As we walked through the city’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday, we were greeted by the aroma of mouth-watering delicacies. The Grub Fest, which was hosted at this space over the weekend, was nothing less than a representation of the rich and diverse culinary traditions of India and around the world. From spicy street food to decadent desserts, this culinary festival offered something for every palate.
Founded in 2012 by four young entrepreneurs—Aman Kumar, Arjun Jain, Chaitanya Mathur, and Mani Singh Cheema—The Grub Fest aims to bring together homegrown talent to showcase the best of the country’s food, music, arts, and entertainment. The annual multi-day fest, which has also been organised in Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata, Pune, and Bengaluru, brought together products from 70+ restaurants. The Fest can also be called a cultural extravaganza—it fosters a sense of community given one will find people from every walk of life.
More than just food
“The Grub Fest started with a vision to bring together the country’s culinary talent. We showcase the best chefs, best artists, and new-age sensations. We wanted people to get access to what was once ‘inaccessible’ to the public,” shared Aman Kumar, co-founder of The Grub Fest, while speaking about how the event has evolved over the years.
As the name suggests, The Grub Fest is primarily about offering delicious food to its patrons. On Saturday, we witnessed a wide range of culinary delights from both local restaurants and food trucks. Attendees were served a range of cuisines including Indian, Continental, Chinese, Italian, and could choose from pizzas to mouth-watering kebabs, potato twisters, frozen yoghurt, Shawarma, and more.
But that’s not all! This Fest also provides a platform for small businesses to showcase their products and connect with potential customers. As we waded through the crowd, we met Muskan Garg. Garg’s Silver Dollar Cosmetics—this cosmetic brand was launched about five months ago—was one among the 100+ stalls at this fest. Speaking about her experience here, she said, “It’s been amazing. People are coming to our stall and trying our products. We are also receiving many reviews that we haven’t had before.”
Of culture and community
A line-up of celebrated musical artists—from the popular Armaan Malik to the duo Sukriti and Prakriti Kakar, among others—took the stage by storm and kept the crowds grooving all night long. On Saturday evening, as the Delhi-based rapper Paradox was to perform, unexpected showers put a damper on things. Once it stopped raining, the attendees danced along as Paradox delivered an energetic live set.
An excited Akanksha expressed how keen she was about watching a performance by DJ Jugni. When asked about the festival, the 22-year-old student from Delhi added, “The ambience here is enigmatic, and I love it here. One should try the boba tea; it is delicious, and the kebabs are great.”
Akanksha was not the only one who had a gala time here. We also interacted with Noida-based Darsh Mathur (16), who stressed on how accessible the event was. Mathur concluded, “This is my first time here and it’s a new experience for me. The cafes and stalls are all decked up and it looks like a carnival. It is also a great way to connect with people of my age. I am here for the overall experience and I also feel that this is an accessible event… everyone should be here for the food, the music and for the vibe.”