The British Deputy High Commission, Kolkata in collaboration with IIHM (International Institute of Hotel Management) hosted the GREAT INDO-BRITISH TASTE CHALLENGE at IIHM Global Campus in Kolkata.
The market size, measured by revenue, of the full-service restaurants industry in the UK is £19.9bn in 2023. The market size, measured by revenue, of the chocolate & confectionary production industry in the UK is £3.9bn in 2023. UK presents a great opportunity for Indian companies in these sectors especially with consumer confidence returning to pre-pandemic levels.
The jury board – Shaun Kenworthy, Gary Maclean and Manjunath Mural – comprising of esteemed chefs from India and the UK, challenged the participants to come up with showstopper food presentations. The contestants cooked up dishes popular in both countries, with a fusion of Indian and British flavours.
Eight different food service brands from Kolkata participated in the culinary challenge. The Winners and Runners Up of the GREAT INDO-BRITISH TASTE CHALLENGE would be announced at the Young Chef’s Olympiad hosted by IIHM today evening.
Nick Low, British Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India said: “I’ve been looking forward to the GREAT British Taste Challenge for weeks. Local chefs will do their take on some classic British dishes at Kolkata’s International Institute of Hotel Management. Food and drink have a very special place in our past and present ties – after all chicken tikka masala is the United Kingdom’s national dish. It’s part of our GREAT British Season in East and Northeast India in which we celebrate many of the glories that link India and the United Kingdom.”
Dr. Suborno Bose, Chairman, IIHM said: “IIHM is extremely proud to be associated with the GREAT Indo-British Taste Challenge. This is a one-of-its kind culinary competition happening in Kolkata for the first time – a great initiative by the British Deputy High Commission Kolkata. Gladly, the judges for this competition are some of the greatest Michelin Star chefs who have travelled from across the world to judge the Young Chef Olympiad – the world’s largest culinary olympiad organised by IIHM. As an innovative contest under the aegis of the British Deputy High Commission, the GREAT Indo-British Taste Challenge is the harbinger of many such events in the near future where Indian and British cultures will mingle and innovate to open the pathway to more cultural, culinary and business collaborations.”
Chef Gary Maclean said: “Fantastic to see local chefs embracing British food using traditional techniques and local produce. Any of the teams could have won and it was a difficult decision to make. I tasted a little bit of home in every dish. Fantastic chefs cooking with passion and flair.”
Source: (British Deputy High Commission, Kolkata)
Report- Pratyusha Mukherjee