Happy hour: How Indian food and dining shone

RULING LISTS
India frequently features on the various lists released by the experiential online travel guide TasteAtlas. Phirni and kheer made it to a list of their 10 best puddings from across the world, butter chicken tikka was recognized among the world’s highest-rated chicken dishes, and shahi paneer featured on a list of the world’s best cheese dishes. What’s more—a list of the world’s best food destinations included Kolkata.
INDIAN CHEF AT WORLD TAPAS COMPETITION
Indian pastry chef, instructor, and consultant Zareen Shaukat bagged the fourth spot with her Indian twist to classic tapas at the World Tapas Competition. She prepared Murgh Makhani Mille Feuille, derived from butter chicken, giving the dish a Spanish-Indian fusion touch with puff pastry as the base of the dish. Representing India on a global platform, Shaukat was among the 16 top chefs who participated in this global competition that was recently held in Spain.
TWO INDIAN PIZZERIAS FEATURED IN THE TOP 50 PIZZERIAS OF ASIA
In a list shared by 50 Top Pizza, an online Italian media organization that publishes region-specific guides, two Indian pizzerias (in Delhi and Gurugram) were ranked among the finest worldwide. Securing the 44th spot was Da Susy, started by Susanna di Cosimo (pictured left), who moved to India in 2013. The 47th spot was held by Leo’s Pizzeria. India’s presence on the list highlighted its growing prominence and excellence in the realm of pizza-making in the Asia-Pacific region.
MICHELIN STARS FOR THREE INDIAN-ORIGIN CHEFS
Three Indian-origin chefs in the US were awarded the honour, which is considered the highest in the world of gastronomy. Vijay Kumar from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, leads the kitchen at Semma in New York City. Chetan Shetty is Executive Chef at Washington DC’s Rania, a fine-dining establishment known for its bold take on Indian cuisine. Sujan Sarkar heads Indienne, a modern fine-dining restaurant in Chicago.
33-YEAR-OLD INDIAN EATERY IN UK BAGS RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
In the year 1990, at King’s Road in Chelsea, London (UK), Chutney Mary, a restaurant serving Anglo-Indian food, came up. Today, the much-loved establishment may have moved to a new address, but it remains a favorite for regional Indian delicacies, including standouts such as kathal biryani and lamb korma, and is frequented by PM Rishi Sunak himself. Chutney Mary was crowned Restaurant of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards.
FIRST INDIAN FEMALE CHEF TO RECEIVE TWO MICHELIN STARS
Following her trailblazing first Michelin star in 2018, pioneering Indian chef Garima Arora very recently received a second for her Bangkok restaurant GAA, at the Michelin Guide Thailand Star Revelation 2024. This makes Arora the only female chef from India with two Michelin stars. The Guide described her cooking as ‘assured, understated and skillful’ and with ‘finely judged spicing, extraordinary flavor combinations and contrasts in texture and temperature.’
MAKING IT TO ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS
At an annual ranking event that celebrates the diverse and thriving cocktail culture across the continent, showcasing the exceptional talent and innovation of bartenders and mixologists, Indian bartenders made the country proud. Four Indian bars were included in Asia’s 50 Best Bars while another five bars made it to the top 100. With three bars from Mumbai and four from Delhi (including Delhi-based Sidecar at 18 and Bombay Canteen at 35) making it to the list, these two metropolises are leading the charge in cocktail innovation, followed closely by Goa and Bengaluru.