Nashik, 17 July 2025 – In a city known more for its vineyards and temples, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik is quietly yet confidently rewriting the culinary narrative. With The Culinary Caravan, a refined nine-day food festival, the hotel invites guests on a journey through India’s rich and diverse culinary heritage—a celebration that is equal parts heritage trail, gastronomic theatre, and personal storytelling.

From 18th to 26th July 2025, the hotel’s elegant signature dining venue, The Smoked Vine, transforms into a rotating canvas of regional Indian cuisines, each evening dedicated to a new region, a new chef, and a new story. Seven chefs, seven cuisines, and seven evenings of immersive culinary exploration—each dish reflecting the culture, geography, and memory it represents, but interpreted through the lens of contemporary technique and presentation.

We were graciously invited to an exclusive media dinner, a charming overture to the main festival, where all seven chefs behind this ambitious culinary voyage presented bite-sized interpretations of their respective regional menus. What unfolded was more than a tasting—it was a curated dialogue of tradition, memory, and innovation, elegantly narrated across seven plates.

This thoughtfully orchestrated preview was marked not by ostentation, but by restraint and quiet sophistication. Each chef emerged not just as a practitioner of the culinary arts, but as a custodian of inherited wisdom, with dishes shaped as much by technique as by personal nostalgia. The evening felt intimate, polished, and soulful—an homage to the emotional roots of Indian cooking, told through beautifully plated, expressive bites.

The festival’s theme—“7 Chefs. 7 Cuisines. 7 Stories.”—is not merely a tagline, but a clear architectural spine that gives rhythm and depth to the experience. From Chef Balaji’s coastal-fusion bites from South India to Chef Mujahid’s intricately layered Awadhi canapés, the narrative is both cohesive and compelling: regional cuisine, rendered with contemporary elegance, yet firmly grounded in its cultural essence.

Among the dishes presented:

• Chef Balaji (South India): Podi Paniyaram Bites (v) – A refined rendition of a Southern classic, light yet packed with spice-forward character, finished with finesse.
• Chef Sandeep (Bihar): Sattu-Stuffed Litti with Chokha Mousse (v) – Rustic comfort meets refined technique; earthy, nostalgic, and unexpectedly elegant.
• Chef Abinash (Pan-Asian): Tofu Chili Charcoal Dim Sum with Scallion Sauce (v) – Visually striking with its dark hue, delicately steamed and gently fragrant—an inspired interplay of technique and restraint.
• Chef Manjeet (Punjab): Paneer Makhani Naan Tart (v) – A clever reimagining of dhaba flavours served canapé-style—bold, rich, yet delightfully bite-sized.
• Chef Mohan (Kolhapur): Mutton Sukka on Bhakari Crisps (nv) – Unapologetically spiced and deeply flavourful, the Kolhapuri essence retained in all its glory, anchored on a crisp base.
• Chef Prabhat (Bengal): Mustard Chili Fish with Aam Kasundi Aioli (nv) – Bright, sharp, and assertively Bengali; a perfect example of balancing pungency with creaminess.
• Chef Mujahid (Lucknow): Galauti Kebab on Saffron Bread Canapé (nv) – Silken and aromatic, the kebab dissolved like poetry on the tongue—true to its royal Awadhi roots.

Each dish was introduced by the chef behind it—not as a performance, but as a personal offering, revealing stories of maternal influence, dhaba traditions, hometown markets, and culinary mentors. This human connection added a quiet dignity to the proceedings, reminding us that while ingredients and technique matter, it is memory that gives food its soul.

Speaking about the festival, Mr. Jatish Ghai, General Manager, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Nashik, reflected on the vision behind The Culinary Caravan:

“The Culinary Caravan is more than a food festival; it’s a curated cultural journey through the culinary history of India. Our chefs are not only presenting food — they are narrating stories, emotions, and traditions that have been passed down through generations.”

Also present at the launch were Director of Operations Ankur Singh, Executive Chef Prasen Gawli, and PR & Marketing Manager Rutuja Pawar, whose collective leadership and vision are evident in the festival’s impeccable design and execution.

As the festival unfolds, guests can look forward to a regal “Dinner at Governor Sahab” on 25th July, offering an intimate evening of curated elegance, and the Grand Gala Dinner on 26th July, where all seven chefs return with their signature dishes for a celebratory finale of live culinary artistry.

In a city gradually expanding its culinary repertoire beyond wine trails and vineyard lunches, The Culinary Caravan signals a refined and timely evolution—one that honours tradition without romanticising it, and introduces innovation without discarding roots.

Limited seats are available. Reservations are now open. For those seeking not just a meal, but an experience that blends culture, cuisine, and quiet sophistication, The Culinary Caravan awaits.