The Panigraha Lawns in the Pink City will host India’s first Tier-2 city food festival showcasing Tier-1 city F&B brands, The Travelling Kitchen, during the long Republic Day weekend.
The community style food festival concept is the brainchild of Delhi-based brand evangelist Bharat Atwal, who calls love for food his saviour and his nemesis. “I love food, and my clothes don’t agree with this relationship—both balancing themselves out well enough to keep me happily occupied whenever I find myself in a kitchen or at a restaurant or, for that matter, at an event that has anything to do with food,” Atwal says.
Hailing from a family that has, over the years, established itself as pioneers within India’s mining and construction arena, he went on to chart an independent career path and started off as a freelance writer before launching his PR agency, Quotient Consultancy Services. “Curating associations for events is one of the core competencies, so the eventual decision to birth and market a brand of our own came about. It was then that I thought of creating something unique,” he says on The Travelling Kitchen.
The launch edition in Jaipur is envisioned in association with Rani Jahnavi Kumari and Rao Raja Parikshit Singh of Jodhpur. It is pegged as something more than just ‘another food festival’ but a celebration of the spirit of community. “The Travelling Kitchen will be a destination comprising fun activities for the family, music and entertainment tied together by the core element—food,” he adds.
The format includes a compilation of some leading F&B brands and the list that has been carefully curated to offer an inclusive culinary experience to people. “The launch edition is selective, and we are hoping to let variety guide our curation. Thus we are focusing on participants who are either established or trending in each cuisine segment.
Japanese, Progressive Thai, ‘Fun’ Pan Asian, Creative Gourmet Bakery offerings (both sweet and savoury), a tea service championed by an award-winning tea curator, Egyptian food, vegan and molecular ice-creams are just a few of the noteworthy mentions. The brands that will be a highlight of Jaipur edition, include Mamagoto, En, Anandini Himalayan Tea, Bakermania, Jom Jom Malay, The Lalit Food Trucks from Delhi and Mumbai, The Boulangerie, Zarin by Fairmont, among others,” he says.
After kick-starting the
project in Jaipur, the food festival will move to Lucknow and Dehradun, and other
Tier-2 cities in coming months. “We are planning to map the length and breadth of the country,” he says.
Cooking up a surprise
A sneak peek into what the event will have for you from January 27-28
The Early Bird Fitness Special:
7 am to 9.30 am
(Entry `100 per adult; kids’ entry free)
A sunrise meditation session with healer Nirmala Sewani, followed by Zumba classes with ZIN instructor/salsa champion Aashmita Nayar and team, and then a hearty breakfast.
The Food Fair: 10 am to 6.30 pm
(Entry `300 per adult; `100 for kids above six years)
Winter-kissed elevenses, activities for children, and sunny lunches are the call of the hour as the day stretches into a spellbinding Pink City sunset, with live music at hand by songstress Tanya Nambiar, and Delhi-based band Samay. Theatre, dance and reading classes for younger visitors by The Blaze Academy.
The Showcases: 7.30 pm to 10 pm
(Entry `800 per adult; `200 for kids above six years)
Dining under the star-strewn sky with scrumptious offerings from each restaurant to the accompaniment of musical performances by young maestro Raj Barman on the opening night and the band, Faridkot, on the last night.