Xpress News24
New Delhi: As leaders from BRICS countries prepare to gather in the national capital for the 18th BRICS Summit, preparations are also underway for another important part of the high-profile event — the food that will be served to foreign delegates.
Leading hotels in Delhi are putting together special menus that combine Indian flavours with the dietary preferences and requirements of international guests. The effort is aimed not just at serving food but also at giving visiting leaders and delegates a taste of India’s diverse culinary traditions.
The menu has been planned around Indian spices, traditional grains and ingredients associated with different parts of the country. Among the ingredients being highlighted are barley, millets, jowar and sattu.
At The Leela Palace, preparations reportedly include dishes made with millets, including millet-based upma. The idea is to bring traditional Indian ingredients into dishes that can be served to an international audience while retaining their local character.
The spread is not expected to be limited to one region or style of Indian cuisine. Dishes representing different parts of the country are being included so that foreign guests can experience a wider range of Indian flavours during their stay.
According to reports, the menu includes bajra upma, Awadhi kebabs, Hyderabadi biryani and quinoa biryani. The selection brings together traditional preparations as well as dishes that use Indian ingredients in a more contemporary format.
Behind such a menu is a detailed process of coordination between the host arrangements, hotel management and culinary teams. Information about the food preferences and dietary requirements of individual guests is collected in advance and used while planning the menu.
The Leela Palace has also indicated that information about the preferences and dietary requirements of foreign guests was received beforehand. This allows the hotel teams to prepare food accordingly and avoid ingredients or dishes that may not suit particular guests.
The preparations are not identical across all hotels. Several prominent properties in Delhi, including The Taj Mahal, The Leela Palace and The Lalit, are working on their own menus and presentations for BRICS guests.
At The Taj Mahal, preparations are focused on showcasing traditional food from different Indian states. The Leela Palace, meanwhile, is putting greater emphasis on Indian grains, spices and ingredients such as millets and jowar.
For a summit involving senior political leaders and international delegations, food becomes an important part of the hospitality arrangements. India has a particularly wide culinary tradition, with significant differences in ingredients, cooking techniques and flavours from one region to another.
The BRICS Summit therefore provides an opportunity to present that diversity to an international audience through the dining experience. From Awadhi cuisine and Hyderabadi biryani to millet-based preparations, the menu is being designed to reflect different aspects of Indian food culture.
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held on September 12 and 13 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, with leaders and representatives from several countries expected to participate.
While the summit’s formal agenda will focus on major international and economic issues, the preparations being made in Delhi’s hotels show another side of hosting a global diplomatic gathering. For visiting leaders, India’s food traditions are set to become an important part of the hospitality extended during the summit.
