JOIN USOut of seven billion people in the world, one billion remain hungry, as per the United Nations report. Yet, half of the food in the world is wasted. I felt it is my duty to express this thought in my work,” says chef Rintu Rathod. Beside her is a beautifully carved sculpture of a woman titled ‘My food, My mother’.
Displayed at the ongoing Culinary Art India 2015 as part of Aahar International Food & Hospitality Fair at Pragati Maidan, this sculpture is made entirely out of modelling chocolate just like others such as ‘The Heritage Steam Locomotive of Indian Railways’, ‘American Chopper’ and ‘New Age Dragon Bike’. The impressive part is that Rathod is a self-trained expert. She comments: “Home bakers can compete with 5-star chefs too!”
The other three have won gold medals for their work in ‘Artistic Pastry Show Piece’ category. While chef Nitin Singharia of Le Meridian has displayed his love for bikes
by creating a chocolate bike, chef Mohd Asif from Radisson Blu MBD Noida exhibits his love for chocolates through his creation of a chocolate steam locomotive.
“My father is a pastry chef and I loved the chocolates that he brought from his trips abroad when I was young. Chocolate became my best friend and I wanted to work with it,” says Asif. His preparation for this sculpture included trips to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station to attain excellence in details.
With only one entry in the ‘Butter & Margarine Sculpture’ category, chef Deepak Nainwal from The Oberoi Gurgaon created a child sleeping on a bed. “The marble effect is the most difficult to achieve. Making margarine sculptures is like giving structure to cream,” he says.
Amidst these attractive edible artifacts, the plates of three course set dinner menu tried to seek attention. On the other side, few experts were busy dressing the cake live and thus creating more options for visitors to look and admire.
In the first two days, a display of artistic bakery showpieces, fruit and vegetable carving and authentic Indian cuisine took centre stage.
Though all these will no longer be at the venue today, petit fours, pralines, desserts and mocktails will make their presence felt on the last day of this four-day event.