A playful indulgence
Festive times are here, and so are the delicacies to dig-in the flavours for a sumptuous meal. We share with you an array of food trends for this festive season, coming from Chefs around the world.
Celebrate the Year of Millets
Arun Mathur, Executive Chef, Trident Gurgaon
As we all know we are celebrating the Year Of Millets. The festive season of 2023 will not remain untouched. For me, it is ‘Lost grain comes back in Frame’ Traditional sweets will get an innovative amalgamation of Millets. People will opt for healthy not heavy. Savoury snacks may take a better share in festive celebrations. Gifting will change from traditional sweets to millet-based snacks, Nuts have become supersedes. Organic Tag will have its premium. Local produce will be a part of the mainstream selection.
Artisanal homemade mithais are catching up. People are open to ordering food from home cooks. The Cuisine culture is opening up and the less recognised are getting a place in the frame. Revival of Dadi, Nani ka Khaanaa is there on the platter. Simple and less confusing foods will take over, as a new trend. I am doing Amaranth Ladoo, organic jaggery super seeds, Kerala coconut and gold waraq, this festive season.
Traditional Delicacies to new creations
Nisar Ahmed, Executive Chef, Atmosphere Core
Any festival in our country is incomplete without the sumptuous traditional delicacies. Thoughtfully prepared delicious snacks can be just as satisfying as an overload of treats. For example, Mirchi Halwa will be replacing the suji variant, Rare lahsun ki Kheer is making a comeback and so are traditional desserts with far less sugar in them. No Indian festival is complete without a sweet touch, and this year is no exception. Classic desserts like Rice Kheer, Vermicelli Payasam, and mithais like Kalakand continue to reign in popularity. These timeless treats are deeper in tradition and create nostalgia while you relish. This is a reminder of the ancient connection between food and culture.
The Traditional Feast
Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Executive Chef, Metropolitan Hotel
The Indian sweet scenario is much like its culture, vast and diversified. During the festive season, Gourmet mithai is on rise. The trend is mithai with healthier claims, small bite size; homemade traditional and regional Indian sweets will dominate. There are variations in flavored mithai available in the market like angoori paan, chocolate, tiramisu, gulkand, rose, jamun, kiwi and many more to choose from. The regional and traditional mithais are here to stay like coconut laddo, kaju katli, gulab jamun, pedha, sattu ke laddo and more. Another trend on the rise, post pandemic is veggie version, of New Year & Christmas Classics. Make sure your vegetarian diners get into the festive spirit with cottage cheese or stuffed tofu-based loaves, Christmas pies, galettes, tarts, Curry, garam masala, caramelized onion and cumin pastry and more from a range of deliciously complex flavours.
Traditionally, Indian festivals were associated with indulgent feasts and sweet treats, but with changing lifestyle, people today prefer foods that are traditional, tasty yet healthy and convenient.
The Spicy Affaire
Sheenu, Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport
Food is undoubtedly an ingredient that binds people bringing in joy, celebration, and togetherness. Knowing this, I started exploring what’s trending for this festive season and the dish that takes the centre stage and tops the chart again, is Biryani. Fragrant Basmati rice cooked with succulent pieces of meat and an array of aromatic spices is loved by people of all ages symbolizing the spirit of togetherness and sharing, making it an integral part of any celebratory occasion.
It’s a dish that is delicious and comforting with a perfect blend of tradition and taste and interestingly, every region in India uses their own unique mix of ingredients and techniques for it. With the trend of plant-based meat catching up worldwide, more and more people are eager about adding it as a source of protein, as they are packed with minerals and vitamins. So, it’s a great treat for both Vegetarians and meat lovers to enjoy this delicious dish.
Embrace the wholesome diet lifestyle
Saumya Srivastava, Sous Chef, Andaz Delhi
People nowadays have got really conscious about their eating habits, which is good in my opinion. The kind of lifestyle we are having requires a good diet plan to be healthy, which brings us to go back a little and take to eating habits from our ancestors. One of the very basic reasons I love to do experiments with, millets and grains is that I get to create new things like crafting a millet Risotto or creating guilt-free pizza in the form of flatbreads. Soul Pantry always focuses on the forgotten grains and how we can utilise them in our day to day lives. It’s encouraging to see this trend gaining momentum, and I’m not surprised by its popularity.
Try the new Culinary Maestros
Sunil Dutt, Culinary Director, W Goa
As the festive season approaches, people look for ways to celebrate with food, and I’m excited to see some new trends emerging this year from my culinary maestros. One trend is a focus on fusion cuisine, as people become more adventurous with their palates. Another trend is a focus on sustainability. People are more aware of the environmental impact of their food choices, and they’re looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. We feature dishes using locally sourced ingredients and offer plant-based options, such as for Diwali: Fusion sweets, Christmas: Plant-based roasts and New Year: Global tapas menus, featuring dishes from all over the world
Finally, we’re seeing a trend towards healthier eating. People are still looking for indulgent treats, but they’re also looking for ways to make their favourite dishes healthier. We’re seeing more restaurants using whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh produce.
