Curating Sustainable Cuisine

Over the last two decades, we have had countless culinary tales woven around the concept of ‘Farm to Table’ but seldom have we had one that focusses on sustainable cuisine. This involves taking it up a notch further by serving not just healthy, organic, seasonal food with natural flavours but also promoting local communities, using nutritious microgreens, to enlightening the local fisher folk about endangered aquatic species. This is precisely the philosophy behind Colony Clubhouse and Grill – one among the three distinct dining destinations at the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. To say the least, the Queen of the Arabian Sea has yet another feather in her cap with the launch of this palatial hotel that resonates style, elegance and luxury! With 264 rooms, 4 villas, 10,000 sq m of event space, parking for 1,200 cars, 3 helipads, 3 boat jetties and more, it has definitely stepped up Kerala’s presence on the world map. RITZ explores the enticing menu offered at this world class diner with Executive Chef Hermann Grossbichler and Chef De Cuisine Prakash Sundaram, who promise to make it an enlightening culinary journey.

- Riya Sonny Datson

As one steps into this fascinating rooftop restaurant, the panoramic view of the Vembanad lake is what seizes your attention at first. But the tantalising aroma from the grill brings you right back to the diner. The live kitchen displays an array of gorgeous ‘show stoppers’ - the spices, grains, seeds, micro greens, marinades and seafood! “Let the ingredient be the ‘hero’!” explains Chef Hermann, who has been with Hyatt for close to three decades, across 11 countries! “We choose the best ingredients in the market and with minimum masking, we let the ingredient speak for itself. This is one of the crucial concepts we follow at the Colony. The other being sustainability - as that is the future! We involve the local community of organic farmers and fishermen to get the local produce and fresh catch. It is very important to us that we procure seafood from environmentally conscious sources, which is why we work closely with WWF and the CMFRI,” he continues. At Colony, we offer grilled delicacies with a local twist. The oven/grill used here is powered by charcoal and just about everything we cook here can be cooked at your home. We believe in using the best quality ingredient, cooked in the best way, and yet, keeping it simple.”