Chocolate tree, local produce: How hotels went all out for G20 Summit

ITC Hotels was entrusted with the task of catering for the presidential and prime minister's banquets

After months of preparation, Delhi's hotels went all out to make sure that G20 guests had a memorable stay during the summit, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET). Sources told ET that over 2,000 room nights were booked across Delhi's top hotels for delegations over the weekend.

Industry insiders told ET that The Lalit, Le Meridien, The Leela Palace, The Pullman, ITC Maurya and the two Taj hotels in the capital hosted most of the G20 delegates. In contrast, other hotels such as The Imperial, The Claridges, and Shangri-La Eros also welcomed some G20 dignitaries.

ITC Hotels was entrusted with catering for the presidential and prime minister's banquets. ITC chefs from across the country converged to deliver over 100,000 covers over three days. The ITC team of over 350 people took care of formal state dinners, thali lunches, and regional tea breaks, a source told ET. They were called for expertise in vegetarian cuisine based on seasonal and local produce, he added. 

Chef Arun Sundararaj, director of culinary operations at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, had earlier said that to add an element of authenticity to the preparation, a chef had been flown in from the country of origin of the delegation.

Some guests were staying on for follow-up to business meetings, Vineet Mishra, general manager of Pullman and Novotel hotels, said.

Whereas UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak savoured the barfi and the boondi laddoos he was served at Shangri-La Eros, French President Emmanuel Macron surveyed special offerings at Dhabha at The Claridges.

Vijay Bhalla, general manager at The Lalit New Delhi, said that their chefs curated a menu that celebrated the dietary preferences of all delegates. Staff at The Lalit worked hard to create an environment where our guests could relax and focus on the critical discussions taking place during the summit, he added.

He said hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was a privilege.

Abhishek Sadhoo, general manager at Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi, stated that executive chef Gagandeep Sawhney was inspired by the theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' for the summit.

A Valrhona Guanaja chocolate tree was erected at the hotel studded with Gulab Jamun and Jalebi, and complemented by finger millet cookies and other savoury treats, he added. Valrhona Guanaja is a bitter chocolate made by French chocolate makers Valrhona from a blend of beans originating from the Caribbean.