Living Foodz to Celebrate the Game-Changers in India’s Fine- Dining Nightlife & Lifestyle Entertainment Landscape

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai, March 7, 2018:  India’s premium lifestyle channel, Living Foodz is set to recognize India’s best authentic fine-dining restaurants and lounges at Epicurean Guild Awards 2018 this March. The second edition of the prestigious awards will take place at a glittering ceremony on March 22, with the most prominent names in the hospitality industry in attendance. The awards are co-curated by restaurateur and celebrity Chef Manu Chandra, Chef / Partner Olive Bar and Kitchen Pvt Ltd.

Commenting on the upcoming awards, Mr. Amit Nair, Business Head, Living Foodz  said, “Epicurean Guild Awards will pay an ode to the gamechangers of the culinary industry in India. As a lifestyle brand, we have always encouraged and celebrated excellence in the ecosystem through our initiatives. We are delighted to have created an IP that raises the bar with a nuanced and meticulous process that truly awards the best. Looking forward to the second season of LFEGA and curating this experience with Chef Manu Chandra.”

The jury is an eclectic mix of the finest chefs, influencers and eminent personalities who have defined the new paradigm shift in India’s gourmet culture. It comprises Chef Ranveer Brar, AD Singh, Karen Anand, Magandeep Singh, Bhaichand Patel, Ajay Chopra, Chef Rakhee Vaswani,Clinton Cerejo, Anoothi Vishal, Rushina Munshaw-Ghildyal, Kalyan Karmakar, Mohit Anand, Nicole Madon, Nikhil Agarwal, Antoine Lewis, Anirban Blah, Mohit Anand, Osama Jalali, Ruma Singh, Gauri Devidayal, Ruth Dsouza Prabhu, Purva Mehra and Hemamalini Maiya.

Commenting on the awards, Chef Manu Chandra said, ”“My experience curating the Living Foodz Epicurean Guild Awards has been extremely inspiring. The awards are an attempt to rationalise any one sided narrative that may exist around the perception of fine dining in India. The categorically systematic, transparent and scientific method that this has been done with, goes to show the seriousness with which the LFEGA will stand out in the numerous awards today.”

Living Foodz curated an extensive shortlist of fine-dining restaurants and lounges across Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Goa. Thereafter, the grand jury voted to determine the top 3 restaurants in each category. The jurors dined at these destinations and awarded ‘flames’ based on their experience. The process was audited by EY.

The awards will applaud restaurants and lounges who offer memorable culinary experiences and have innovated as per the evolving consumers’ tastes. Picked by a panel of India’s finest Chefs, writers, bloggers and tastemakers, each of the nominees have made a mark in the culinary world.

“The global as well as national trend around the very idea of “fine dining” has seen a correction in the last decade. The customers preference towards something serious about their offering, without being pretentious has trumped all others. Therefore, a shift has been witnessed across the board, where young chef driven restaurants have boldly experimented with a clear vision . The new back to basics approach- a focus on ingredients, championing of one's own biodiversity and skill - all are becoming synonymous with fine dining - not only the rare and exotic. This is definitely here to stay!”, adds Manu.

The categories for Epicurean Guild Awards 2018 are:

Jury Awards
Asian Multi	The Asian Multi category represents cuisines from various Asian countries -  Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Chinese	Perfecting hand-pulled noodles and celebrating the diversity in cuisine from different regions of China – Cantonese, Sichuan, Jiangsu and more, these restaurants have delivered stellar Chinese food time and again.
European	Explore a culinary trail with some of the most eclectic menus serving food from Spain, Lebanon, Greece, Turkey and France.
FreeStyle Cooking	Honouring the chefs whose only mission is to dish up good food every time they enter the kitchen, this category acknowledges the masters of taste.
Italian	Tipping our hat to those who serve classic Italian specialties by staying true to provenance.
Japanese	Sushi, wasabi and miso have found a permanent place in our cities and palate, thanks to these fine dine destinations.
New Restaurant	Who said just old is gold? These new eateries have created a buzz within months of their launch by setting a whole new standard in the dining space from the start of 2017 until October 31, 2017
Nightlife	Raising a toast to the bars, lounges and nightclubs that have changed the nightlife landscape of our cities.
Indian Wines and Spirits	By driving value and creating formidable brands, this category recognises Indian labels that have stood the test of time by reinventing and adapting to an ever-evolving market.
New Indian	In the hands of Master Chefs who are synonymous with these restaurants, India’s indigenous dishes were expertly innovated for a global appeal.
Traditional Indian	By staying rooted in our rich culinary heritage, and consistently serving exemplary food to its patrons, these restaurants have put Indian cuisine on the world food map.
Lifetime Achievement	From chefs, hoteliers, writers to historians, we honour the gamechangers of India’s food universe.
Iconic	Serving great food is not good enough. This category honours the only restaurant in the country that offers a groundbreaking and inspirational dining experience to each patron on every visit.
Non-Jury Awards This category allows viewers and followers to choose their favourite personality on television and in the social space
Food Instagrammer	Applauding those who have captured food narratives with stunning photography and engaging content on the most visually-interactive digital platform.
Food Entertainer	From recreating lost recipes, passionately mentoring aspiring chefs on reality shows to exploring indigenous culinary experiences, these charismatic chefs and hosts are stalwarts of the small screen. The nominees are curated from various lifestyle and food shows across television channels

Get a glimpse into the restaurants that are changing India's culinary landscape with Epicurean Guild Awards this March on Living Foodz