Gourmet getaway season 2!

Food festivals these days are a dime a dozen with the same repeated formulas and ubiquitous substandard food with  a mix of some trashy music thrown in to draw in junta. To put it bluntly they don’t even classify as food festivals, it’s more of a vapid open air party .Gourmet Getaway at first glance appeared to be no different and it was the trip to jaipur that drew my interest and not the lineup of events , little did I know I was in for a surprise

Unlike its prosaic  counterparts ,Gourmet Getaway is based on experiential events across different venues with experts at the helm of affairs and everything culminating in a gala sundowner. Day 1 had me rushing out of bed as early as 6 am to hop onto bikes exploring the bylanes of pink for iconic food spots. Cyclin Jaipur ensured this ride ticked all boxes with food, sightseeing and some exercise thrown it too. Next in line was A Pizza making session with Chef Antonio Srirocco which was engaging as well as enjoyable.

Keeping up the momentum was an informative wine and chocolate pairing session with Chef Barbara at the exquisite Meraaki kitchen . As the sun descended it  was time to don on our cocktail dresses and head towards the exotic Nand mahal palace. This definitely was the high point of the festival with a live band, free flowing wine and of course food, various cuisines from different parts of the world. While every kiosk dished out delectable fare, Nordic-fication and Dual connection stood out from the rest and Chef Nitin is definitely a talent to watch out for.

While still in its infancy, this being only the 2nd edition, Dushyant Singh’s vision is certainly laudable. This is how food needs to be celebrated -through custom made experiences and cherishable memories.