'Killing spirit of actual dish just to be competitive isn't good' (Lead, correcting para four)

Chef Akshay Bhardwaj, whose experience in the food and beverage market comes from Europe's finest kitchens like Le Bateau Ivre - Jean Pierre Jacob, Oceania Cruise line and Noma by Rene Redzepi to name a few, says as globalisation of food is happening, people must not forget the real essence.

"It's globalisation of food in a wider frame," Akshay told IANS over an email when asked about how the entry of international cuisine in the Indian food and beverage market has motivated local restaurants to reinvent.

"Every restaurant at this point of time wants to be better, but in this rat race, we are ignoring and forgetting the essence of food, and how it has to be. Serving and killing the spirit of the actual dish just to be competitive is not good," he added.

Bhardwaj is taking over the position of Corporate Chef of Unplugged Courtyard in Gurugram. Set to open on December 19, the place is divided into four parts -- a secret garden, a terrace, a courtyard area and a restaurant area.

On the most significant changes he has seen in the F&B sector in India, Bhardwaj said: "A lot of substantial changes are coming our way -- whether it is in traditional cuisine or things that we have forgotten."

He said new restaurants in Delhi-NCR have globalised the food so much that the soul is lost.

"The USP (of Unplugged) is good hearty traditional food whose soul we have lost, food that was also left from our culinary heritage because we are not just about Dal makhani or butter chicken. We are beyond that."

Menu items created for the soon to launch place are sukha bhuna gosht made with lamb jerky (part of lost nomadic cuisine) and mix and match Patranu of Machi with Assamese bamboo rice.

--IANS

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