The 74th Cannes Film Festival has begun. It is one of the most important events in the film and fashion industries, with the most famous celebrities walking the red carpet. But it's not just films and fashion that have gotten attention at Cannes. Food has also made the news. Union Minister Dr L Murugan recently hosted the inaugural dinner in Cannes. The menu, titled 'The Journey Menu,' paid homage to the International Year of Millets and celebrated India's various cuisines. Prateek Sandhu, one of the country's most sought-after chefs, prepared the dishes.
The inaugural dinner menu is inspired by his travels throughout India, where he sampled traditional dishes prepared at home. The menu consisted of six to seven courses that focused on regional delicacies and flavours from various Indian states.
Chef Sandhu showcased rare Indian delights such as Tungrymbai, a Khasi dish paired with Puthrao, a local bread, and smoked tomato chutney. Pepper fry from Tamil Nadu and Millet Thoran (a Kerala-based dish) were also on the menu. There's also millet pulao and French sole fish cooked with Malvani flavours. The salad section includes Maharashtrian Potato Koshimbir, while the dessert section includes West Bengal Sandesh, Maharashtrian Chikki, and Mysore Pak served with Kashmiri Kahwa.
Chef Sandhu previously worked for the Taj and Leela hotel chains before opening his own restaurant in Mumbai called 'Masque,' which has been named to the list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants on multiple occasions. He aimed to create a unique gastronomic amalgamation for the guests at Cannes 2023 by fusing Indian and French culinary traditions.
Chef Manu Chandra prepared the inaugural dinner last year, which was hosted by Anurag Singh Thakur, the minister of information and broadcasting, as well as sports and youth affairs.