Get vocal for local

Many people who travel abroad take in the sights, buy souvenirs, but stop short of trying the food. It's a waste and a shame

- SEEMA GOSWAMI

What does one do when a celebrated chef - and friend is visiting Delhi after a long gap? On popular demand, one ends up taking him to an equally celebrated restaurant, Bukhara, to taste the best that India has to offer. So, when Heston Blumenthal and his lovely new bride, Melanie, arrived in India - the last pit stop on their extended honeymoon - that's where we headed.

I was the first to arrive and settled down to wait, aimlessly scrolling through my phone, when my attention was caught by the next table, where three foreigners were trying to order their meal with the waiter's help. It was clear that they had zero knowledge of Indian food, but that was fine, I thought. The menu at Bukhara is quite simple and abbreviated so how hard could it be to decide on what to eat?