At a grand state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu welcomed European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, chief guests during India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations, with a uniquely curated Himalayan-themed culinary experience designed to showcase India’s diverse regional heritage.
Rather than a traditional pan-Indian spread, the multi-course dinner highlighted flavours and ingredients from the Himalayan belt, including jakhiya aloo, jhangora ki kheer, sunderkala thichoni (a buckwheat noodle soup from Uttarakhand), and baked yak cheese custard, each dish reimagined through contemporary fine-dining techniques while staying rooted in local traditions.
The main course featured prized mountain produce such as guchhi (morel) and Solan mushrooms paired with poppy seeds and served with fragrant Himachali swarnu rice, accompanied by regional chutneys that brought colour and contrast to the plate.
Dessert courses continued the Himalayan theme with ragi and Kashmiri apple cake topped with timru and seabuckthorn cream, a coffee custard made with Assam coffee beans, and persimmon drizzled with Himalayan honey, a fitting finale to a menu celebrating India’s mountain food heritage.
Curated by esteemed chefs Prateek Sadhu and Kamlesh Negi, the banquet was more than a meal, it was a cultural statement blending diplomacy with culinary storytelling, reinforcing the warm ties between India and the European Union during a landmark visit that also saw progress in strategic collaboration.
