The Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Indian food heritage is a mixture of art and science and is exceptionally vast and diverse. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati and two projects in Nellore and East Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh, implemented under the Coastal Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
The Vice President said that the rich cultural diversity, native ethnicity, unique flavor of each region and different customs are best encapsulated by the Indian cuisine, which became enriched over thousands of years due to the intermingling of people belonging to different religions, languages and eating habits. ‘Annam Parabrahma Swaroopam’, loosely translated as ‘Food is like God’ is a part of our collective conscience and our ethos, he added.
The Vice President said that a painter appeals to visual sense, while a musician plays to auditory senses; an actor performs to engage both, the eyes and ears of the audience. However, a culinary artist has a much more complex role to play, he said. He is said to be successful with his creation if he is able to satisfy all five senses of the recipient; the eyes, ears, touch, smell and taste, he added.
The Vice President said that Indian cuisine reflects the culture and tradition of the country which includes varied landscapes, linguistic diversity, colorful festivals, and multi-ethnicity. He further said that he looks at Chefs as not only the practitioners of their art but also as the protectors and flag bearers of our great culinary heritage and legacy.
