Definitive festival checklist for Delhi’s food enthusiasts

The festive season comes an excuse for  food lovers to finally, after having lived for weeks and months on a blanced diet, indulge their taste buds a little. It is that time of the year when Delhi becomes not only a city of celebrations, with its many fêtes and carnivals, but also a culinary centre of sorts. So it only makes sense that some the coolest food festivals are happening in the capital in the forthcoming weeks,  and by putting them together in this list here we are trying to be of some help adventurous foodies to drop the diet for a bit, and get grubbing.

 

The illustrious food festival returns for its second edition, which means food connoisseurs of the capital now have something to look forward to. Brainchild of four young entrepreneurs — Aman Kumar, Arjun Jain, Chaitanya Mathur and Manveer Singh Cheema — the Grub Fest will feature over 20 upmarket eateries as part of this culinary getaway. The names joining the fest are Punjab Grill, Zambar, Dao Dimcha, Holy Smoke, Zizo, Zerzura, À Ta Maison, PCO and many more. The Leela Gurgaon, also part of the festival, will create a special luxury zone at the venue, offering a fine-dining experience with an international chef orchestrating Japanese and Italian cuisines. Further, the festival will host workshops by chefs proficient at varied cuisines including Arabic, Iranian, Naga, Coastal, Kashmiri and Bengali.

To create a buzz around the fest,  the organisers are also planning to hold a series of “pre-events” leading to the actual three-day-long festival. The pre-events itinerary includes mixology sessions and food tastings, with professionals from the industry engaging with food enthusiasts at venues across the city. The multiple stalls at the festival will also retail organic vegetables, salads, homemade jams, namkeen, waffles, cupcakes, honey and much more. 

When: 23-25 October

Where: Ambience Lawns, Gurgaon

Entry ticket: Rs 100-200

 

10 Heads Festival

Pioneering the concept of an elaborate multi-format festival, this event will feature 10 different modes, ranging from music, food, art, technology and more. “Foodistan”, of course,  falls in the “food” category and is curated by Chef Saby and Abhishek Mankad. 

This will be the first instance of a food festival here presenting exclusive international pop-up restaurants and bars. Joining the roster are Bar Barlovento from Ibiza, FluxBau from Berlin, Mavericks Pizzeria, 23 Grosvenor Gardens and Atlantic Bar and Restaurant from London. Foodistan aims to redefine the concept of a family outing, offering not just quality but also versatility. It will feature 30 different culinary practices brought together from nooks and corners from within India and abroad. The “Hidden Gems”  available here include some the best-know traditional dishes of India, such as Taufiq ki biryani, Mathura ki kachori, daulat ki chaat and lotan choley wala. 

When: 22-25 October

Where: Dhanchiri Camping Resort, NH-8

Entry: Free

 

An essential part of any travel plan is pigging out on local delicacies, for nothing says culture better than a delightful mix of spices and flavours. Asian Hawkers Market promises a similar experience with this three-day event. Popular five-star hotels and posh restaurants will bring together cuisines from the Far East and Southeast Asia, with countries including China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and more. Some of the more interesting brands on board are Royal China; Guppy by Ai; Pan Asian from Sheraton; Jade, the celebrated Chinese restaurant from The Claridges; Chi Ni from Dusit Devrana; the Fatty Bao and more. Sought-after home delivery services, such as the Pho Kart, Asian Haus and Social from Hauz Khas Village, will also be participating. Reasonably priced, the idea here is to offer people an experience that’s integral to the idea of Asian food. The portions will be relatively small, to allow patrons the opportunity to taste multiple varieties.  

And it’s not just about the food at the Asian Hawkers Market. The entire space will be developed around an authentically Asian theme, with plenty of entertainment and activities to boot. Besides four musical performances each evening, there will be a Bruce Lee-inspired martial arts game, hooplas, arm wrestling, dance-offs, and chop sticks for sale too. 

When: 23-25 October

Where: Select Citywalk, 

Saket

Entry: To be announced

 

Tastings, events, promotions, celebrations, all form part of the New Delhi Palate Festival, to be held in November at the majestic Nehru Park. The festival will feature some of the finest restaurants around Delhi, celebrated chefs from the world over, and a range of specially curated cuisines. Further, live entertainment and cookery workshops should keep attendees occupied as they take a break from stuffing themselves silly.      

When: 28-30 November

Where: Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri

Entry: Free

 

Street food has always had a kind of ageless charm. Fine dining experiences, with plush cutlery and haughty servers, may have its merits, but nothing can quite match the act of hogging on piping hot, often terribly unhygienic,  street food from counters on a cold December evening. The National Street Food Festival provides that classic experience many times over. So head over to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium this December and gorge on your favourite selection of pakwaans, pakoras and tikkis. 

When: 11-13 December

Where: Gate Number 14, Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium

Entry: Rs 30