Food became a quiet ambassador of culture during the 77th Republic Day celebrations, as India welcomed its European guests with a menu that travelled through the Himalayan belt. European Council President
António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who attended the celebrations as chief guests. They were served a thoughtfully designed spread rooted in the culinary traditions of Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Northeast.
According to PTI, the menu celebrated regional produce, age-old cooking methods and mountain flavours, while presenting them through a modern fine-dining lens suited to a state banquet.
PHOTO | Delhi: The menu served at the banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in honour of European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen featured a blend of Indian flavours and global cuisine.
Source: Third Party pic.twitter.com/DonhR65fat
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 27, 2026
Appetizers
The menu read, “India’s living culinary heritage – reimagined through the vision of a new generation of Indian chefs and culinary researchers who are redefining how the world experiences Indian cuisine. Drawing inspiration from the Indian Himalayan belt, each
course of the menu is a tribute to the wisdom of mountain communities, their landscapes, and their time-honoured relationship with food, while presenting these traditions in a contemporary and refined form.”
The menu opened with a set of appetisers that reflected the earthy, seasonal nature of mountain cooking. Jakhiya aloo, an Uttarakhand staple made with local mustard-like seeds, was served on a crisp mathri tart and paired with a sharp green tomato chutney. Alongside
it was jhangora ki kheer, prepared using barnyard millet, encased in a white chocolate shell and finished with meah loon, a berry salt sourced from Meghalaya. The combination brought together sweetness, texture and regional flavours in a balanced introduction to the meal.
President Droupadi Murmu received H. E. António Costa, President of the European Council and H. E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in their honour. The President said that India and Europe are connected not… pic.twitter.com/P5R1Qp0f09
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 27, 2026
The soup course was followed by sunderkala thichoni, a dish originating from Munsiyari in Uttarakhand with visible Tibetan influences. Buckwheat noodles were served in a slow-cooked broth made from roasted tomato, fermented eggplant, turnip and potato, accompanied by dried vegetable chutney. The soup was layered further with sides like baked Himalayan yak cheese custard with bhaang mathri, stinging nettle leaves glazed with mustard and lauki, and a winter carrot kadhi made using dehydrated carrots and tempered puree.
A refreshing Kumaoni salad, nimbu saan, brought together hill lemon, green garlic, hemp seeds, yoghurt and chilli salt.
Pre-main course and main course
For the pre-main course, pumpkin and sinki took centre stage. Inspired by fermented radish, the dish featured pumpkin and winter peas cooked slowly in buttermilk, paired with khatmora chutney, Himalayan yeast sauce and Kashmiri chilli oil. It was served with
Kashmiri katlam bread and coriander butter. The main course showcased Kashmiri guchhi mushrooms and Solan mushrooms in a burnt tomato sauce, accompanied by poppy seeds and Himachali swarnu rice. A trio of chutneys made with rai leaf, Kashmiri walnut chetin
and roasted tomato with akhuni added depth and contrast.
Desserts
Dessert stayed true to the Himalayan theme. A ragi and Kashmiri apple cake was served with timru and seabuckthorn cream, highlighting ingredients common to mountain regions. This was followed by a coffee custard made using beans from Assam’s Dima Hasao, topped with dates and raw cacao ice cream. The meal concluded with Himalayan honey-dressed persimmon paired with jambhiri lemon, offering a light and fragrant finish.
They finished the menu by thanking the chefs, “As part of Rashtrapati Bhavan’s commitment to promoting and providing a platform for India’s rich cultural, artistic and culinary heritage, this evening’s menu has been created and presented in collaboration with
Chef Prateek Sadhu and Chef Kamlesh Negi and their team, based in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.”
