Delhi
The Ashok, New Delhi, Is Revisiting Its Vintage Menu For Its 61st Anniversary
The Capital’s iconic Ashok hotel is turning 61 this year and in commemoration of the same, the establishment is reviving its vintage menu. To celebrate the glorious and magnificent 61 years of New Delhi’s first five-star hotel, The Ashok will be bringing back flavours of its past.
Back To The Future
Ace chefs that make up the hotel’s esteemed culinary profile cater to diners at The Oudh (an authentic Mughlai restaurant) and Frontier (serves niche North-West Frontier cuisine) as well as a star-studded and elite client list that prides itself with names like Presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherji.
The change in menu comes as not a major makeover but subtle changes in the spread that make it all the more contemporary while keeping the ethos of The Ashok alive. Chief Executive Chef, Rajan Loomba, who has been a part of the hotel for 3 decades, has been revolutionising with neo Indian grubs like apple ka halwa, sooji ki jalebi, and more. “But I mostly stick to Indian cuisine. While catering to the heads of states here or on my food festivals abroad, I would rather promote Indian food. It has become a global cuisine.”
Vijay Dutt, General Manager, The Ashok, explained, “Last year we recorded the highest turnover ever in the history of the hotel at `152.91 crores. It is not an easy task to operate a government organization but we have been able to achieve a few things with some quick thinking. The food festivals and promotions have brought it back as a talking point in the city while an aggressive new social media campaign has helped us connect with the new generation.”