Flavours and aroma of Indian cuisine took centre stage at New York City’s biggest food festival, as hundreds of people gathered here to savour delicacies served by leading chefs showcasing the rich diversity of India’s culinary palette.Indian-American chef, team captain on Food Network’s ‘BBQ Brawl’ and two-time winner of Tournament of Champions, Maneet Chauhan and Chef Vijaya Kumar, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind New York City’s acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant Semma, hosted ‘Flavours of Bollywood’ at the widely popular NYC Wine and Food Festival (NYCWFF) on Friday.
Co-organised by The Culture Tree, which promotes South Asian culture through educational and enrichment programmes, the special ‘Flavours of Bollywood’ event brought together some of New York City’s best Indian restaurants and chefs, offering the gathering a diverse range of regional specialities, street food favourites and contemporary dishes showcasing the depth and diversity of Indian cuisine.
Chauhan, among the most celebrated and pioneering Indian-origin chefs in the US and a James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media awardee, recalled that when she moved to America in 1998, the Indian food scene was “dismal”.
“It’s incredible to see how things have grown,” Chauhan told PTI.
She said the young and upcoming chefs are proud of what they are serving, showcasing the food and ingredients they have grown up with. “It’s incredible to see that. And I just love it. We are coming into our own, we are enjoying it, and are so proud of it – who we are, how we dress, what we eat, and we are loving to serve that to people,” she said.
Underscoring the diversity of Indian food, Chauhan said, “Even if I learn Indian cooking for the rest of my life, I would have still scratched the surface because the vastness of Indian food is incredible.”
Highlighting the Portuguese, French, Chinese and Mughal influence in the Indian palette, she said, “It’s absolutely incredible and regional, and now people are celebrating that. Proud to be a part of that.
“I think that one of the biggest ways to pay respect to any culture is to try their food, and you’ll realise how beautiful the food is. Therefore, the people who are making it are even more beautiful, and it’ll make it just a happy place to be in,” she said.
Kumar said that Indian cuisine is finally being recognised not just in New York City but around the country. “I am so happy and glad, but we still have a long way to go. Indian cuisine will touch greater heights, and this is just the beginning,” he told PTI.
His message to the young and upcoming chefs was “just be authentic, true to yourself.”
At the event celebrating food, culture and flavour, Founder and CEO of The Culture Tree Anu Sehgal told PTI, “This is an exciting new chapter for Indian cultural representation.
Having a sold-out event at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is a moment of pride for our entire community.
“Bringing together some of the finest Indian chefs under one roof, each showcasing the incredible diversity of Indian cuisine, is a powerful celebration of our culture and culinary heritage. It shows just how far Indian food has come in being recognised and celebrated on a global stage,” Sehgal said.
With popular Indian movie songs playing in the backdrop, guests lined up to enjoy a variety of dishes and experiences, including mouth-watering ‘idlis’, ‘butter chicken’, ‘malai ice cream’ and ‘paan’. Supplies at several food counters at the event emptied out, highlighting their popularity and high demand for Indian flavours among the gathering. People had travelled from as far as Virginia, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania and other states to attend the event.
As the diaspora gears up for Diwali, the event kicked off the festive season with traditions, music and culture. “With Diwali, the Festival of Lights, just weeks away, Flavours of Bollywood kicks off the season with an unforgettable night inspired by the glamour, music and excitement of Bollywood,” NYCWFF said.
The annual New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) showcases the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs, culinary personalities and America’s iconic television chefs through more than 50 events.
The 19th edition of NYCWFF runs from October 15-18 and features 500 chefs and thousands of attendees.
Among the city’s leading restaurants and pathbreaking chefs participating in the ‘Flavours of Bollywood’ showcase were Chef Gaurav Bathla of the vibrant new Indian bistro ‘Passerine’, Pooja Bavishi, who is the Founder and CEO of ice cream company ‘Malai’ that infuses traditional South Asian ingredients into innovative flavours.
Executive Chef at ‘Junoon’ Akshay Bhardwaj, Chef Hakikat Dhawan who leads ‘Kashi Indian Cuisine & Bar’, Executive Chef of ‘Gupshup’ Zahir Khan, Chef and founder of ‘LORE’ Jay Kumar, award-winning veteran chef Regi Mathew who helms ‘Chatti by Regi Mathew’.
Mehul Patel, recognised globally as ‘Mr. Paanwala’, founder and CEO of ‘INDAY ‘; Basu Ratnam, Executive Chef of ‘Kidilum NYC ‘; Vinu Raveendran, New York–based chef, entrepreneur, television personality and founder of ‘Dravida ‘; Aarthi Sampath; and Chef Sujan Sarkar, who helms ‘Butter Chicken Social’ and ‘Indienne New York’.
Dining and Cooking