F & B

Going green

One of the off-again, on-again revolutions in the F&B industry is the conversion of diners to the vegetarian kingdom. Priya Krishnaswamy explores how hotels and restaurants are making changes with changing tastes, this time around.

Veganism has been in and out of fashion, much like the bell-bottom pants that many of us did away with not without wrinkling the nose. But going vegetarian has become the thing to do with much more frequency - havoc for hotels and restaurants who have to continuously play it by the ear.

The concept has gained momentum so much so that restaurateurs are thinking of specialising only in vegetarian dishes, more so since eating out has become a passion for most people and a habit for a few. But while people are turning to veggie food, the in-house fascination for meatless preparations is not new. Pankaj Deokar, franchisee manager at Food Factory Express, Mumbai, says, "Even though we are a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian outlets, the impetus is to have more vegetarian eateries. People feel more 'safe' in a vegetarian atmosphere, as sometimes they are also religiously bound from eating anything but vegetarian."

No 'meating'

The greatest and the most visible revolution in the vegetarian food business is happening in top-end hotels and restaurants that are preparing separate menus for the vegetarians. Rumi Ranji, who manages the Golden Star Thali Restaurant in Mumbai, says, "This area is chiefly occupied by the Jain community. Even though more than 50 per cent of our clientele are Muslims, they all enjoy vegetarian food. Having been in this business for the last 13 years, I can see the shift in trend and people prefer to eat only vegetarian food. Religious sentiments play a primary role."

While religious sentiments shape eating habits, there are unconventional players who choose vegetarianism as a principle or simply for health reasons. Vijaya Bhaskaran, executive chef of Hotel Le Meridien, Bangalore, says, "Vegetarianism today is gaining popularity worldwide and there are several reasons for this change. People are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of vegetables and the health hazards of meat. Also, as people travel more often they prefer vegetarian food as one can never be sure about the quality of meats being served. Eating vegetables, on the other hand, is always healthier and safer. On any day, in our regular lunch buffet, for every seven vegetarian dishes that we serve, we have about one non-vegetarian dish. The difference is startling and people love the change."

For the health conscious

Diseases spread through animals also play a huge role in this; the bird flu was testimony to the conversion of the chicken-eating populace. Executive chef Nimish Bhatia of The Grand Ashok, Bangalore feels that people took to vegetarianism severely during the bird flu attack. "Since our supplies are from highly reputed sources like Godrej, we did not have to worry about hygiene. In addition, we had also become very strict with our cooking procedures following the norms set by the HACCP. Even though we largely decreased our chicken and egg delicacies, a lot of people did not want to even try anything that was not vegetarian. The regular chicken eaters opted for red meat or fish," he adds.

Nutritionists opine that vegetarian food is nutritious if the right diet is followed. Dr SS Soorya Kaur, a raw food therapist, says, "Vegetables and fruits are a definite source of energy. I have been healthy eating nothing but raw vegetables and fruits. In today's fast world, most people don't have the time to exercise. Eating energetic food can help ease their lives instead of merely consuming junk food that has no nutrients. That people are considering vegetarianism is a positive sign; it shows that they are becoming more health conscious."

In agreement, Deokar says that people ask for health menus that are all part of repeated promotions. Many hotels and leading restaurants regularly run vegetarian festivals to cater to the growing and high spending veggie brigade. Gone is the time when salad was treated as a side dish; it certainly occupies as much importance as any other main course. Meha Patel, sole franchiser of Little Italy in Bangalore that serves exclusive vegetarian Italian dishes, says, "People eat out almost every day and that can be the unhealthiest thing to do. However, today the well-informed guest asks for combinations that would be light on the stomach and tasty for the tongue as well. In addition, there is so much variety that the choice is truly unlimited. Initially, I was wondering if there would be any takers for an exclusive vegetarian eatery, but now I am glad I opted for it. It has been definitely worth it!"