SAA and HRAO have jointly organized a training session for chefs on millets and forgotten food recipes at IHM Bhubaneswar.

"To promote and popularize millets and forgotten food-based recipes in hotels, restaurants, and start-ups across Odisha, Shree Anna Abhiyan, in partnership with the Hotels & Restaurants Association of Odisha (HRAO), organized three training sessions for chefs. These two-day training sessions took place at the Institute of Hotel Management, Bhubaneswar, and included 77 chefs from 47 leading hotels, restaurants, start-ups, and hotel management institutes.

The first round of these sessions, which focused on introducing millet recipes to new hotels and mid-sized restaurants, was held on the 11th and 12th of September 2024. This was followed by a training on tribal and exotic millets and forgotten foods for chefs of hotels and restaurants, conducted on 18th and 19th September. The third and final training session, held on 24th and 25th September, targeted forgotten food recipes, further expanding the culinary knowledge of the participants. Millet crops, including Finger Millet, Little Millet, Sorghum, Foxtail Millet, etc., and neglected crops, including Dangarani Rice Bean, Tuber Yam, Kala Kolatha, and Mahula, etc. were used to prepare various recipes during the training.

Chefs from esteemed establishments such as The Crown, Hotel Pushpak, Chocolaca, SOA University, Green Chillyz, Swosti Grand, Hotel Pal Heights, Hotel Empires, Hotel PipulPadmaja Premium, Hotel Trident, CV Raman University, and BOCCA Cafe, among others, took part in the training. Through these sessions, they were equipped with the skills needed to incorporate millets and forgotten foods into menus, aligning with the broader goals of the Shree Anna Abhiyan and Forgotten Foods initiatives.

These initiatives, led by the SAA programme under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha, aim to increase consumer awareness and consumption of nutrient-rich millets and forgotten foods across the state. The recipe training is part of a larger strategy that will soon be followed by branding activities, collaborative events, and the inclusion of millet and forgotten food-based menus in hotels and restaurants. This effort, carried out in close collaboration with HRAO, RAO, and other such associations, will culminate in the International Symposium on Shree Anna and Forgotten Foods, scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar on 10th and 11th November 2024.

Chef Pratap Chandra Nayak from Hotel PipulPadmaja Premium shared his experience, saying, “Learning to work with millets and forgotten foods at this training has been both inspiring and challenging. It’s exciting to bring these nutritious ingredients into modern kitchens and to offer something unique and meaningful to our customers. I look forward to experimenting with these recipes and incorporating them into our menus.”

About the training, Ms. Sharada Ghosh, Principal of the Institute of Hotel Management, said, “We are proud to be a part of this initiative under the Shree Anna Abhiyan that bridges traditional knowledge with contemporary culinary practices. By equipping chefs with the skills to incorporate millets and forgotten foods into their menus, we are not only promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices but also showcasing the rich heritage of indigenous ingredients."