TIC. Velvyslanectví České republiky Dillí

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1 TIC Velvyslanectví České republiky Dillí Věc: Český kulinářský festival oslovil gurmány v nejprestižnějším hotelu v Dillí ITC Maurya, West View Restaurant Vůně české tradiční kuchyně, třpyt českého křišťálu a poutavé krásy obrazů Česká nej ovládly od prestižní hotel ITC Maurya, se kterým ZÚ Dillí připravil ve dnech ve vyhlášené restauraci West View Festival české kuchyně doplněný o výstavu broušeného a litého uměleckého českého skla a obrazů věnovaných českým hradům, malebné české krajině, tradičním pochoutkám, modernímu designu, českému granátu a dalším českým nej. Kromě bohaté české dekorace byla hlavní pozornost upřena na speciality české kuchyně, které pro gurmány v Dillí připravil osobně viceprezident Asociace českých kuchařů a cukrářů a vedoucí Gastro Studia Bidvest Bc. Marek Svoboda, jenž vykouzlil pestrou gastronomickou přehlídku tradičních i moderně pojatých českých pochutin. Na hosty festivalu navíc čekala i další příjemná překvapení v podobě ochutnávky českého piva (Budějovický Budvar) a tradičních českých likérů (Becherovka a Fernet Stock) či české dívky oděné v národních krojích a živá i reprodukovaná česká hudba. Prezentace české kuchyně se shledala s výrazným zájmem médií, jejichž výstupy zasíláme v příloze, těšila se velmi pozitivnímu ohlasu ze strany hostů kulinářského festivalu a dalších návštěvníků restaurace. Bc. Marek Svoboda, viceprezident Asociace kuchařů a cukrářů ČR, akreditovaný komisař Světové asociace kuchařů (WACS), manažer Bidvest Gastro týmu, lektor kuchařských kurzů a četný host celé řady českých televizních kulinářských pořadů, přicestoval na pozvání ZÚ Dillí prezentovat českou gastronomii v rámci Festivalu české kuchyně. Šéfkuchař Marek Svoboda představil v Dillí pestrý výběr českých gastronomických specialit, které prezentoval v moderním a tradičním pojetí za pomoci původních českých surovin přepravených za tímto účelem z ČR, mezi nimiž nechyběly české klasiky jako zelňačka, guláš pražského uzenáře, pečená kachna na kmíně se zelím, galantina z kuřete, různé variace paštik či pivní sýr a nechyběly ani slavné české knedlíky a noky. Šéfkuchař nabídl dále i marinovaná kachní prsa zauzená na čaji, speciálně marinovaného himalájského pstruha či skopovou kýtu na česneku. Ze sladkých pak bodovaly lívance s jahodami či tvarohová žemlovka nebo jablečný závin. V rámci programu festivalu se uskutečnily dva večery doprovázené živou hudbou a představením českých krojů (16. a ), současně byla dne uspořádána pro manželky velvyslanců akreditovaných v Dillí ukázka přípravy českých pokrmů v režii

2 šéfkuchaře Marka Svobody, který manželkám velvyslanců demonstroval přípravu kuřecí paštiky či marinovaných kachních prsou zauzených na čaji a dalších lahůdek. Po kuchařské demonstraci následoval typický český oběd (kachní prsa s knedlíky a zelím, pečený pstruh, palačinky s jahodami atd.), přičemž ani pro manželky velvyslanců nechyběla degustace českého piva a aperitivů. Kromě vůně a bohatých chutí umocnily zážitek z kulinářské přehlídky i doprovodné dekorace v podobě výstavy obrazů Česká nej a českého skla, které byly představeny v prostorách restaurace West View po celou dobu festivalu. Výstava Česká nej zobrazující české historické klenoty, Pražský hrad, Český Krumlov či zámek Červená Lhota, ale i nádherné krajinné úkazy jako Pravčickou bránu v Českém Švýcarsku či podmanivou krajinu povodí Labe, doplněné o obrazy věnované českému modernímu designu, tradičnímu sklářskému umění či jedinečnému českému granátu, dodala působivou atmosféru během ochutnávání českých pokrmů a tradičních českých nápojů. Jedinečný punc akci dodala rovněž bohatá výstava českého skla, doplněná informací o historii českého sklářství a aktuálních trendech českého skla. V rámci výstavy byly představeny rozličné směry českého sklářství, od tradičního ručně broušeného křišťálu (Tom Bohemia Crystal) přes lité umělecké sklo (František Halama Art Glass) až po nápojové sklo (Crystalex). Cílem doprovodné výstavy bylo představit indickým účastníkům festivalu různorodou paletu stylů českého sklářství a přidat tak milovníkům shoppingu vedle možnosti ochutnat autentickou českou kuchyni i další důvod k návštěvě ĆR. Prvním odběratelem českého skla se stane již restaurace West View, která po prezentaci výstavy české sklářského umění projevila zájem o nahrazení současného nápojového skla českým křišťálem; bude se tak jednat o první indickou restauraci plně vybavenou českým sklem. Večery české kuchyně doprovodil rovněž živou hudbou český trumpetista Miroslav Kopřiva, který svými melodiemi oživil průběh slavnostního inauguračního večera dne a rovněž večer Ostatní festivalové večery doprovázela reprodukovaná česká klasická a lidová hudba. Příjemným oživením byly pro hosty obou mimořádných večerů i české dívky oděné do národních krojů, které hosty vítaly u vstupu do restaurace. Kulinářský festival se setkal i s mimořádným zájmem médií, a to jak ze strany indických deníků tak magazínů pokrývajících gastronomii a lifestyle. Zástupci 11 médií se zúčastnili již slavnostního zahájení festivalu dne , další novináři se festivalu účastnili v následujících dnech. Přehled hlavního mediálního pokrytí zasíláme v příloze. Komentář: ZÚ Dillí pořádá pravidelné přehlídky české tradiční kuchyně a degustace českého piva, vína a likérů, kterými usiluje o rozšíření povědomí o českých gastronomických pokladech s cílem inspirovat indické turisty objevující nové cestovní destinace k návštěvě ČR. V minulém roce se uskutečnila road show 12 českých výrobců potravin a nápojů, během které své výrobky představily firmy Hamé, Kostelecké uzeniny, firma Novotný vyrábějící Pardubický perník, Pravé hořické trubičky, výrobce piva Bernard, Praguell a Budějovický Budvar, výrobce šumivého vína Bohemia sekt, vinařská firma Vinselekt Michlovský a výrobci likérů a destilátů Rudolf Jelínek, Becherovka a Stock Plzeň Božkov. V r zorganizoval ZÚ kulinářský festival zemí V4, v rámci kterého se ČR představila kulinářskými specialitami šéfkuchaře pražského hotelu Hilton a degustací 9 značek českého piva. V r se

3 uskutečnila prezentace české gastronomie a českých a moravských vinařství v hotelu Lalit atd. Gurmánské akce, v rámci nichž ZÚ každoročně prezentuje kulinářské speciality, tradiční nápoje včetně slavného piva, moravského vína a typických likérů, tak představují jeden ze základních pilířů prezentace ČR v Indii, která čím dál více objevuje krásy srdce Evropy. Festival české kuchyně v podání viceprezidenta Asociace českých kuchařů a cukrářů Marka Svobody, obohacený o prezentaci českého skla a krás ČR tak potvrdila jedinečnost českého kulturního bohatství, která má stále co nabídnout. Pozn: ZÚ Dillí by rád využil této příležitosti a poděkoval agentuře CzechTourism za finanční přispění k realizaci akce a Asociaci kuchařů a cukrářů ČR za spolupráci při zajištění šéfkuchaře. V příloze zasíláme pro informaci a další využití výběr fotografií z akce i mediální přehled. Vypracoval: PhDr. Andrea Kučerová, Ph.D., Mgr. Jana Peterková Schválil: Ing. Miloslav Stašek BEER IN MIND Friday, 18 April 2014 Hamari Jamatiya The Czech menu at West View, ITC Maurya, reflects the warmth of the country s people, best complemented by a mug of chilled beer. Amid traditional music and theme décor, it doesn t take long to feel at home with the self-acclaimed hunters who love their meat as much as they do their beverage, says Hamari Jamatia It is difficult not to be taken in by a nation where there are 450 different brands of beer and where the beverage is cheaper than milk. People still gather their own meat during certain seasons and couple it with local herbs for a hearty meal. Maybe this connection with locally

4 grown produce is the reason why chef Marek Svoboda landed on the Indian shores lugging behind him a 40 kg luggage consisting of cooking ingredients. In the city to showcase Czech cuisine at West View, ITC Maurya, from April 16-26, the chef fishes out a parchment from his breast pocket to read out the dishes he has prepared, just in case he misses out something. You should try the liver dish. It is authentic Czech. I have also made the cabbage and the duck breast, he says, adding that he brought fish, flour and meat with him. The Indian ingredient he most fancies is the paneer which is very much like the one he uses back home. Describing the Czech food he says that the tastiest dishes are those that have been slowcooked so the meat turns into a melt-in-the-mouth miracle. My grandmother inspired me to start cooking. She used to roast and bake at home and I began to pick it up from there, he says. True to his penchant for food, the spread laid out is impressive and to heighten the cheer, beer and little Czech flags are hoisted on each table. There is a combination of meat and veggies to cater to the Indian palate and some of the dishes are surprisingly simple like the pacena dyne which is made of pumpkin. The tenderloin carpaccio and the liver dish, however, are the show stealer for me. With very simple seasoning and clean cuts, they burst with flavour. The main course is a spread of veggies, different cuts of meat, sole and lobster, all grilled to order. They are nicely rounded up by an apple strudel in the end, stuffed with caramelised apple and a hint of cinnamon and cream. According to Ambassador Miloslav Stasek the celebration is also a way to promote Czech as a potential tourist destination. The restaurant has therefore been decorated with the country s famous crystal glasses and crockery. A musician has also been flown in to charm diners with his melodious tunes. Three girls in traditional dresses jostle around, completely transforming the place into a hub of Czech culture. Jana Peterkova, Third Secretary at the Embassy that has tied up with ITC to organise the food festival, says that the dishes reflect the culture of her country. We spend a lot of our time outdoors. It is not surprising for people to go out in the summer morning to collect mushrooms which form a big part of our meals. Game meat used to be an important part of Czech cuisine, but a lot has however changed in the last 20 years. We are preparing less fatty food she says. According to the Embassy members, depending on the response towards the festival, they may even open an authentic Czech pub in the city to tingle taste buds with their beers and meat. Now that is some reason to raise a glass of beer and say cheers! Europe/2014/04/20/article ece Highlights from the Heart of Europe By Ayesha Singh

5 As the elevator opens at the 28th floor of ITC Maurya s rooftop restaurant, West View, a loud sizzle from the grill section inside guides your steps to the deep brown wooden door, held open by two attentive waiters and one smiling chef. They subsequently lead you into a mini Czech land, right here in the heart of Delhi. Ongoing at the restaurant is the Czech food festival that started on April 16 and goes on till April 26. Master Chef Marek Svoboda has specially been flown in from the land of castles and châteaus to the kitchens of what he calls one of the world s finest Indian and India s finest global cuisine chains to get food most loved and cooked by him on its tables. Czech cuisine is very different from the Indian cuisine. Nonetheless, I am sure it will be well accepted. The last time I was in the country, I gauged what people liked and disliked, thus gaining knowledge about how to perfect my flavour combinations. Do look out for our sauces, as they are the mainstay of the Czech cuisine, says Svoboda. As he hops from table to table, explaining his preparations, the chef makes sure to tell everyone how he s always been inspired by his grandmother. The Czech cabbage and dumplings are two of my favourite things that I learnt from her. I can now make them as well as she did, he says, giving us a shy smile. The selection being offered is replete with quintessential Czech dishes like Roast Buffalo Meat, Prague Goulash, Braised steaks, Lamb with Garlic, Lamb with Cream, Lamb with Paprika, Marinated Pork, Roasted Duck with Caraway Seed and Sour Cabbage, Grilled Perch, Bread Pudding with Cottage Cheese and a lot more. In our cuisine, we usually start with soup chicken or vegetarian; the next course is the main dish, followed by a compote or something sweet. Dumplings too, are a popular side dish, says Svoboda, who can barely speak English but manages to make his sentences clear by his animated gestures. He s quite used to expressing himself by the movement of his hands and eyes. Having travelled extensively to showcase his food, communication now seizes to be a setback. His food does much of the talking anyway. CZECH PROMOTION@ WESTVIEW, ITC MAURYA Nestled in ITC Maurya s most upscale location on the rooftop overlooking the verdant greens, West View is understatedly elegant and beautifully spaced. With clean lines and welcoming seating, the décor is balanced between luxuriously chic and comfortable. When I heard about the Czech promotion at the West View and that too a culinary feast by celebrity Chef Marek Svoboda, (also the captain of the Czech National culinary team)i simply had to go with my daughter Akanksha in tow (she s pursuing Hotel Management at the Christ University, Bangalore and is a complete foodie all in the family I guess). Having had travelled to the Czech Republic a couple of times before, I quite enjoy those flavours and what better if one gets to relive those food memories, right here in the homeland. Sample this, svickova -beef fillet served in a creamy juniper berry sauce, a hot goulash with bread or vepro knedlo zelo- pork, cabbage and dumplings washed down with a beer. This cuisine has been largely overlooked by the rest of the world and from my personal experience I feel some of these Exotic Czech dishes could just rule the world.

6 We are welcomed by beautiful young girls dressed up in traditional attire (read on a happy note) and settle in comfortably. We begin with the Goulash. Chef Marek and we sit down to tussle with the question of authenticity. Then, we get distracted by that Goulash. It certainly helps him make his point though. If the taste is good, if the quality is good then people will enjoy my cooking. On his quest for the perfect meal Chef Marek tends to concentrate on everyday food because people are proud of their local food; it s the purest expression of a culture, and Akanksha and me nod our heads in unison. I cannot talk of Czech cuisine and not talk about the beer, don t forget to try some along with your food, says Chef Marek and leaves us to enjoy our meal. As for me I feel Czech beer goes very well with pickled ermine, which is a specific type of cheese, soft on the inside and covered in a thin white film.a foodie s delight! As we eat our salad and soup, I bump into Ritu Agarwal Rohatgi, she is a friend, the editor of India Today Travel Plus and we have had some fun times on our travels together and her foodie cousin Rajat, so we shift outside and join them for the rest of the meal. Trust me food becomes even more enjoyable if the company is good and even importantly if the conversation is about food, travel and wine. Coming back to the food, traditionally, the main meal in the Czech Republic is based around beef or pork which is served with a choice of starchy side dishes such as dumplings, French fries, or other types of potatoes. The main course out here is a selection of a number of meats, seafood and vegetables on display and we could choose whatever we fancied and the chef promised to grill it to our liking. Sure enough the grills (mine was a plate full of the meats, a few vegetables on the side and the Czech dumplings) came to me exactly the way I like it. By the way Czech Dumplings are not your momo type ones, they are the most common side dish which is normally made from wheat or potato flour, boiled as a roll and then sliced and served hot. Most Czech desserts revolve around three things i.e. sugar, fruit and starch, so I went in for the Apple strudel, the filling was nice and yummy, but I would have surely liked the crust a bit more crisp. All in all it was an evening well spent and if you are looking for some traditional hearty fare this is the place to go. FAST FACTS West ITC Maurya, Diplomatic Enclave, Sardar Patel Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi The promotion is on from the 16th of April until the 26th of April only for dinner Pricing: INR 2950 per person inclusive of one drink. Reservations:

7 A Celebrity Chef Conducts a Czech Rhapsody in New Delhi Posted on: Monday April 21, 2014 THERE WAS A TIME in college when I fancied all it took to be Bohemian was to heave into a pair of fitting bellbottoms and strap on a bandana. Today, I know better. Bohemia is a major region in the Czech Republic, so the real Bohemian can only be someone with an allegiance to the place, or at least the country. Nothing could be easier. Czech cuisine is a brazen invitation to forget about niggling concerns relating to fitting into either your jeans or a clique. With its German, Austrian, Hungarian, Slovakian and Polish influences, Czech cuisine rallies together familiar favourites from its neighbourhood and adds a unique dash of its own panache. It s an experience best enjoyed at the hands of experts such as the Czech Master Chef Marek Svoboda. It gives me great pleasure to say that all of Delhi is in luck this month because Chef Marek just happens to be working his charm at ITC Maurya s West View all the way up to the 26th of April. Captain of the Czech national culinary team, Chef Marek is so particular about getting every dish right, that he carries his own stash of ingredients from back home. The authenticity sings through in savoury pastries, sandwiches, cold cuts, cheeses, salads, and my personal favourite briny mushrooms served with chicken broth and bread. This is a festival where you can treat yourself to legumes and root vegetables and an astonishing variety of meat. Lobster tail, tenderloin and even Himalayan river trout marinated in authentic Czech spices, are high on my list of recommendations. Czech beers and liqueurs take all this to the next level. Whether you go for a Bude, a Fernet Stock or Becherovka, you will be treated to the age-old Czech mastery of brewing and distilling. If you re anything like me, by the time you ve rounded it all off with an apple strudel, you d have been won over by the benefits of being a true-blue Bohemian.

8 Czech Master Chef Marek Svoboda DATES FOR CZECH MASTER CHEF MAREK SVOBODADATE Apr 16, Apr 26, 2014 VENUE FOR CZECH MASTER CHEF MAREK SVOBODAVENUE West View - ITC Maurya Sardar Patel Marg, South Delhi PHONE NUMBER FOR CZECH MASTER CHEF MAREK SVOBODAPHONE Click to view phone number CATEGORY OF CZECH MASTER CHEF MAREK SVOBODACATEGORY Food And Drinks ABOUT CZECH MASTER CHEF MAREK SVOBODAABOUT The Celebrity Chef Series presents Czech Master Chef Marek Svoboda Watch the dazzling artistry of Master Chef Marek Svoboda as he dishes out authentic Czech cuisine this month, exclusively at West View. Savor traditional recipes including dumplings, sauerkraut, risottos and more, as you sample exotic Czech beverages! Czech Mate Written by Shantanu David April 18, :43 am

9 An antipasti spread; (below) Chicken Liver Pate Summary A food festival that plays a meaty role in a 10-day Bohemian celebration The elevator doors dinged open to a gaggle of young girls dressed in traditional Czech folk costumes. Behind them, restaurant doors lay open to a riot of colours, tables groaning under platters of food, a heavyset man in chef whites (doubtless the protagonist) sifting between a corps of wine-sipping diplomats and other dignified personages, Czech flags in profusion everywhere. and curiously enough, a jazz band trumpeting out Ricky Matin s Livin a Vida Loca. It could have been the opening scene from a comic spy thriller. The truth, as usual, was a little more prosaic. The occasion was the opening night of the 10- day Czech food festival being held at ITC Maurya s West View restaurant and the chef was indeed the man of the hour: Marek Svoboda, who has flown in to create and execute a traditional Czech menu. Comprising several courses, the meal begins with six Czech antipasti with tongue-twister names (though they comprise pickled vegetables and meats, savoury pastries and open sandwiches among other items) as well as cold cuts, cheeses and a salad station wherein you can construct your own. The briney mushrooms (the Czech have a particular affinity for the fungi) and traditional Czech potato soup or chicken broth is served tableside along with breads. Guests have the option of sampling Bude (jovický Budvar, the country s best-selling beer), which is a testament to the Czech people s centuries-old mastery at brewing, to accompany their meal, or end it with the digestive liqueurs Fernet Stock or Becherovka. For mains, the concept of West View s grill room takes over. Guests are required to arm themselves with plates and step towards the grill section. Here, myriad meats and just-asextensive vegetarian selection repose, regal and raw, on chilled shelves. One can choose between lobster tail, tenderloin, lamb chops and steaks, duck breast, pork chops, Himalayan river trout and a slew of other proteins marinated in Czech spices like majoram. And hand the piled-up platter to a waiting battalion of chefs who will grill your selection to your preferred degree of doneness and serve you on your table. The meats are fabulously cut and just as toothsome, and accompanied by potato pancakes and goulash, both Czech staples, which are available on request.

10 The vegetarian section somehow failed to draw our attention but there was a litany of legumes and a roost of root-vegetables. The food, music and alcohol all combine to make a most connival evening; no bleak Prague Cemetery this. The Czech food festival is on till April 26 between 7 pm and pm at West View, ITC Maurya. Priced at Rs 2,950 plus taxes a person. Contact for reservations