Masala magic in Athens
Times Food Processing Journal highlights the Grecian spice
culture against the backdrop of the recently held ‘Indian
Spice and Food Festival’
Spices are an integral part of India's rich
and diverse cuisine. The gastronomic
expression of India's cultural heritage is
in its cuisine, which has been rapidly gaining
popularity across the globe. In its bid to take
this experience to Greece, the Spices Board of
India together with Hotel Grande Bretagne,
Athens and the Embassy of India had
organised an 'Indian Spice and Food Festival'
from March 21-31, 2006.
The event, which was held at the Hotel
Grande Bretagne, Syntagma Square, Athens,
featured Indian menu at the GB Corner
restaurant of the hotel, prepared under the
supervision of Chef V Anilkumar, VP and
Corporate Chef, Saj Flight Services, Chennai.
Chef Anilkumar has travelled extensively with
the Indian Prime Minister as his personal chef
on board special charters to various nations
and has been a celebrity Indian chef for
conducting the Indian Food Festival at the
Park Plaza Royale, Singapore in September
2003. Besides this, the representative of the
Board, Dr PSS Thampi, Deputy Director
(Publicity), the Spices Board of India,
organised several promotional programmes at
the event.
The purpose
Since pre-historic times, man has realised that
certain plants could enrich food. These
plants, which we today regard as spices, have
played an important part in the history of
Greece. In fact, spices became highly valued
in Europe and their trade became the key to
fortune. Food and cuisine is perhaps one of
the most important aspects of a tourist's
experience and hence, it is anticipated that
the tourism sector in Greece can increase the
value of Indian spices by offering a diverse
range of attractions. Rightly so, the Indian
Spice and Food Festival offered an
opportunity to food enthusiasts of Athens to
experience a journey to India and experience
the aromas, flavours and tastes of the rich
tapestry of the country's spices. The event
provided an opportunity for the Greek
tourism industry to further enhance its
products by providing Indian cuisine.
However, above all, an important objective of
this event was to increase awareness about
Indian cuisine and to encourage the Greeks to
try it out and eventually, help to establish
quality Indian cuisine in Greece on a longterm
and sustained basis.
Spices and Greece
Spices hold a special significance in the
Greek culture and lifestyle. For thousands of
years, the Greeks have used spices to flavour
and scent their foods, as well as for their
calming, healing and aphrodisiac qualities.
Many prized spices, such as anise seed, mastic
