Rajneesh Maller, the General Manager of ITC Hotels and Chef Manisha Bhasin opened up about their food preparation for the dignitaries at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Rajneesh Maller shared that the curated menu for the BRICS Summit showcases India’s diverse culinary heritage, featuring regional specialities such as Rajma and Dum Aloo Banarasi.
Maller said, "When it comes to Indian food, the curated cuisine comes from across the country. So we have taken pride in ensuring that the masalas, the ingredients, emphasis on millets, etc., have been laid when it comes to the food." It also places a strong emphasis on traditional Indian spices and ingredients, while highlighting nutritious millets such as bajra and ragi, reflecting India’s rich and evolving food culture.
"So if we look at a couple of dishes for the day, Rajma as well as Damalu Banarasi. So a few of these top dishes are being, you know, served for lunch today. So, when it comes to millets, right, from what we had in the morning, you know, there were dishes that involved bajra and ragi. So, I think that there's a lot of emphasis on this in our cuisine," added Mallar.
Manisha Bhasin, Corporate Chef of ITC Hotels, shared that the menu of the day features Indian specialities such as Bukhara, Dum Pukht, Delhi-inspired dishes, kebabs and curries, and global, Asian and Chinese cuisine to cater to varied international tastes. While talking to ANI, Manisha Bhasin said, "It's a great honour for ITC Hotels to cater again after doing the G20 and World AI Summit and now the BRICS. So we are showcasing the food from most of the countries. We are trying to cater to our dignitaries who are attending this media as well because they've travelled from all over the world. So, of course, there is Indian food, which is our Bukhara, Dum Pukht and our kebabs and curries."
She added, "Then, for our Western dignitaries, we have a bit of global food to let them fall back on that and also a bit of Asian and Chinese to honour the dignitaries who are visiting India."
The chef also shared that the BRICS menu continues the millet-focused culinary approach showcased during the 2023 G20 Summit, reflecting the growing popularity of millets in everyday diets. "With the guidance of the Prime Minister in 2023, when we had done the G20, it was completely millet-based, and I'm so glad to see that the trend has really picked up today and people are adding millet to their diet. So of course we have also sprinkling of millet here with a little bit of millet pulao and millet, you know, barnyard millet kheer. So we are doing all those things which are getting showcased here," added Manisha Bhasin.
Meanwhile, earlier today, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in India and received a vibrant cultural welcome in New Delhi as performers showcased Assam's Bihu, Manipuri dance, Gujarat's Garba and Kathak, a classical dance from northern India, for the arriving delegation at Palam Air Force Station, putting India’s diverse dance traditions at the heart of his reception.
Xi Jinping landed in Delhi on September 12 to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, marking his first visit to India in nearly seven years. The airport presentation brought together folk and classical traditions from different parts of the country, with the North-Eastern dance traditions of Assam and Manipur forming a prominent part of the welcome.
Xi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Saturday at Bharat Mandapam for a bilateral meeting. His entourage includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
According to a Xinhua report, Xi Jinping is expected to advance proposals on Global South cooperation at the BRICS summit, much as he did during the SCO Summit in Bishkek. (ANI)
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