Eateries get a taste of local with Covid impacting supplies
Imported fare makes way for homegrown produce
If you’ve ever had tuna at Olive Qutub, a Mediterranean and European restaurant in Delhi’s old-world Mehrauli, it is likely that the fish came from Japan. Or if you’ve tried the chocolate torte here, chances are the accompanying raspberries were flown in from some country in the West. But that was before the pandemic.
As Covid-19 forced countries to secure their borders and the supply of imported ingredients dried up overnight, restaurants have had to tweak their menus or go local.
So, Olive Qutub now replaces raspberries with falsa (black currant) from Uttarakhand whenever it’s in season. “Even when it’s not in season, we don’t immediately switch to raspberries, but are constantly on the lookout for good-quality berries grown in India,” says Dhruv Oberoi, head chef at Olive Qutub and Serai, a culinary cocktail bar in Mehrauli.
As for the tuna, it now comes from the Andamans. And to prepare gherkins, the chefs now use kundru (ivy gourd) in place of imported cucumber.
The shift has meant tying up with farmers and local vendors to source freshly grown seasonal fruits and vegetables. “I run a cuisine that is very international, and this shift is an opportunity for me to use fresh local ingredients,” says Oberoi.
He’s not alone in this. Over at the Taj Mahal hotel in New Delhi, executive sous chef Rajesh Singh says, “A lot of imported fish are either in short supply or are unavailable. So, more local fish, like river fish, have been placed on the menu.”
Fish supply was once considered extremely stable and reliable but has now become volatile. Some recent news reports even suggested that the Russia-ukraine war had hit the supply of filet-o-fish burgers at Mcdonald’s, but the fastfood chain told Business Standard this was not the case. Turns out, the burger is indeed available.
Localising the supply chain is also a tremendous opportunity to help the environment by reducing shipping and storage needs, emissions and energy usage, says Satbir Bakshi, corporate chef at The Oberoi.
The Oberoi group now sources fresh fish and seafood from the Andamans. It was also among the first hotel brands in India to introduce burrata cheese on the menu, “which was made by a priest in Bengaluru,” says Bakshi. They have also tied up with a farmer who cultivates local fruits like mangosteen, rambutan, heirloom tomatoes and avocados. “We have managed to get our imports back, and now have a steady mix of local and imported products,” Bakshi adds.
The students who lost both their parents due to Covid-19 will get a monthly stipend of ~4,000 a month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday. The monthly stipend will be disbursed under the PM Cares for Children Scheme, Modi said.
“If someone needs an education loan for professional courses, or for higher education, then PM Cares will help in that too. ~4,000 have also been arranged for them every month through other schemes for other daily needs,” he said.
“The youth from 18-23 years of age will get a stipend every month and when they are 23 years old, they will get the amount of ~10 lakhs,” he added. Modi said PM Cares for Children was a reflection of the fact that every citizen was standing with them. The prime minister said that under the scheme if someone needed an education loan for professional courses, for higher education, then PM Cares would help in that too. Modi transferred scholarships to school-going children. Also, a passbook of PM Cares for Children, and a health card under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana was handed over to children during the programme.
He said the PM Cares fund also helped a lot in preparing hospitals, buying ventilators, and setting up oxygen plants during the Covid pandemic. “because of this, many lives could be saved and the future of many families could be saved,” he said.
He said in that atmosphere of negativity during the pandemic, India relied on its strength.
“We trusted our scientists, doctors, and our youth. And, we came out as a ray of hope, not a worry for the world. We did not become the problem, but we became the solutiongiver,” he added.
He also said that coming out of the negative impact of Covid, India has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Motivating children who lost their parents in the pandemic, PM Modi said even in the biggest atmosphere of despair, “if we believe in ourselves, then a ray of light is definitely visible. Our country itself is the biggest example of this”.