The Curry Life Taste of Britain Festival got
off to a colourful start in Chennai ,
India
Running from 6th to 14th
March in the Spice Haat and Focaccia restaurants at the 5-star Hyatt Regency,
the festival sees Michelin starred chef Mark Poynton of Alimentum in Cambridge
join top curry chefs from the UK to create a spicy smörgasbord of British curry
dishes.
The team of chefs is headed by the veteran
festival performers, Chef Partha Mittra, consultant chef for Curry Life, and
Chef Abul Monsur of Taj Cuisine in Chatham Kent, who combine their expertise
with Chef Mohammed Awal Miah of Spice Club in Bridgwater, and Chef Syem Uddin
of Bengal Spice in Crook, County Durham. The British team is working alongside
the chefs at Hyatt Regency headed by Executive Chef Subrata Debnath (see previous post for one of chef Subrata's recipes).
At the launch attended by the British Deputy
High Commissioner, Bharat Joshi, festival organisers, Syed Nahas Pasha, Syed
Belal Ahmed, and chefs Mark and Subrata Debneth introduced team to members
of the press who were also able to sample some of the signature dishes featured on the menu.
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| Nahas Pasha, Mark Poynton, Bharat Joshi, Subrata Debneth, Belal Ahmed |
Afterwards, the chefs were able to let off a bit of steam at the colourful festival
of Holi - a Hindu celebration when it's customary to smear your friends with colours.
Now, all chefs are looking forward to showcasing popular dishes from the UK
including Chicken Tikka Masala and (aptly, for the city of Chennai which was
formerly known as Madras), Madras curry.
Chef Mark looks set to change the commonly
held perceptions of bland British food by serving up some Alimentum delights. His signature
dishes, inspired by traditional British and European foods, include cod rolled
in onion ash with onion salad; roast sea
bass with cauliflower textures and Pedro Ximenez sauce, and roast breast of
duck, charred and pureed broccoli peanut and lime with crispy black rice.
In between courses the chefs are looking
forward to sampling some of the local culture and cuisine. Chennai is home to
beautiful beaches, temples and historical sites. From the gastronomic point of
view, Tamil Nadu is known for its spicy vegetarian dishes, sizzling street food
and lunchtime buffets or canteens featuring fiery sambars and
Keralan-influenced foods.
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| Young Holi revellers in Chennai |
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| View from Hyatt Regency Chennai |
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| The chefs plan the menu |
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| The team celebrates Holi |
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