It was a battle on a platter

Awarm aroma wafted from the temporary cooking station as celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia and Amit Sood, the executive chef of JW Marriott Hotel, went head-to-head in a cook off.

The Masterclass, in association with Fisher & Paykel Appliances and JW Marriott Hotel, was unlike most others as diners pitched in their bit to make some delicious dishes. 

The crowd that gathered at the hotel was eager, right from the start, to see chef Ritu dish out her best. Known for her mastery over the Italian cuisine and her restaurant, ‘Diva’, in Delhi, Ritu decided to surprise diners with an attempt at Indian cuisine. Even as she prepared to make ‘meen moilee’, she announced that she was at a disadvantage. She said that she hasn’t tried Indian dishes, other than ‘kadi’ and ‘jeera rice’. 

As roles were reversed, chef Amit Sood decided to make an Italian dish. He said that since there is a huge market for vegetarian dishes in India, he would try his best to make pappardelle pasta with a simple ragout. 

The dish had cauliflower and walnuts and was topped with pappardelle. In addition, to cater to the meat lovers, he made the same dish with sauteed shrimps and a bit of salt and pepper. 

Along with dishes from the Masterclass, diners had the pleasure of tasting the works of other JW Marriott chefs. There was a station dedicated to Italian dishes and had different pastas and fries, with a side helping of mashed potatoes. There was also a cooking station for roasts, sliders, salads and dessert. 

Chef Amit Sood said that this was a great opportunity to work alongside chef Ritu, who has much experience with dishes from Italy. 

“The Italian cuisine is everywhere these days and isn’t just restricted to Italy. It’s not something uncommon,” he said. He added that in his opinion, Indian dishes are harder to cook, while pastas are relatively easy. The Masterclass also gave hopeful chefs a chance to cook with the two seasoned artistes. Ritu said she prefers overseeing the work and called herself a “lazy chef”. 

So, a handful of participants also got their hands dirty while attempting to cook alongside the two chefs. The event ended with a scrumptious dinner and chatter amongst acquaintances. It was an evening where everyone got to see a different side of the masterchefs.