-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
With an aim to enrich guest experiences through menus rooted in local produce and fresh culinary ideas, Jungle Camps India Limited (JUNGLECAMP “JCI” or “The Company”), a leading name in wildlife hospitality, has onboarded renowned chef Michael Swamy as its Consulting Chef across its resorts.
In his role, Chef Swamy will guide menu creation, recipe development, and kitchen operations. He will also train staffs, oversee quality and safety, and refine the overall food philosophy of the brand. Guests can expect signature tasting menus, live demonstrations, outdoor dining experiences, and opportunities to cook alongside the chef.
Chef Michael Swamy is a celebrated food stylist, writer, photographer, author ,and food educator. An alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu, London, he has catered for the British and American consulates, worked with global brands, and received prestigious awards for his contribution to food and art. Passionate about Anglo-Indian and Indo-Portuguese cuisine, he has also curated forest-to-table and wild cook experiences across brands.
Mr Gajendra Singh Rathore, Managing Director of Jungle Camps India expressing his delight said, “Our effort at Jungle Camps India has always been to give guests a deeper sense of place, not only through the safari but also through food. Chef Michael Swamy brings wide knowledge of local ingredients and age-old cooking traditions combined with contemporary flair. This collaboration will offer guests food experiences as unique as the forests that surround our camps. Each of our locations has a culinary story to tell, “from the rustic flavors of central India to the fiery cuisines of western forests”. With Chef Swamy’s guidance, these stories will come alive on the plate that will offer guests not just a meal but an immersion into culture, memory, and the wild surroundings that make every stay unique.”
Speaking about his association with Jungle Camps India, Chef Michael Swamy said, “My collaboration with Jungle Camps India is about linking food with nature and culture. Every region carries stories that can be expressed through cuisine, and I aim to create menus that blend comfort, nostalgia, and creativity. For me, food is an experience of memories, moments, and discovery. I am thankful to Jungle Camps India for choosing me in its effort to bring local and deep-rooted culinary traditions together with fresh food ideas, and I am delighted to be part of this journey.”
Through this collaboration, Jungle Camps India has developed a strong culinary identity across its camps. For Jungle Camps India, food becomes a reflection of forests, villages, and local culture. Jungle Camps India weaves this essence into its kitchens, where regional flavors, age-old recipes, and seasonal produce come together to create meals that echo the spirit of each of these places. Its Rukhad Jungle Camp offers rustic comfort with pithla and bhakri, Tadoba Jungle Camp brings fiery specialties like Kolhapuri chicken and Saoji mutton, Kanha Jungle Camp draws from forest produce with bamboo shoot curry and kachnar ki sabzi, while Pench Jungle Camp serves soulful dishes such as bafla and bhutte ka kees.
