WEEKEND COLUMN :THOUGHT FOR FOOD ::: 20.12.2015

3 DAY FISH  FEST 2015 @ 

NALBAN                                                           

PART  1

Cooking Contest : Contestants On The Stage Waiting For Judges 

HIGHLY O(FISH)IAL AFFAIR INDEED !!!

With the first cold air of winter, arrives the series of fairs and festivals in West Bengal – one behind the other …. In various shapes and sizes…. Like the migratory birds in a queue …

But “Fish” as a focal point ?

Pavillion 

Yeah, fish appears to be a source of life and part of celebration in Bengal’s culture and tradition for centuries. “Every day a piece of fish on the dish” is the unwritten law that rules the roost of all kitchens and households.

Therefore it is natural that fish has its sentiment cemented with the sentiment of Bengalese too so as to enable one such 3 Day “Fish Festival” to happen and has just ended today near the sprawling water body of NALBAN (beside IT Sector) in Kolkata. 3 days of festival time have been eventful and out of the box more than a fishy affair… in true sense.

LIST OF ORGANIZERS :

The entire event has had a whole lot of organizers like
• Indian Chamber of Commerce, a national chamber
• Deptt. of Fisheries, Govt. of WB
• Ministry of Commerce & Industry , Govt. of India
• State Fisheries Development Corporation
• National Fisheries Board
• Export Inspection Council

Bhojohari Manna's Stall 

The above apart, several international buyers, delegates from Japan, China, Vietnam, Oman & UAE attended this event with much enthusiasm alongwith “who’s who” of bankers and big players like IFB Agro Industries, Axis Bank, SBI, Bank of Baroda and Export Houses in food processing to discuss pros and cons of Pomfrets to Prawns.

Lunch Time 

No fair is complete if no fair size of food stalls are visible , particularly , when its “Fish” as a fairly talking point for 3 l…o…n…g days….

6 Ballygunge Place

FOOD STALLS YOU WOULD LOVE TO RUN FOR !!!

The food stalls are also prone to “who’s who” of culinary dishes and food business of the city , people would love to run for as under :

• Bhojohari Manna
• 6 Ballygunge Place
• Bawarchi
• Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor
• Oudh 1590
• BENFISH
• Pithe Bilashi
• Continental
• Bijoli Grill &
• Many more

The crowd had a smart way of enjoying food …. In a group or alone being much more relaxed as if ………….without fishing in troubled water while the ovens were busy enough to fry the fish or prepare succulent kebab to reach hungry mouth without much wastage of time…..

Paper Advt. 

CULINARY CONTEST & THE HEAT OF COOKING :::

The air at the festival had not only the aroma of fish and spices but also that of cooking skill , contest, award and celebration. Amidst the huge enthusiastic crowd , each passionate contestant had 15 minute round and innovation as resource, while judges sharpened their testing skill on 3 parameters (a) Garnishing (b) Taste (c) Texture.

Mr. Ranjan Kumar, Zonal Manager, IFB Agro with the contestants 

I was honoured by the organizers to be one of 3 judges for a round. The contest was sponsored and organized in collaboration with IFB Agro Industries Ltd. and ICC.

Mr. Ranjan Kumar, Zonal Manager, IFB Agro with the contestants

(More report & pictures on “Contest” in Part 2 – to be published on 26.12.2015)