Indian culinary treasure hunt kicks off

HYDERABAD: “What’s cooking this Sunday?” is the most asked question every household on a Sunday morning, says Chef Mahesh Padala, a MasterChef Telugu judge who will lead the Indian culinary treasure at Sheraton hotel. Food is a significant element for everyone, and we look for comfort, and what goes into matters the most to us. As the hotel raised the curtain for the Indian Culinary Treasures Hunt, the power of love and emotion through food was the central theme.  General manager Pranay Verdia, Sanjay Rawat, the hotel executive chef, Sankalp Vishnu, food critic, and Chef Mahesh participated in this curtain raiser.

Indian Culinary Treasures Hunt aims to find the eight home cooks creating eight cuisines around the country in 8 major days, and the winner of the contest is to include their dish in the menu. Sheraton hotel has initiated this to provide comfort through  home-cooked food, which is irreplaceable by a hotel platter.“There is a minor difference between home-cooked food and outside food; the idea is to fulfill that. I’ve travelled a lot, Chennai, Bangalore, and Vizag, and wherever I’ve gone, I’ve witnessed the warmth that is present in the home-cooked food.

Mothers prepare simple dishes at home, they put everything together and put a lid on, and they go on to finish their other work. But it turns out to be a perfect dish. Because of the concern and love that is poured while preparing the dish for her loved ones. That is our treasure, that is our gold, and that exactly is what our Indian Culinary treasures hunt is looking for,” adds Chef Mahesh.

This hunt will provide a platform for the hidden treasures and recipes that have been treasured by our grandmothers and elders. This initiative promises to connect people all over India. “The participation from different regions will create gastronomical experiences for the guests,” says Pranay Verdia, GM of Sheraton Hotel. As he adds, that this platform encourages budding chefs and home cooks to showcase their skills and culinary practices, which would catalyse the growth of their passion.

Apart from love and emotions being a non-miss ingredient, in elaborating on the selection criteria, the Chef has mentioned that “Alochana, Ashwadhana, Alankarana,” i.e., the idea that goes behind the preparing dish, the flavour and palette, finally the presentation will be taken into consideration. As the registrations are open, the first 50 to 60 registrations will be taken into consideration. Sanjay Rawat concludes by adding, “It will be a great learning experience for us in the kitchen as well. We mostly miss some things with busy operations, but with the home cooks coming in, we will be taking a lot of learning from them.”