Shillong, May 1: Want an authentic taste of Meghalaya’s indigenous cuisines in their absolute best flavours or want to see firsthand how the dish is prepared, right now is the best time to be in Shillong to experience all these and more as the city is hosting an incredible food festival – Culinary Cascade, a festival that has its aroma sweeping through every nook and corner of the city.

Culinary Cascade describes itself as a food festival that combines age-old traditional flavours with modern culinary excellence and sustainable models, essentially celebrating the spirit of Meghalaya’s cuisine, cultural diversity, and entrepreneurial journey.

The fest got underway at the iconic Ward’s Lake on Thursday, and promises an assorted palate from indigenous foods to fusion foods to global foods to street foods and live demonstrations of how food is cooked, for two more days.

Inaugurating the food festival, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the ‘Culinary Cascade’ is much more than a cooking festival but it is about the culture, the deep-rooted knowledge of the forefathers. It is about the different opportunities for the entrepreneurs who will now be able to create value out of this knowledge and be able to share it with the rest of the world and, most importantly, for the farmers.

He also spoke about the need to identify interventions and provide support to different restaurant owners, entrepreneurs, eatery joint owners, and farmers. He stated that tourism is not just about an event that takes place, but rather an ecosystem which needs to be created. He urged the participants, including the general public, to become ambassadors of such programs and take the narrative beyond the walls, as the story is about every individual out there.

He also informed about the process of renovating and upgrading Ward’s Lake as a venue including creating a walking space including creation of parking lots, and shops so people can get opportunities. In the initial stage, about Rs 25 crores have already been has been sanctioned. More than Rs. 1000 crores worth of tourism projects, in terms of infrastructure creation, are being implemented. Another four 5-star hotels in the next three years are in the pipeline in the state, and glamping sites in the next one year to 18 months.

During the inaugural event, the dignitaries also visited the various food stalls and interacted with the food entrepreneurs. A highlight of the day was a series of live demonstrations on the topic of ‘Fermentation: Cooking on fermented dishes – Ongoing food lab’ by famous chefs – Jason White, Chief Culinary Scientist & Global Fermenter; Ahmedaki Laloo, Culinary Chef, Entrepreneur & Founder of A’Origins; and Tanisha Phanbuh, Culinary Maven & Founder of Tribal Gourmet.

Ahmedaki Laloo, Festival Curator, emphasized that supporting the culinary industry is about supporting the fabric of the local economy and the farmers who are fundamental in bringing their produce, and everyone else who is involved in taking the culinary revolution forward. The event isn’t just about showcasing the local food, but harnessing their roots, sharing with a wider audience both locally as well as leveraging the state’s tourism potential through guests who are key to discovering the region’s indigenous food.

Day 1 of the event also witnessed a panel discussion on the theme ‘Perspectives on Fermentation,’ a food preservation and cooking technique that shapes contemporary gastronomy. The panellists included renowned culinary chefs and entrepreneurs including Jason White, Ahmedaki Laloo, Prachet Sancheti, and Kong Nongpiur, artisanal practitioner of fermented soybeans & entrepreneur, among others. The event also included a Q&A session with Nambie Marak, first runner-up of Master Chef India 2023 and Founder of A’Kawe.

Spanning across three days, the fest will continue to feature live cooking demonstrations by experienced chefs, including Adonijah Lyngdoh, winner of Hills On A Plate 2024, among others, and panel discussions on various topics ranging from agro-based innovations, GI-tagged ingredients, to the traditions and revival of spirits and beverages.

Adding to the vibrant festive spirit of the event, local artists of MGMP mesmerized visitors with their live performances, making it an immersive experience to be remembered.

Also Read: Govt explores alternative sites for State University’s Shillong campus amid ownership dispute

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