by Suman Gupta
- Set to be hosted in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, International Curry Week bring India’s top chefs together to celebrate culture, curries, and flavor
- Chefs will curate a custom curry-centric menus, which will be paired with the newly launched Bira 91 RISE, India’s First Premium Rice Strong Lager
April 14, 2023, India: Bira 91, today announced the long-awaited return of its highly anticipated International Curry Week, from April 13, 2023 – April 29, 2023. This culinary extravaganza, now in its third instalment, is a playful celebration of all things curry, and will bring India’s top chefs together to celebrate culture, curries, and flavor. The 2023 edition of International Curry Week will be held across top restaurants in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bangalore where chefs will curate a custom curry-centric menu, paired with the newly launched Bira 91 RISE, India’s First Premium Rice Strong Lager.
This year, International Curry Week will bring together India’s leading chefs to host 11 curated experiences with exclusive curry and beer focused menus by Vicky Ratnani, Kavan Kuttappa (Naru Noodle Bar), Vanshika Bhatia (Petite Pie Shop), Lakhan Jethani (Mizu), Gresham (Impresario), Gresham Fernandes (Salt Water Café), Seefah & Karan (Seefah), Rahul Dua (Bhawan), Avinash Martins (Four Seasons), Jatin Mallick (Tres) and Shriya Shetty (Sly Granny).
Curry has become a universally recognized and beloved cuisine, with its flavors traveling across the globe, from the Caribbean to London, Vietnam to Thailand and ultimately back to its birthplace and the cradle of spicy food, India. Bira 91 is at the forefront of this global shift, as urban citizens explore and experiment with the world of curry, seeking a more colorful and flavorful experience, and Bira 91’s flavorful beers are the perfect accompaniment.
Commenting on the launch, Ankur Jain, CEO & Founder of Bira 91, said, “The International Curry Week is back, and we couldn’t be more excited. Curry is globally known as a comfort food but increasingly, has also become a representation of how the world is becoming more diverse and colorful. We’re thrilled to be partnering with some of the best chefs in the country and bring an experience that is an amalgamation of taste and flavors from across the globe. Paired with our premium Rice Strong Lager, RISE, these curry dishes are set to elevate the dining experience of consumers.”
Here is what the chefs have to say about the International Curry Week:
Expressing his enthusiasm for International Curry Week, celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani said, “It’s really exciting, and always been exciting for me to pair food with beverages. With Bira 91, there is such a great opportunity because they have a variety of beers that are full of flavor. Since we have such a great repertoire of curries from all over the world, this is a golden opportunity, platform and initiative by Bira 91 that gives different chefs from India and all over the world to showcase their culinary creativity.”
Seefah and Karan, chefs at restaurant Seefah, said, “As everyone knows Curry as a dish has travelled all over the world gaining its popularity and it’s very familiar to every kitchen in Asia. At Seefah, the menu is curated keeping in mind the popular Thai curries made with Thai herbs and fresh coconut milk, also a Japanese Curry which is made with hint of Indian spices, onions, tomatoes and Japanese seasonings. The focus is to create a local Thai and Japanese experience which can be great together with Bira 91 Rise.”
Shriya Shetty from Sly Granny, said, “Mangaloreans love their beer and I think beer + curry is a match made in heaven! I am super excited to have curated a menu for Bira 91 for their new launch and to be a part of the international curry week celebrations.”
Gresham Fernandes of the Salt Water Café, said, “”Colonists stigmatized the native food by calling it curry, but here the “curry” changes every 20kms. A deep dive into Indian food would probably be 36 volumes and each being 200 pages minimum! The plan is cook what is served in my house on a Sunday for lunch with something as versatile as rice. Curry rice is a Pandora’s box about to explode.”
Dane Fernandes, Executive Chef at JW Mariott Mumbai, said, “With this collaboration, we aim at bringing people together and discovering our love for food. When we share our food and recipes, we share not only our culture and heritage, but also our stories, memories, and experiences. The curry week is a celebration of the richness of Indian ingredients paired perfectly with the newly launched Bira 91 Rise, showcased at our multicuisine restaurant, JW CAFE.”
Avinash Martins of Four Seasons, said, “The menu revolves around the word “Curry”. A word used by the British which got associated to our cuisine globally. Through the menu we’ve narrated a story of various connections and relations the curry has taken its influences on our cuisine and culture. It also emphasizes on the classic pairing of rice beer & curry-based dishes!”
Jatin Mallick from Tres, said, “Our Menu inspiration is to give the diners a fun and exciting experience with paring food with beer, keeping the seasonal availability in mind. It will be a twist on the classics with the use of rice beer in every dish. Something each diner can relate to crispy and clean, malty and sweet, fruity and spicy will be the flavor profile to tingle the taste buds of the diners.”
The International Curry Week 2023 will be hosted in top restaurants in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, featuring celebrity chefs preparing a custom menu. The event will take place during the third week of April, from 14th April to 29 April 2023.
About B9 Beverages: A refreshingly modern beer brand, imagined in India, Bira 91 aspires to bring flavorful beers to the new world. As one of the fastest growing brands in the world, Bira 91 has built a diverse portfolio of award-winning beers, one for every occasion, and aims to drive a global shift in beer towards more color and flavor. Bira 91 is now enjoyed in over 1000 towns and cities spread across 18 countries and brews its beers across four breweries in India. Bira 91 has its flagship taproom in Bengaluru, where it releases one new experimental beer every week, paired with its curry-shop menu. Bira 91 also offers branded merchandise across categories such as glassware, apparel, and gifts, to make every day a lot more playful. Established in 2015, Bira 91 is driven by a dynamic team of over 600 passionate beer lovers and is backed by Sequoia Capital India, Sofina of Belgium, and Kirin Holding of Japan. Bira 91 has also recently acquired The Beer Café, India’s leading Alco-Beverage chain to strengthen its play in pubs and taprooms and build India’s first large-scale direct-to-consumer platform focused on beer and innovation.
