, and it looked so very tempting that we found it hard to wait, trying it.

After the master class, we all settled for relishing the Nawabi dishes with live Ghazals being performed in front of us, there was an elaborate spread of food and some specially curated cocktails and mocktails to go along with the cuisine.

Laal Mirch Bhuna Chooza and Lucknawi Chaamp were amazing. The mutton chop especially was one of the highlight dishes. Mutton Ki Gilafi Seekh and Mahi Ka Tukda too were amazing, the mutton seekh was tender and juicy and the fish tikka was very well prepared. Mutton Galauti though could have been better. There were options for vegetarians as well like Paneer Tikka Tilla, Chutney Bharwa Aaloo, Hyderabadi Khumb and Nawabi Broccoli.

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Even the main course was delectable. I tried the Nawabi Murg Korma and Tawa Subz, then there was Paneer Lababdar and Dal Sahi Makhmali. The food for sure was good, but I wish the service was a little better, but I give it to Ardor still because I have been there otherwise also and they have never disappointed me. In desserts I had the Dal Halwa and Rabdi and both of them were nice, but I liked the Halwa more.

Drinks were good too and I specially loved the Jaljeera based mocktail, though the original menu had a jaljeera cocktail but I got myself without alcohol and it was fabulous. Aampana and Thandai were good too.

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Like I mentioned though service was a little disappointment this time around, but Suveet’s (the owner) hospitality made up for it and I am sure it will be looked into with immediate effect. We were also given a Sweet Nawabi Gift as a kind gesture by him and I wish him and the entire Ardor team all the best for their future endeavours. I would also like to thank Sachin Sahni and Sonal Mahendru, who organised the event with Ardor, for inviting me to be a part of such an event.

And in the end all I can say is Nawabi Food Festival or No Nawabi Festival, you can surely head to Ardor 2.1 for some lip smacking food anytime during the month and you won’t be disappointed.

Burger King’s Christmas Carnival..!!

Burger King, organised a Christmas Carnival at Burger King, Select City Walk Mall (the 1st store Burger King launched in November 2014) that is running from 16th Dec to 18th Dec and would also be there at Nehru Place outlet for 2 days, on 23rd and 24th Dec.

I visited the outlet today along with my grandson who is a big Burger King fan. The set up was done at a terrace which is right opposite the outlet. The Santa’s Sledge, Christmas Tree, Santa Himself, Christmas Carols being sung, everything was so celebratory and perfect.


Burger King’s very own Santa gave away gifts to the children which added to the experience for the young ones. Apart from this the event had whole lot of musical entertainment, carols, along with hourly magic show. The celebration is happening from 16th-18th December in Select City Walk Mall, Saket outlet. There is still one day to go, so don’t forget to visit this amazing Christmas Celebration with Burger King tomorrow.

Burger King also took a special initiative to organize “Dine with Santa” for NGO kids from “Catalyst India Charitable Trust”. The initiative gave the kids an opportunity to enjoy Christmas like any other kid. Talking about the celebration Cicily Thomas, Vice President, Operations and brand standards, Burger King said, “The whole idea of this Celebration is to let people have their own way of Christmas Celebration. With this Burger King also got the opportunity to play Santa this Christmas for NGO Kids. Burger King invited these kids in light of the Christmas season & spread the joy of giving.”

The event also facilitated the facility of NGO to showcase their talent in the form of Carols in Burger King. The kids enjoyed the best of burger in the town while enjoying the Carols, magic show.

I just loved the overall ambience and then to add to the celebration there were Burger King Burgers and Fries being served.

US Cranberries- America’s Original Superfruit Conducts a Knowledge Sharing Seminar in Delhi!

With the aim to raise awareness and knowledge of US cranberries, the US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) organized a seminar in New Delhi on the versatility, availability and utilization of America’s Original Superfruit™ among industrial ingredient users in India. Rich in Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, these tiny berries have been favorites among the healthy food lovers for some time now.

Talking about the US cranberry industry and expansion plans in India, Ms. Alyson Segawa, Manager, International Marketing Accounts at Bryant Christie said, “The Indian market offers enormous potential for US cranberries and is being considered one of the most important export markets for the United States. This seminar is our initiative to raise positive awareness of US cranberries among trade.”

Sharing the Indian perspective, Mr. Keith Sunderlal, India representative, US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) stated, “The increase in demand of US cranberries among the Indian consumers is testimony to the super fruit’s growing popularity. Through our multi pronged awareness drive, we aim to take its unique flavor and health benefits across the nation.”

The seminar saw participation from over 90 established decision makers from the food and nutrition industry, key opinion makers from the ingredients industry, and culinary experts. The highlight of the event was an insightful session on US cranberry Industry and Applications by Karen Cahill, Communications & Marketing Specialist, Cranberry Marketing Committee. The seminar agenda included discussions, presentations and a cooking demonstration of Indian and fusion recipes with US cranberry as the main ingredient. Chef Sabyasachi Gorai prepared 3 amazing dishes using cranberries as the key ingredient and all of them were lip smacking.

 

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During the live US cranberry recipe demonstration at the event, celebrated Chef Sabyasachi Gorai said, “US cranberries are an absolute delight to cook with. Their tangy-sweet taste and unique texture gives them the ability to be the star ingredient of any preparation, ranging from drinks, appetizers, main course to desserts. As an innovator who is always trying out new ingredients and techniques, US cranberries play a huge role in my experiments as a budding chef. US cranberries are a versatile fruit that add delicious flavor to a variety of foods, making them the ideal ingredient choice for the Indian consumer.”


About the Cranberry Marketing Committee


The Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) is focused on promoting the use and consumption of cranberries worldwide. The CMC was established as a Federal Marketing Order in 1962 to ensure a stable, orderly supply of good quality product. Currently, CMC conducts generic promotion programs in the United States, China, India, Mexico, Pan-Europe and South Korea.


About the SCS Group


The SCS Group is an agribusiness-consulting firm specializing in marketing, international trade and communications strategy related to food, beverage and agricultural products. The firm has been a pioneer in nutrition-based marketing in the country and is organizing the US cranberries trade seminars in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore in India.

Hyatt regency, Delhi hosts a gala dinner for top 100 CEO’s of the country at the mansion!

Hyatt Regency Delhi feels highly elated to be the hospitality partner for one of its kind high profile lifestyle event – “The CEO Series 2016”. The India Edition of CEO featured Celebrity Chef & MasterChef Australia Judge Gary Mehigan who along with Executive Chef Hyatt Regency Delhi, Ivan Chieregatti curated exclusive seven course menu on the theme of “7 Wonders of the World” .Celebrity Chef Gary Mehigan was welcomed at the hotel in pure Indian traditional style with aarti, tikka and garlands

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The grand event at The Mansion of Hyatt Regency, Delhi witnessed the presence of top executives of multinational billion dollar organizations such as The lavish menu has been inspired from the seven wonders of the world right from rich soft textured salmon with flavours of ceviche from Peru, Butter roasted cauliflower caramalized with spices from India, Brazilian Moqueca’ crustacean veloute,white chicken cooked in authentic Chinese sauces to Italian Concod’Oro’ Lemon curd & olive oil semi freddo,slow cooked lamb inspired from Middle East flavours and refreshing compressed watermelon from Jordon.

According to Mr. Aseem Kapoor, General Manager, Hyatt Regency,Delhi , “We are delighted to have Chef Gary Mehigan here who has conceptualised such an innovative and scrumptious menu for our esteemed guests. Such events enable social interactions outside of boardrooms and following our tradition we are dedicated to serving our guests at its best.”

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About Chef Gary Mehigan


Gary Mehigan is an English Australian chef, restaurateur and a judge of the Network Ten seriesMasterChef Australia. In July 2015, Mehigan began a new TV series called ‘Far Flung withGary Mehigan’ where he traveled to various countries in Asia such as India, Vietnam, Laos,Hong Kong and South Korea to learn local cooking techniques and recipes, which he

uses as inspiration for a recipe he demonstrates at the end of each episode. Mehigan also co-hosts two shows on Australia’s Lifestyle Food Channel, Good Chef, Bad Chef,and Boy’s Weekend. Mehigan trained at The Connaught and Le Souffle in London before moving to Melbourne in 1991. He has headed the kitchen in some of Melbourne’smost prominent restaurants including Browns, Burnham Beeches Country House andHotel Sofitel before opening the award-winning Fenix in 2000. He currently co-ownsThe Boathouse restaurant, in Melbourne suburb Maribyrnong.


About Hyatt Regency Delhi


Hyatt Regency Delhi is a luxurious business hotel conveniently located in the city’s central business district, 20 minutes from Indira Gandhi International Airport. Situated on the outer ring road, the hotel is near embassies, government offices and corporate headquarters in Delhi and Gurgaon. All 507 rooms and suites are equipped with modern amenities and complimentary Internet up to 1.5 mbps and offer panoramic views of the city and landscaped gardens. Enjoy dining and entertainment at the hotel’s award-winning restaurants: Café; The China Kitchen; La Piazza; TK’s Oriental Grill; Polo Lounge and Sidewalk.

Relax and rejuvenate at Club Olympus Spa, which offers numerous treatments to soothe and relieve. Additional leisure facilities available in the hotel premises include a state-of-the-art fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool. The hotel also offers more than 2,955 sq m (32,050 sq ft) of meeting space with a combination of function, form and technology.

For more information, please visit delhi.regency.hyatt.com


About Hyatt Regency hotels


Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feels more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company’s subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place® and Hyatt HouseTM. Hyatt House is changing its brand identity from Hyatt Summerfield Suites®. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt ResidencesTM and Hyatt Residence ClubTM. As of June 30, 2012, the Company’s worldwide portfolio consisted of 492 properties in 45 countries.


For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com