Big Win for Indian Chefs, an NFT Cookbook & Where You Should Eat & Drink
A look at the industry’s biggest news and newsmakers over the last month.
Politics and the incessant rains and subsequent flooding has been occupying the news for the last few weeks, taking attention away from other horrors.
The cost of LPG has now crossed Rs 1,000, there is now a 5% GST on labelled meat (except frozen), fish, curd, lassi, paneer, honey, dried leguminous vegetables, dried makhana, wheat and other cereals, wheat or meslin flour, jaggery, and puffed rice (muri). A study found that India’s food inflation is likely to top 9% for the rest of 2022. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report released on July 6 finds that India has the highest number of people who are undernourished (about 16% of the population).
Globally, the report says hunger has increased as has the gender gap in food insecurity. The ongoing war and EU farmers protests are likely to cause a global food crisis.
On the other extreme, in America, a mystery person has bid $19 million (at a charity auction) to have lunch with Warren Buffett. Toblerone will soon no longer be an exclusive Swiss product: there is talk of opening a new production line in Slovakia by the end of 2023 as a response to growing demand. Here’s what else has been happening in the world of food and drink.
In the news: École Ducasse, Sashi Cheliah & Vegan Food Standards
In June, the FSSAI issued the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022, which says ‘vegan food means the food or food ingredient, including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers, or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, ingredients that are of animal origin have been used’. Odisha and Tripura are the best states in terms of food security, as announced by at the first-ever 'State Ranking Index' under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The last few weeks saw celebrity chefs descend in India. Celebrity chef and restaurateur Alain Ducasse came to inaugurate his first École Ducasse (hospitality school) in association with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH), Gurugram. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, in collaboration with World On A Plate, brought MasterChef Australia 2018 winner Sashi Cheliah to do a series of pop ups across the country. Incidentally, Cheliah will be opening his first restaurant in India in Chennai, in August. Pandan Club will focus on Peranakan cuisine.
Global Wins: Edible Issues, Vinesh Johny & Tresind in the World’s 50 Best
Anusha Murthy and Elizabeth Yorke, founders of the newsletter Edible Issues have won a spot in the 50 Next: Class of 2022 list, the companion list to ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’, which celebrates young innovators in the field of gastronomy. The duo won in the Empowering Educators category, along with Vinesh Johny, founder of Lavonne Academy of Baking Science & Pastry Arts. Other Indians in the list include forensic scientist Risha Jasmine Nathan who turns fruit and vegetables peels into beads that can clean water; and scientist Nidhi Pant who trains women in sustainable agriculture.
Meanwhile, The World’s 50 Best Restaurant winners will be unveiled in London, mid-July. They’ve already announced the extended list of 50-100 best restaurants. Chef Himanshu Saini’s Trèsind Studio in Dubai occupies the No. 52 spot while Manish Mehrotra’s Indian Accent is the only Indian restaurant in this list at No. 92. Saini’s Trèsind Studio also won its first Michelin star just last month.
In America, Chintan Pandya of the popular Dhamaka in New York City won Best Chef: New York State, and Chai Pani in North Carolina won Outstanding Restaurant at the recent James Beard Awards, America’s culinary awards.
New restaurants to try this month
In Mumbai, Slink & Bardot made a smashing return with a menu influenced by the world, which included a lot of fermented food and an award-worthy feni cocktail. The Banyan Tree Café in Ballard Estate is located inside what was once an ice factory, and the emphasis is on clean eating. In Juhu, Epitome launched as a vegetarian and vegan lounge boasting the city’s largest selection of Jain dishes. Nikkei cuisine finds an upscale home at The St. Regis Mumbai in Koishii. Lower Parel has Toast Pasta Bar. BKC has Chu Fang, an Asian kitchen and bar, while Akina serves Asian fare to Bandra (W). Bandra also has the Tamilian Madras Mail, a contemporary Mexican taqueria Kiki & Pastor, a QSR serving Kerala-style street food, Nair on Fryer, Slow Burger Co. with burgers and shakes. Massive Restaurants launched Slyce Pizza offering toppings that include truffle, Mac & Cheese, and lobster.
In Delhi, Chica is an expansive garden space with Asian and Mediterranean-focused food. Chef and restaurateur David Myers launched Adrift Kaya at Aerocity, Delhi, which offers a modern Izakaya experience.
It may be off season in Goa but the hospitality industry doesn’t seem to care. June itself has seen the launch of the all-Goan Avo’s Kitchen in Assagao, Café Meu Lar by Barista in a 300-year-old home in Fontainhas, a dedicated shot bar, Candy Bar, in Anjuna serving 75 different shots; an all-day café, Cantare by Day, in Siolim; the multi-cuisine Masak in Panjim; the all-day breakfast bistro and bar Rabbit Hole, in Siolim; and the Goan Unddo in Benaulim.
High Spirits: Limited Edition Amrut Gin, Havana Club 7 & IST Seltzer
Globally, the talk of the spirits world is focussed on NEWBrew, a collaboration between the Singapore’s national water agency, PUB, and local craft brewery Brewerkz — it’s a beer made from recycled sewage water.
In India, Amrut Distilleries releases a limited-edition Amrut Nilgiris Cask Aged Gin: 900 bottles for Indian consumers, while the remaining 900 bottles will hit the international markets. Pernod Ricard India launched the super-premium Havana Club 7, a dark rum matured in ex Bourbon barrels. The newest seltzer in the market is IST (Indian Standard Time), available in two flavours: Grapefruit Smash and Lime Smash. Comedian Vir Das launched a new beer, Faaak It, a collaboration with Great State Ale Works.
Moët Hennessy India brought mixologist Gina Barbachano from Mexico City’s Hanky Panky, (number 12 bar in The Worlds 50 Best Bars 2021) for a series of events in Delhi and Bengaluru. Goa saw the launch of two new spirits: Earth Rustic Spiced Rum, and Sector gin.
Cookbooks to Look Out For
Culinarian Roopa Nabar launched My Romance With Food – Varan Bhaat To Biryani, a cookbook documenting Konkani cuisine (including that of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus, Kolhapuris, Malvanis, Goans and Karwaris).
Chef Vikas Khanna’s latest release, Sacred Foods of India, is now an NFT. The chef teamed up with NFT-metaverse marketplace Akshaya.io to create a non-fungible token of his book.
Joanna Lobo is an independent journalist from Goa who enjoys writing about food, her Goan heritage, the freelance life, and other things that make her happy. Follow her on @thatdoggonelady.
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