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The promotion, which launched on 9 July and is on until 26 July, showcases Kumar’s top selections from diverse Indian cuisine and is sure to satisfy any gourmand.
Sitting down for a brief chat with the Daily FT, Kumar revealed that he’s been in Sri Lanka for just two months and his last stint was at the Hilton in Delhi. Kumar has nine years of experience as a sous chef and has been with Hilton Worldwide since 2012.
“I enjoy challenges, and I have wanted to have career growth within the Hilton Worldwide group. I believe Sri Lankans enjoy Indian cuisine very much, and I hope to develop the hotel to be recognised as a destination that offers authentic Indian cuisine,” said Kumar.
Emphasis on Indian cuisine
So why is Hilton Colombo Residences placing such emphasis on Indian cuisine? “Sri Lankan people are fascinated with Indian food, which is popular at banquets, weddings and many other functions. I am here to serve the best Indian food to Sri Lankans,” asserted Kumar.
As a result, the ongoing promotion – his first – features over 20 special Indian dishes that he has carefully chosen.
After taking a look at the dishes on offer, we started our meal with a refreshing shooter of lime, mint and sugar, followed by a bowl of enriching and very satisfying tomato dhaniya ka shorba – coriander-infused tomato soup – and a stop at the papdi chaat counter.
The ‘must have’ dishes
Given the wide choice and uncertain what to pick from the extensive mains, we asked Chef Kumar to list out the top five ‘must have’ dishes of the day. While he emphasised that all the dishes were firm favourites, at our insistence he picked his top five.
First on his list was rara gosht – a Punjabi mutton dish that just melts in the mouth and is an absolute ‘must have’; then paneer hara pyaz – Indian cottage cheese with spring onions and tomato, which was enjoyed all round; followed by dhal makhani – “a world-famous dish which can be found anywhere,” according to chef, and an absolutely delicious one at that. This went perfectly with the crispy naan, with the promotion featuring three kinds – butter naan, garlic naan and keema naan. Next up was murgh tikka makhani – boneless chicken cubes cooked with tomato gravy and flavoured with fenugreek; and finally, murgh malai kebab – lamb kebabs. Of course all of this must be enjoyed with the dum biryani (best prepared with chicken and mutton), he added.
I found the rara gosht and dhal makhani absolutely irresistible and these two dishes are at the top of my ‘must have’ list from this extensive spread, but I must admit that everything I tried was special not only in terms of flavour and presentation but also in terms of being different from the standard Indian cuisine we usually come across.
In addition to HCR’s extensive selection of mouth-watering desserts, the spread featured three Indian dishes – vermicelli seviyan (vermicelli cooked with milk, nuts and rosewater); rice kheer (rice pudding with milk and nuts); and gajarka halwa (grated carrot with milk, ghee, nuts and flavouring).
What’s next?
So what can we expect next from Chef Kumar? “Once this promotion which offers some great Indian cuisine is over, I am looking at introducing a kebab festival, followed by a Punjabi food festival. I want to introduce the entire range of Indian food to Sri Lanka,” he said.
It’s not just promotions that Kumar is looking into; he serves in the role of sous chef at Hilton Colombo Residences, while specialising in authentic Indian cuisine for its outlets Verandah Bistro, the new Bar & Lounge, and the Banquets and Outdoor Catering divisions.
Commenting on Kumar’s appointment, HCR’s livewire General Manager Karim Schadlou said the addition of its first-ever foreign resident chef was a part of a greater strategic plan to develop the overall quality and dining experience in the hotel in order to be synonymous with Hilton Worldwide.
“Chef Ashwini will be instrumental in gaining more market share for Indian cuisine for the hotel’s restaurants, banquets and catering departments,” he added. The Indian food promotion is on at the Verandah Bistro until 26 July from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and is priced at Rs. 3,100 nett per person. For bookings and more information, contact the Verandah Bistro on 0-115-344-644 ext. 635 or visit Facebook/hiltoncr.
– Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera
