TOURISM RAJASTHAN: A FEAST FOR THE SENSES & PALATE! by Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

India as we all are well are of has been a land of multi-cultural diversity and for the fact that we embrace the thoughts and walks of our citizens with an open mind, it has always been a place which attracts tourists from all over the country and the world today who wants to visit various parts of India to explore not only the culinary aspects and hospitality of every state which is very impressive and engaging but also the flavours and culinary offerings which are not just robust, colourful and extravagant but also have a variety to choose from in order to suit all age groups.

This summer of 2023 has been very special for me on the whole since I finally made my way to Rajasthan covering three well known places namely Jaipur, jodhpur and Udaipur. The plan took its pace as soon as the entire plan fell in place and it was a sigh of relief since finally a little break was happening after a long time which was much awaited and due.

The excitement grew as the date of travel neared closer and bags packed, the flight boarded and reached to Jaipur to start with. I have always been a little particular about my plans before leaving home that all need to be falling well in place and no last-minute hotch potch issues to surfacing upon arrival for the holiday. And so did the case be, my car and driver were all set to receive me at Jaipur Airport which dropped me at Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre, an impressive hotel with a five-star rating, loads of guests in house and a very warm welcome extended by the culinary team of chefs headed by Chef Surendra Shekhawat was heart- warming and a chilled glass of soothing coconut water which came by as a welcome drink was truly wow! After a little settling in the room it was time to check on the spa in the hotel which offered number of treatments to relax at the sohum spa. The green herbal tea and kadak boiled chai served there too was just amazing and soul refreshing!

The evening was set for local markets and sight seeing from the museums to the street markets which was pretty impressive as well to check out the local stuffs made there from the bandini prints/ block prints/ bedsheets and more. For dinner way back at the hotel we were greeted by the food & beverage manager at holiday inn who recommended we try the oriental and Chinese restaurant which was also hosting a Mongolian foods fiesta. The chef at this outlet was chef Nitesh who not only offered some lip-smacking delicacies from the special menu but also pampered us with his signature dishes which are still so very lingering on the palate even now! 

The later part of the evening was for leisure and it was spent over a cuppa coffee and conversations with some of the other department staff of the hotel as well including Mr. Aekham from housekeeping department who made sure my room was all set before check-in and a photo cake with number of desserts were arranged on a platter and came as a surprise as well upon entering the room on the floor. calling it a day and squeezing into the very comfortable bed in the room and within a matter of few seconds the dreams den took charge.  The next morning was a very pleasant one and started with the lavish spread of live counters, Indian and continental breakfast which was offered by the hotel. Must say I did stuff myself a little since it was too tempting overall.

The further part of the day was for sight seeing and meetings lined up catching up with some old-time friends, connects, fans and students as well from hotel management colleges who dropped in to take job guidance and advice on their near future plans and it was a very pleasant evening on the whole. Dinner and late-night coffee were like cherry on the cake. Overall, I must say that the experience at Holiday Inn was a great one and Chef Surendra Shekhawat, Chef Nitesh Kanet and the team took very good care and offered best possible hospitality. Must mention here will be the coconut jaggery ice-cream prepared by Chef Nitesh which is not only his in-house creation but also excellent in taste – a must try when you visit his restaurant. Also, not to forget & appreciate the talented man behind the scenes Executive Chef Ramesh Kukreti.

The next destination was Jodhpur! 

After a nice drive from Jaipur enroute jodhpur was nature at its best and a smooth journey with a little lunch break made me reach the famous Indana Palace Hotel- Jodhpur. A warm welcome yet again and a royal rose sherbet coming our way as a welcome drink was truly heart-warming. A quick and swift check in and we arrive into a nice palatial room well prepared and presented to make a mark of impression which truly met my expectations. Upon arrival in my room, I get a call within a few minutes from Mr. Kuldeep from the In- Room Dining stating that a refreshing mint- lime mojito drink is on the way to the room to enjoy & refresh & so was it. Very well-made drink at the right temperature and great flavour. Another person I must mention here is Mr. Vikas Soni from the food & beverage department- asst. manager at the Indana Palace, Jodhpur who not only ensured that I was comfortable during the stay but also was a great host at the restaurant from suggesting some really great dishes to try out from the menu- signature of the place, we did go by the same and it was magnificent! It was also great meeting the legend -Executive Chef Mr. K. C. Verma at Indana Palace & we had some really great conversations in regards to the food industry and chef shared his valuable experience over the years which was truly inspiring and motivating. Chef not only offered us some of his best tandoori speciality samplers and some great vegetarian delicacies to try out but also ensured we ate well and enjoyed the flavours from his kitchen. 

Besides a great choice of breakfast from live counters to fresh cooked dishes the restaurant staff too were very cooperative and extended a great support all through my stay. The hotel also has a good spa which we tried for a basic treatment and is a must visit venue inside the palace hotel near the poolside. 

Jodhpur too was a nice place to explore from the ancient monumental venues to the places of historic interest, the forts especially the Ummaid Bhawan Palace here was very interesting and it was a great experience visiting here. Overall, it was a wonderful experience at jodhpur as well with a little local shopping, some great Rajasthani foods and culture, I had great memories to take back from every person I came across here.

On the final destination it was now time to reach Udaipur! A place much awaited on my list to visit for the very first time and to explore- visit and also meet a few old connects kept up the excitement. For Udaipur after much research and recommendations I had selected The Ananta Resorts, a place which not only creates a great first impression but also takes one back close to nature, greenery and serene atmosphere to unwind and relax! Upon a warm welcome and quick check in here as well which was well managed and executed by Mr. Vaibhav Ameta- Senior duty manager- front office, it was a moment to indulge into some nice Chinese food at their restaurant which was served for lunch, good taste and flavour showed up here too in order to make me carry a positive impression all the way during my stay. The restaurant manager here Mr. Raza Shaikh was very warm and welcoming, made us feel comfortable during the meal hours and ensured that all went well on my table. Mr. Suman- the executive at the restaurant who attended my table during the meal was very open to having conversations and guest with hotel staff connect happened quite smoothly here as we spoke. Mr. Rambilash- f & b executive also was a friendly and helpful person here at the resort.  After a nice meal I check into my villa room up all the way on the level 6 at the resort, there are buggies and cars which shuttle up and down all through and are a just a call away. 

The room here too was pretty impressive, well set and hygienic, presentable and had all the features of creating a good first impression. Mr. Rakesh Damor from housekeeping department was a very friendly employee here and made sure that everything was fit and fine in my room all through the stay. Chef Shravan a senior chef at the Ananta resort, Udaipur along with his team was very instrumental in ensuring that the buffets, live counters and overall set up was being done promptly. He was not only a person who loved interacting with the guests but also was open to suggestions and feedback from them in order to make things better in the days to come as per the guest expectations.

Chef Shravan not only was a great individual to interact with and have culinary conversations with but he also surprised me with a number of his delectable delicacies from Indian and Chinese cuisine during my stay at Ananta Resort, Udaipur. Besides Ananta on my list, I also had an opportunity to meet with a number of hoteliers, chefs and hospitality experts here at Udaipur which was truly heart-touching. To start with the young- energetic & talented Chef Mushtaq, who also manages the very impressive hotel at Udaipur called the parallel- a five star rated hotel with a very impressive open air restro- lounge which was just too cool- great ambience and amazing food well curated, crafted and complimented with choice of beverages. Chef Devendra who is known for his Italian dishes also presented some of his specialities during my visit to the hotel especially the mushroom risotto which was wow!  The parallel hotel has a good number of rooms, suites- standard rooms well designed, state of the art – very well clean and hygienic set up which not only suits the traveller on the move but also great for those who wish to unwind and have a family holiday as well. The hotel also has an excellent SPA and gym facility as well. food served here is perfect to suit the tastes of all age groups and has a choice of Indian- Arabic- oriental and the chefs are open here to even customise dishes to your taste as needed to offer you a great experience. A must visit hotel when in Udaipur – The Parallel!

Udaipur was all about exploring, meeting people, interacting with like-minded professionals and networking! One of the much-awaited hotels to visit on my list was the absolute wonder – The Oberoi – Udaivilas & yes, the name says it all. A property which not only represents ultimate luxury with class and quality but is also very well known for its culinary diaspora! Upon having reserved a table for lunch at the Udaivilas, I met with yet another legendary talented and well experienced chef Mr. Alok Anand, the executive chef at the Oberoi Udaivilas. Chef Anand thoroughly pampered us during this lunch with some of the great mouth-watering Rajasthani delicacies from this kitchen which came dished out with a touch of royalty and garnished to perfection, piping hot and it is going to be difficult for me to define the aromas and the first impression while it all came down on the table- simply superb! From the desi Indian starter platter to the mongodi ki subzi to gatte ki curry, the dal makhni cooked on a low flame for hours, the lacchedaar parathas, salad, raita it was all simply amazing and to add to the cherry on the cake was the home-made gulab ki kheer which is one of the signature desserts of the hotel, it was just out of the world. We enjoyed the kheer till the very last spoon. While we kept saying there’s no place for dessert Chef Anand challenged us that it would be a delight for the palate and it truly was! This was one of my best dining experiences with some great conversations with chef Anand at the Oberoi Udaivilas. I am now looking forward to my next visit to the hotel for a stay as well to experience complete luxury like never before!

While the weather during the day time was a little warm the evenings at Udaipur were pretty pleasant and windy and to make the most of it I also happened to accept a dinner invite from a few old connects to sit by the lake Fateh Sagar at an open air dining place to have a nice re-union coupled with some great food and beverage, this too was a nice experience and there’s nothing like enjoying conversations with great food and company which matters a lot! 

Udaipur for me was the finale of this rendezvous journey to Rajasthan this summer of 2023, though it happened all of a sudden it turned out to be great! The 3 cities Jaipur- Jodhpur and Udaipur makes me take back some of the fondest memories of recent times which will remain with me forever.

On a concluding note, I must thank each and every one who made this possible in order to cover all these places, the wonderful hospitality at Rajasthan every place, every person, every hotel employee, common man had a lot of humility and down to earth attitude which speaks miles about the places and would surely be a positive recommendation from my end to everyone who loves to travel, visiting new places in our own country itself must visit Rajasthan at your own convenient time during the year, it is a must go and visit destination.