FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS VEGETARIAN

VEGETARIAN MENUS ARE BEING SPECIALLY CREATED IN CUISINES ACROSS THE WORLD.

- BY PRIYA KUMARI RANA

EVER WONDERED how the world's top chefs plan their menus to suit both meat-and seafood-eaters, as well as vegetarian diners? It's heartening to know that the world over, chefs plan for and create special menus that are balanced-for those who prefer alternatives to non-vegetarian dishes.

THE WORLD'S NO. 1 RESTAURANT IS HERE!

The Oberoi, New Delhi, celebrated its 60th anniversary by hosting the world's No. 1 restaurant, the three-Michelin-starred Disfrutar in Barcelona, and its co-owner and head chef Oriol Castro at a special session in partnership with Culinary Culture. “Our approach is techno-emotional cooking,” says chef Castro, “A fusion of precision, creativity, and emotion. Each dish forges a human connection.”

Castro, along with Disfrutar co-owners Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, have been head chefs at the world-famous ElBulli restaurant. “Our 18 years at ElBulli shaped the way we cook and create,” says chef Castro. “India has left a lasting impression with flavours and ingredients, especially visits to the spice market to make biryani and appam with The Oberoi team.”

Having infused the Spanish staple, tapas (small, shareable plates), with fine-dining sensibilities and modern techniques, chef Castro reimagined the classic Gilda tapa (with olive and mackerel) with “olive spherification, encapsulating the liquid in a delicate membrane”. He then created a version with cocoa-coated olive spheres that break, releasing a burst of flavours.

For chef Castro, a vegetarian menu needs to stand on its own, as a creative journey with equal depth and ambition. “As an alternative to sardines, we could use asparagus. Cured and seasoned,” he says. “For our signature bao dish (filled with caviar and cream), we would keep the bao dough, with a rich pesto replacing the cream, and tapioca pearls mimicking the texture of caviar.”