Bengaluru chef Manu Chandra gives Cannes a taste of India with French twist

Late last month, Bengaluru-based chef Manu Chandra received a call from the ministry of information and broadcasting to handle the catering for India Pavilion at the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival, and later, for the official inaugural dinner as well. Chandra put on his thinking hat to quickly create an eclectic and entirely new menu that showcases India's culinary diversity, but with a French twist.
"It's a landmark: 75 years of India, of the Cannes film festival and of Indian and French diplomatic ties, as well as India being the country of honour. So it was only apt that I create a menu which gives a nod to both sides," says Chandra, who has helmed many well-known eateries in the past.
For the India Pavilion, Chandra and two other Indian team members created an array of bite-sized canapes that playfully marry French techniques with Indian flavours from different parts of the country. There is vada pao made with toasted French brioche buns, duck confit galouti kababs served on little blinis (pancakes), as well as keema biryani arancini or rice balls, paniyaram shaped like French madeleines and Champaran-style jackfruit samosas. Other dishes like achari asparagus and baingan ka bharta tart in French tart shells celebrate fresh local produce.
"This is peak asparagus season in the south of France so we got beautiful asparagus," says Chandra.
For the official dinner, which was attended by celebrities like AR Rahman, R Madhavan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Chandra combined Gujarati, Rajasthani and French cuisines. For starters, there was Jodhpur's pyaz ki kachori in croissant pastry, which was baked rather than fried. However, Chandra says the toughest dish to execute was the lal maas lamb medallion, which was served with a risotto-like dal and bajra khichdi and ker sangri sabzi. For dessert, there was almond financier with fresh strawberries, kalakand sauce garnished with cardamom and saffron.
Chandra got a round of applause when he walked out after the dinner to meet the guests. "Someone from the festival told me they haven't seen people eat like this - usually everyone just gets a drink, a cold canape and shows their face at these events," Chandra says, adding: "It is completely different from what is usually served here."
Over the last few weeks, Chandra was busy sourcing ingredients. "Logistics are a nightmare when you are travelling across continents so we had to figure out what we can carry and what can be done over there," he says. "It has been a high-octane ride."