Cooking For The 5 Senses

Catering has now become an important factor for the success of any social event. It is no more limited to weddings and birthday parties. Apart from social gatherings and festive occasions, formal events, seminars, conferences, business or retirement luncheons, graduation parties, trade shows, and other government and business-related events are increasingly using professional catering services today.

- Premjit Mohapatra

“There is no love sincerer than the love for food.” These words by George Bernard Shaw carry an aura of profundity and truth. As Indians, we may be divided over religions, cultures, languages, and people, but we remain united over our love for food. Food is a healthy catalyst for uniting people; and thanks to the communicative integration today when cultures and cuisines are crossing borders effortlessly, people living anywhere in the country are bonding over their shared love for food. And over time, people are finding newer ways of rewarding their taste buds with exquisite food. Food, while being a necessity, also plays a focal role in social gatherings with special importance accorded to considerations of palate diversity, hygiene, and presentation. This fact alone has helped create a huge market for the catering industry and brought into sharp focus the potential of the industry.

Largely dominated by unorganised players, many of whom run their business from the comfort of their homes and small establishments, the catering industry in India has undergone a sea change in recent times. From a traditional ‘Halwai’ business, catering has come a long way in India. Earlier, the catering business was a kind of legacy and people took it not by choice. But now, an organised approach is visible and large caterers are setting benchmarks in this sector. A sense of pride and professionalism is apparent in this profession, thanks to the way the business is being carried out now.