Goan restaurants have mastered the cuisine of the land, but they never seem to get enough recognition, according to well known restaurateur Prahlad Sukhtankar, who has curated the culinary segment 'Re-Imagined Goan Cuisine' at the ongoing Serendipity Arts Festival.
Sukhtankar's event, which was held at the 'The Food Lab', at the Old GMC complex in Panaji, also said that the fact that Goan cuisine has evolved with time, can be gauged from the number of restaurants which have sprung up all over the state in recent times.
"I feel like there are many restaurants in Goa that are doing excellent work when it comes to their specialty. Even business-wise, making a sale of 900 thalis a day is no joke. There is so much work that is put into every component in that thali and it is very difficult to maintain that level of consistency. Goan restaurants have mastered the art of doing so but they never get enough recognition. There isn't a buzz created around such eateries," Sukhtankar said.
The culinary segment curated by Sukhtankar at the Serendipity Arts Festival was facilitated by Avinash Martins and was aimed at keeping the Goan cuisine traditions alive. Avinash Martins, a renowned Goan chef took the participants through sourcing local and seasonal ingredients and presenting them with a global flair.
"A good example of how Goan cuisine has evolved, is by taking a look at the restaurants spurring up all around the state. Back then there was only one category which restaurants would fall under. Now, we have restaurants which are divided based on the cuisine they offer. Goa has become a hub of culinary experimentation," he said.
"Entrepreneurs from various parts of the country are coming to Goa to set up their food businesses which is a good thing because there has been an obvious influence of them on the Goan cuisine they incorporate in their menus. So we can say that there is constant evolution," Sukhtankar added.
