As the season changes, so do the flavours on our plates. The arrival of spring has inspired chefs to load their menus with delicate cooking techniques and lighter salads.
Embracing freshness with seasonal ingredients
Chef Lenam Lepcha, executive chef at Kylin Experience, highlights ingredients like raw mango, which adds a refreshing twist to salads and desserts. Echoing this, Chef Anshul Dhyani, executive chef at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai, notes, “The new season’s produce is bursting with colour and flavour, from delicate spring crops like peas, asparagus, and radishes to bright herbs like mint and basil. Fruits such as rhubarb, strawberries, and jujube naturally add sweetness and depth to dishes.”
Similarly, Chef Diwas Wadhera, executive chef, Eros Hotel, New Delhi, shares that spring menus feature fresh peas, fenugreek leaves, asparagus, and seasonal fruits like guava and watermelon: “These bring vibrancy to dishes while keeping them light and nutritious.”
At Ronil Goa – A JDV by Hyatt Hotel, head chef Karan Kohli focuses on juicy heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, and mangoes.
Lighter dishes for warmer days
“We reduce fried and spicy foods, focusing on healthier cooking techniques like steaming, boiling, and blanching,” says chef Lepcha. This shift allows natural flavours to shine while making dishes easier to digest.
Chef Wadhera highlights the transition from winter specialities like sarson ka saag and gajar ka halwa to cooling options such as raw mango panna, vegetable pulao, and raitas. Desserts also get a seasonal twist, with fruit-based treats like mango mousse and rasmalai taking centre stage.
What’s trending
At Cicchetti, one of the most loved dishes is Carpaccio de Beetroot. “Instead of cooking it, ee cure beetroot with salt and herbs. It’s served cold with homemade cheese, candied walnuts, and arugula leaves,” shares chef Parth Gupta.
At Ronil Goa, the Burrata with heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, and basil-chilli honey is a highlight. “It’s a perfect mix of creamy, sweet, tangy, and spicy, topped with toasted walnuts, aged balsamic, and microgreens,” says chef Kohli.
Chef Wadhera says innovative fusion desserts are gaining popularity. “Motichoor laddoo rabri parfait, avocado cream ghewar with red wine reduction, and danedar rabri cannoli are becoming favourites,” he says.