Express news service

HYDERABAD: If you ordered food through food delivery apps during the pandemic, chances are you’ve noticed a new section called ‘premium’ that offers gourmet fare from some of the top restaurants. well-known range of the city. In an effort to adjust to the post-pandemic “new normal”, five-star hotels have made their rates more accessible to people with logistical support from food delivery apps.

This move made the once prohibitively priced gourmet food within the reach of many who couldn’t taste them due to the high cost of dining at a five-star restaurant. With personalized combination meals for one, two, four and more, one can enjoy a wide variety of dishes prepared by special chefs.

One foodie, who has tasted a few new dishes due to this new development, said: “Let me first make things clear, the price of gourmet food is always higher than I can usually afford. to permit. But for a special occasion, or the day of the salary when I want to treat myself, I ordered in the “premium” section. When you eat the same food in hotels, they are more expensive because you are also paying for the ambiance, service, etc. But with the prices of dinner and the luxury of eating it at home, it looks like a lucrative option for special dishes. occasions. “

Prashant Chadha, Managing Director of ITC Kohenur, said: “Due to the current situation where diners cannot enter the establishment, we have tried to offer the same cuisine in the comfort of their own homes while keeping at mind the safety and quality aspects. However, there are some dishes that wouldn’t do well or bode well in terms of texture and presentation when packaged. These are the items that are not present in the take out menu of our food delivery app. “

Parag Sawhney, Managing Director of The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, said: “After most revenue streams started to dry up after the lockdown, food delivery through our own frameworks and third-party apps has brought down cash flow. We’ve personalized meals for individuals and groups and sold everything from brunches to midnight snacks. During the IPL season, we offered cocktail mixes in which only alcohol had to be added to get a taste of our signature drinks. Plus, when customers order from us, they can be sure that all hygienic practices are being followed. “

With five-star restaurants making a foray into our own home dining spaces, will the ambiance, which is considered one of the USPs of fine dining, cease to matter? Trend watchers respond with a strong “no”. Sabyasachi Ray Chaudhuri, a food connoisseur who has regularly commented on the city’s changing culinary landscape, says, “The ambiance and table service cannot be replicated. People pay a lot more for fine food, and they will continue to do so after the pandemic.

Delivery boxes are only interim measures during the pandemic. It also helps to remember the brand for the future. But they will never be able to reproduce a fine dining experience. Vishal Fernandes, a blogger who has written extensively on food and fine dining, says he wouldn’t hesitate to pay 20-30% more for the five-star experience. “For me, all the benefits of dining in a luxury restaurant, such as presentation, hospitality and individual service, are important. So I would definitely look for the dining experience once things get back to normal.

Prashant weighs in his two cents. “While everyone is now obligated to respect physical distance, socialization is one of the fundamental ethics of humanity and always will be. We have already seen that after last year’s lockdown our customers started to come back until the second lockdown was declared. Dining out is here to stay, but the conditions under which it is made will change as safety precautions become more important. So the number of diners or the size of the dining room will change to allow for security protocols, but people will definitely resume dining at the restaurant, ”he said. Parag says that everyone just needs to get vaccinated. “Nothing can replicate the experience of dining out. In due time, people are forced to step outside the four walls of their homes and seek the hospitality and special treatment of fine cuisine.

– Kakoli Mukherjee [email protected] @ KakoliMukherje2