Shine On: India holding the G20 Presidency has only created a brighter and more beautiful path for the Indian hospitality industry.

Curating the Perfect Meals

Chef Julius Uttom Biswas, Head Chef, Evolve Back Resorts, Hampi, remembers sitting down for hours in the boardroom with the GM, OM, F&B Manager, and other HODs, brainstorming and visualising thoughts and ideas. Narrates he, “I remember the first day of recce at the ODC site at Shri Vijaya Vittala Temple (a world heritage site showcasing the musical pillar and the stone chariot). Hotels in and around the area had participated to get the opportunity to cater to the G20. It was a tough competition, but it is now a matter of pride and honour to get a ‘piece of the cake’.

While it took months to collate and design the perfect concepts and menus, getting them approved by Indian Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, who is considered a food connoisseur himself, was a big challenge. “He guided my team and me towards a few inclusions from my hometown of Bengal. He was instrumental in our Grand ODC menu preparation around ‘The Glory of Vijayanagara’ which included research about food from the sacred ancient Hindu texts (such as the Mahabharata, Ayurveda, Srimad Bhagwatam, Manusmriti, Anushasana Parva, Bhojanakutuhala etc),” reveals Chef Julius.

Utmost care was taken towards initiatives to drive responsible tourism – right from the selection of alkaline eco-water to the usage of sustainable ingredients like millets, organic vegetables, fruits, and locally grown spices by our local farmers. “Though we were engulfed with challenges, frequent changes of opinion, and last-minute changes, our team spirit made the G20 event a huge success,” says he with a smile.