5th October 2015 New Delhi, India
India celebrates some classic flavours of British food & beverage
Food lovers in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru got a bite of some authentic British favourites prepared by Indian celebrity Chef Ajay Chopra at Godrej’s Nature’s Basket (GNB) outlets in their cities. Having spent a good number of years in the UK, Chef Ajay Chopra gets down to doing what he does best – making some classic British cuisine.
GNB is hosting a British food festival in their stores across India from 11th September until 5th October. And the three Indian cities also got an opportunity to relish the flavours prepared by Chef Chopra who has worked with the most celebrated names in the British culinary industry like Gordon Ramsay and his protégé Angela Hartnett.
Simply British
‘Well after living in London for some years, I was always nostalgic about the amazing flavours to be found in even the most simple of British dishes,” says Chef Chopra as he pours olive oil to fry some fish and chips. Chef Chopra who went to the UK in 2007 feels that the experience at the Indian restaurants in London helped his metamorphosis from an Indian chef to a ‘Modern’ Indian chef. And if the turn out of the people at the events and the way they lapped up the shepherd’s pie, fish & chips and classic summer pudding is something to go by – it’s a clear verdict that Chef Chopra gets it right!
Pari Trivedi, who spent time in London as a student, came to the culinary journey hoping to get close to the taste of some classic British delicacies. ‘We get Fish and Chips at every restaurant that claims to serve continental cuisine in India but I been have missing the typical flavour,’ says Trivedi as she takes her first bite of the golden fried fish. ‘I must say that I am not disappointed at all’, Trivedi adds.
To mark the festivities GNP is also showcasing over 30 select British brands like Twinings Tea, McVitie’s Digestive Biscuits and prized collection of handpicked cheese from Wyke Farms. Not to miss pesto and pasta sauces from British celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver’s kitchen!
High Spirits
The British Food Festival was launched by the British Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP and the UK Trade and Investment Minister, Lord Francis Maude, at a gala showcase of British food and beverages in New Delhi on September 11. The event celebrated the very best of British beverages including an appreciation and showcase of Scotch Whisky. India is the third largest market for alcoholic beverages globally. Whisky is the leading category of alcoholic spirits in India, accounting for 56% of the market share and Scotch Whisky tops the list of imports from the UK.
With the finest British beverages on showcase, the guests enjoyed not only the taste of Scotch whisky but also got a chance take a pictorial journey of the heritage of Scotch and how it is prepared. The highlight of the evening was a Scotch tasting activity led by the biggest names in business like Diageo, William Grant and Pernod Ricard. No prizes for guessing which counter had a beeline of people wanting more!
While the popularity of British whisky is well established in India, the craving for some classic British cuisine is also growing. Likewise, Indian Curry is regularly voted as the nation’s favourite dish in the UK. To compliment the mutual admiration for the taste of the two cultures, Chef Chopra continues his association with the UK. After the food festival he will head back to the UK to give culinary lessons on the ‘tastes of India’ for students of Hotel Management at the University of Birmingham.