ByTanya Banon

New Delhi, April 25 (IANSlife)  “Kashmiri food is more than Wazwan, and both the Muslim and Pandit cuisine of the region need due recognition,” says Sanjay Raina who is on a mission to change traditional perceptions about Kashmiri food and its preparation.

A name to reckon with when it comes to the business of food; be it as a restaurateur, a Hotelier or an award-winning Celebrity Chef, Raina’s labour of love is to make the finest quality home cooked Kashmiri cuisine available across the country, without ever having to compromise the quality and taste.

“It has taken me a few years to put Pandit cuisine on the map, it took a lot of information sharing, educating customers and social media posts to achieve this. I feel vegetarians always feel short changed when it comes to eating out, I have tried to remedy this. Whether at our restaurant, or food festivals or catering, the vegetarian components are as important as any other dish. With Kashmiri Pandit cuisine I get the opportunity to highlight vegetarian options and really make them shine,” states Raina.   
 

The chef’s culinary skills were shaped at the Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi. Born and brought up in Srinagar city, he is a self-confessed ‘Ambassador of Kashmiri cuisine’. Quick to understand market dynamics, Raina notes people now want to eat and explore regional cuisine; they’re happy to have ‘Nadru Yakhini’ and 'Haak Saag’ or try traditional lotus stem fritters and walnut or pumpkin chutney.

Raina goes on to clear the misconception that Kashmiri food should be avoided in summer, clarifying, “When you think of Kashmiri food you think of spices and oil, but Punjabi food like Butter chicken is rich with cream and cashew nuts and so is Dal Makhini and they are eaten all year round. Kashmiris’ all over the world eat their food daily, come summer, winter or monsoon, so there is no such thing that it should be avoided in a particular season."

Further adding, “The spices used are local to the region, so the fennel powder or red chili added to our food comes directly from Srinagar and is customised to meet specific requirements. Kashmiri food is unique in its flavours.”
 

Being optimistic about the restaurant industry which was one of the worst hit during the pandemic, Raina states, “I hope the worst is behind us, but it gave us an opportunity to learn a lot. The business of food really evolved during this period and what we learnt will see us through the coming years.”

To take patrons on a delectable journey, the chef is hosting ‘Paradise on a Platter’, a food festival at Four Points by Sheraton, New Delhi Airport from 27th April to 30th April, a must try for all food lovers. 

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