Have your cake and eat it too? Yes, it is possible. Is eat out and eat healthy possible as well? Apparently it is. Several standalone restaurants and signature restaurants attached to star hotels are now taking the healthy, low calories specifications seriously and have decided dedicate a space in the menu to 'healthy menus.'
The latest eatery to join the healthy menu brigade is Tatva with holistic nutritionist Sridevi Jasti designing the healthy menu section and making it all the more attractive by adding exotic ingredients and bringing in a slice of the world menu. Titled 'Gourmet Nutrition' the sole purpose of the collaboration is to introduce quality food to the city which is healthy and yet tasty by making use of non-conventional ingredients like roselle, chia seeds, exotic mushrooms, quinoa and much more, this exotic menu aims to reach out to all. “One does not need to have a developed palette to eat healthy or appreciate exotic food; healthy food can also be tasty. The Gourmet Nutrition menu mentions the number of calories present in each item on the menu, as well as the proteins per serving,” says Sridevi Jasti who is also founder of Vibrant Living. While she advocates discovering the magic of mindful eating and rediscovering the vibrancy of life, she expresses her annoyance on how healthy is expensive and hard to get. “Mindful eating is about consciously choosing the ingredients that are used, where they come from and how they are prepared. So as to preserve the nutrition and enhance taste,” she adds.
So, can Paneer butter masala be made healthy or can a pulao be eaten guilt-free? While Sridevi feels all that is possible, she goes back to the argument of procurement, availability and quality. “If the milk from the which paneer is made is procured from a source which is free of antibiotics and stress-free, then the paneer is absolutely healthy. The point is to be able to eat a balanced meal. Variety of healthy greens, pulses and some grains,” she says.
The specifications and demands of diners on calorie, preference of ingredients have made chefs to think alternatively. The number for such demands is small but since the hotel business functions on the principles of the demand curve, they felt the need to work on it. “Salads can be interesting. It can be a meal in itself. So we worked on shorter, healthier, evenly balanced menus, keeping in mind the guests preferences,” says Nitin Mathur executive chef Taj Krishna. What does he suggest? “Fresh Burrata, Fish exotica, Citrus quinoa and artichoke salad.”
But all menus aren't an outcome of demand. As common people we might think of menus to be designed according to what the team decides, in reality, hotels need to follow guidelines as well. Marriott’s healthy section has a basic guideline on which it is built up. It involves having four low calorie dish, one sugar-free and one eggless. “A combination of putting up what is available and working around it by customising the guest's preference brings out beautiful results.