The Culinary Heritage Awards was a grand show at Khadhya Khurak – Food of India. Film personalities Hitu Kanodia and Mona Thiba with music celebrity Arvind Vegda Arvind Vegda lent a theatrical touch to the ceremony as the guests of honour. Monita Bakers was the gifting partner for the event.
The awards were judged by Anil Mulchandani.
The awardees:
Rajmata Kumud Kumari of Gondal is the Author, Recipes of a Maharani: Secrets from the Gondal Palace including recipes she learnt from her mother who was from Malwa and specialties of Gondal. She runs two heritage hotels where she serves historical food of the British Raj and princely states. At the Darbargadh Museum, you can see an outstandingly curated collection of utensils and kitchen tools, and India’s most unique teapot museum.
Rajmata Chandra Kumari of Danta runs Bhavani Villa, a heritage homestay serving historic dishes of the family
Rajmata Begum Farhat Balasinor Balasinorsinor Babi of Balasinor has a repertoire of recipes from princely states like Palanpur, Balasinor, Junagadh, etc. She has served these dishes at food festivals organised in various cities. She has also demonstrated her recipes at TV shows and they have also been published in magazines. Her son and daughter-in-law continue the tradition of serving ancestral recipes at Garden Palace, their heritage homestay.
Maharani Gyaneshwari Devi of Jambughoda has showcased the food specialties of her family at Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan, the popular TV show. She also serves traditional food at their heritage hotel.
Rani SRita Rajya Laxmi Idar has introduced dishes from Nepal like potatoes achar, Bhogate ko raita using grape fruit, fresh golbeda ko achar (Tomatoes pickle), Nepalese type raisin pulao, mutton rus, kwati rus (Mixed beans curry), bhote ko masu ( dry mutton), tare ko alu and sikhadi which is like Shrikhand to their homestay, Dowlat Villas Palace Himmatnagar, together with dishes from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh learnt from her in-laws.
Tushar Dalal is the owner of Welcomheritage Mani Mansion where he serves traditional Gujarati food and farm-to-table food. At his 100-year old mansion in Paldi, Ahmedabad, he has opened Gunattavam which is a millet specialty restaurant.
Sarkar Raghvendra Pratap SinghSingh has become famous for his food festivals of royal Rajput food. He also runs the Jhalamandgarh, a heritage hotel near Jodhpur.
Suchi Mehta runs a homestay called Jagdip Mehta’s Heritage House in Ahmedabad walled city. They conduct traditional Gujarati food and culture workshops for foreigners.
Maharani Mandakini Kumari of Santrampur has worked hard to revive the family’s ancestral recipes and serve historic dishes at her homestay Shri Joraver Vilas, Santrampur. She has also done food festivals in other cities. She runs Santrampur Field & Flowers, a social enterprise promoting forest produce.
R K Karni Singh Idar Idar of Dowlat Villas Palace-The Heritage continues the family tradition of serving historic dishes of various princely states.
The late Nitya Singh became known for the food she served at Vijay Vilas Adpur – Palitana, much appreciated by tourists. Her posthumous award was received by her daughter Vishwambhari Singh.
Somrraj Singh Jhala, Maharana Thakore Saheb of Sayla, is a hobby chef and cooks some of the specialties of his family at the Bell Guest House, a heritage homestay in Sayla.
Ritz Hotel was started in Ahmedabad during the 1930s. It was known for its food and banquets. The granddaughter of the founder, Nicole Pereira- Khurana has revived her family hotel’s specialties at her cloud kitchen, NO BORDERS.
Sonal Naik Nimbalkar Mahurkar promotes the cuisines of the Maratha rulers and warriors at food festivals in top hotels and restaurants.
