LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

world but things have changed. After the pandemic focussed our attention on the frailty of our existence we were forced to learn that there must be more to life than having everything. Luxury in the New Normal demands a kinder, gentler, consort. It is this mindful consciousness that has inspired our cover story on sustainable dining, written by Michelin star chef Suvir Saran. Chair of the Asian arm of the Culinary Institute of America, he is the only chef on the Nutrition Advisory Board at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Consumption of healthier, fresher, natural, less processed, local, seasonal, regional food has become the call of the hour, he writes. Grounded in a new century, it is incumbent on both chefs and diners to demand and deliver quality while ensuring the health and security of a shared planet. The pandemic has thrown the hospitality industry globally into a profound crisis, to which it has responded by making sustainability not just a buzzword but a growing movement. This month, Spice rounds up a small but committed cadre of chefs who are making India a route to this ideal. These masterful chefs are marrying old farming practices to biodiverse modern techniques. They are seeking out and celebrating local and seasonal products, championing indigenous grains and greens, while ensuring consumer interest by cooking them with heritage recipes and plating these dishes to match the gastronomic trends of the day and still keep their offerings soulful and delicious. As part of this endeavor we see the ITC Hotels pioneering the cause of responsible luxury. Adding heft to this movement are celebrity Indian voices abroad such as Michelin star chefs Vineet Bhatia and Atul kochhar, both of whom are working with ingredients and farmers that make their many offerings exciting and sustainably interesting, using ethically sourced, natural and local ingredients, wherever possible. “My cuisine is a special fusion of Indian food heritage and my great love of British and local ingredients,” says Kochhar. Bhatia endorses homegrown and local produce and also insists on recycling glass, cardboard packaging and returning packaging to suppliers to be reused. Clearly, if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Unfortunately, “we never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” As water becomes a luxury, Spice invites Ganesh Iyer, India’s only certified water sommelier to explain why Fine Waters as a category is expanding in the luxury space. Svalbardi from the Norwegian Island territory of Svalbard costs US$166 for a one litre bottle, while Nevas from Germany is priced close to US $190. More interestingly, he explores the finest pairings of water and single malts. For example, with a Talisker 10 YO malt, imbued with strong notes of apples and pear peels and a finish of bonfire embers, he recommends the Cape Grim from Australia, which has a low level of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) of 5 mg per litre and a hardness of 12 mg. The mineral content of the water does not weigh the malt down, allowing your palate to experience the entire bouquet of the Talisker. Naturally, the first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces or at least not to try to defy them—unless of course you’re charring the tar in a piece of German engineering. Take a spin with Spice on the incredibly agile Mercedes AMG GLC43, the first AMG to be made in India. What better way to welcome the future than to surge forward?