Inside the Himalayan Menu Served to EU Leaders at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Diplomacy unfolded at Rashtrapati Bhavan not just through handshakes and agreements, but also through food. As India hosted top European Union leaders in New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu curated a state banquet that quietly told a story of heritage, geography and cultural confidence. The dinner, held in honour of Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, spotlighted the rich culinary traditions of India’s Himalayan regions.

Rather than opting for opulence or crowd-pleasing staples, the menu leaned into restraint and storytelling. Every course reflected the flavours, ingredients and cooking philosophies of India’s mountain belt — from Kashmir and Ladakh to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the Northeast. The intent was clear: to present Indian cuisine not as spectacle, but as narrative.

The thoughtfully curated menu was designed by chefs Prateek Sadhu and Kamlesh Negi, known for their work in celebrating Himalayan food traditions through contemporary fine dining. Their approach blended indigenous ingredients, fermentation techniques and slow-cooked methods, while preserving the soul of regional cooking.

The meal opened with jakhiya aloo — Uttarakhand potatoes tempered with wild mustard seeds — paired with green tomato chutney and presented on a crisp mathri tart. Alongside it came jhangora ki kheer, a millet pudding traditionally associated with everyday hill cuisine, reimagined within a delicate white chocolate shell and finished with berry salt sourced from Meghalaya. The opening course set the tone: familiar flavours, refined but not diluted.

Given the winter evening, warmth followed naturally. A comforting soup course featured sunderkala thichoni, a buckwheat noodle preparation from Munsiyari in Uttarakhand, enriched with roasted tomato, fermented vegetables and a light potato-turnip broth, echoing Tibetan influences common to the region. Complementing it was a baked yak cheese custard paired with bhaang mathri — a crisp hemp preparation adding both texture and regional identity.

The menu continued with dishes highlighting lesser-known Himalayan greens. Stinging nettle leaves were glazed with mustard and served with dehydrated bottle gourd, while a winter carrot kadhi added gentle spice and familiarity. A Kumaoni salad, nimbu saan, brought brightness to the table with hill lemon, yoghurt, green garlic, hemp and chilli salt — a traditional preparation rooted in community kitchens of Uttarakhand.

The main course celebrated prized mountain produce. Kashmiri guchhi (morels) and Solan mushrooms were served with poppy seeds and burnt tomato sauce, accompanied by Himachali swarnu rice. A trio of chutneys — made from rai leaf, Kashmiri walnut, roasted tomato and akhuni — offered layers of contrast, each rooted in a different Himalayan tradition.

Dessert closed the evening gently. Ragi and Kashmiri apple cake came with timru and sea buckthorn cream, followed by coffee custard made using beans from Assam’s Dima Hasao region. The final touch was fresh persimmon dressed with Himalayan honey and jambhiri lemon.

Beyond the menu, the dinner symbolised India’s confidence in presenting its regional diversity on the global stage. With India and the European Union finalising a landmark trade agreement during the visit, the Himalayan banquet served as a cultural counterpart to political alignment — grounded, nuanced and deeply Indian.