-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
India, Chennai, January 2023: Radisson Blu Hotel GRT Chennai launches Ministry of Chutneys the First Anglo-Indian Cuisine Restaurant in South India. Ministry of Chutneys is a celebration of the centuries old Anglo-Indian cuisine evolved during the British Raj.
The cuisine was perfected in the Dak Bungalows, Army Camp mess and the Railways during the colonial period by the Indian Khansammas and cooks who combined spices and ingredients to make unique dishes with an Indian flavour, while toning down the spices and pungency of typical Indian dishes to suit the delicate palates of the foreigners.
Vikram Cotah, CEO of GRT Hotels said “Ministry of Chutneys is a celebration of the centuries old Anglo-Indian cuisine evolved during the British colonial period. This restaurant’s specialty is its Anglo-Indian menu, which we created with Mrs. Bridget White Kumar. This menu, which combines Indian and Continental cuisine, was created for the British population in India 300 years ago. We also create gourmet gelatos and sorbets by hand, hand-made pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven. In addition, we offer an extensive buffet serving super breakfast, lunches and dinner. The variety of chutneys curated by the colonial cooks were admired to an extent which resulted in importing to England during the British era.”
Chutney, though an old Hindi word meaning Chatna or ‘to lick with delight’ was popularised by the Colonial cooks and the Britishers liked the flavours of chutneys so much that they exported them in bottles to England. Chutney today typically reminds us of the colonial influence on Anglo Indian cuisine.
Radisson Blu Hotel GRT Chennai is presenting the authentic Anglo-Indian cuisine in the Ministry of Chutneys as an a ‘la carte menu to revive this special cuisine. The restaurant will also serve buffets for all meals celebrating globally favourite cuisines. The endeavour of the restaurant is also to support the dwindling Anglo Indian community which was predominantly concentrated in the Cantonment areas close to the Radisson Blu Hotel GRT.
