When delegates for the Group of 20 (G20) heads of state and government summit arrive in the national capital on September 9 and 10, they will get a taste of the flavour of the year: millets.
With 2023 being the International Year of Millets, hotels in the national capital region are gearing up to showcase the superfood at the prestigious event. And, while millets would be the star attraction for most delegate lunches and dinners at The Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi, The Lalit New Delhi and Le Meridien New Delhi, on display will be exotic regional Indian cuisine as well. From Amritsari kulche at Eros Hotel New Delhi to butter chicken, dal makhani, rogan josh at Hyatt Regency Delhi, chefs in the city are busy curating special menus to showcase their best.
The Lalit New Delhi will have unified flavours of India with millet-based dishes like mix millet watermelon salad, crunchy edamame and amaranth salad, yaki soba noodles, nutty Belgian dark foxtail fudge, millet risotto and more. “As part of our ‘we serve what we grow’ initiative, we will be using home grown herbs, spices and a variety of greens to focus on the health quotient and enhance the overall nutritional aspect of the delicacies,” said Vijay Bhalla, general manager, The Lalit New Delhi.
“The carefully curated millet-based meals for gala lunches and dinners will bring the best of ‘Made in India’ dishes and offer flavours of native India to guests,” said Arun Sundararaj, director of culinary operations, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. Adds area director, operations, and general manager, Taj Mahal, New Delhi, Satyajeet Krishnan: “The buzz has already started, the banquets and suites are fully booked. G20 has been a major revenue generator, not just in the capital but in all the cities the events have taken place.”
“India holding the G20 presidency provided an exceptional opportunity for the hospitality sector as it led to an increase in international tourism, resulting in a surge in demand for accommodation, dining, and other hospitality services. We were honoured to host delegates at some of our key hotels located across India in the past G20 events while leveraging our presence in tier 2/3 locations,” said Zubin Saxena, managing director & area senior vice-president – south Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.
Roseate Hotels & Resorts is planning a sustainable menu featuring organic produce, greens from their hydroponic farm and millet-based foods. Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels & Resorts, said, “This event is an ideal opportunity to savour such dishes at social or business meetings.”
The call for ‘vocal for local’ at the event will mirror the country’s rich regional, cultural, and agricultural diversity. “Our specialty chefs will promote the traditional Amritsari kulcha with a variety of accompaniments giving an authentic taste of Punjab. There is also a Mexican buffet planned all through September for Indian delegates to give them a taste of international cuisine,” says Devinder Juj, general manager, Eros Hotel New Delhi.
The idea is to make the delegates and guests feel at home, said Alessandro Sandrolini, executive chef, Hyatt Regency Delhi, which will be hosting two heads of state along with other dignitaries. “We have crafted special menus with native Indian specialties alongside a mix of Chinese, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes for world leaders such as foul mudammas, jiben halloumi, manakeesh zaatar, Hainanese chicken rice, chili crab, Peking duck and more,” said Sandrolini.
More than 35 city hotels in Delhi-NCR are all sold out as venues for accommodation, dinners, lunches, meetings and banqueting events by different missions and the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for dignitaries as part of the event.