ITC Ltd. launches ‘5 STAR Kitchen ITC Chef’s Special’

MUMBAI: In a first-of-its-kind cooking experience ITC Foods shares some easy to do regional recipes with the viewers of Star Network. These recipes come from an enthusiastic kitchen brigade at ITC Hotels. With the stay at home announcement a lot of hobby home chefs have been perfecting and experimenting with dishes.  Applauding their efforts, ITC Foods, one of the fastest growing foods businesses in India, driven by the market standing and consumer franchise of its popular brands like Aashirvaad have brought the viewers delicious tastes of India on the 5 STAR Kitchen ITC Chef’s Special.

From the delectable traditional fare like Rajasthani Bafla Bati, Konkani Dodak Dosa, Bengali Chanar Payesh, Potoler Dorma to unconventional creations like Aashirvaad Multi Millet Pizza, YiPPee Tricolor pasta masala with summer amaranth and King oyster mushroom, Mad Angles Nacho with Salsa and Mango Dip, B-natural Aam papad and gur kulfi candy or a Dark Fantasy Shake to satiate a sweet craving, the 12 ITC Hotel Chefs with their exceptional craftsmanship are all set to  showcase the rich culinary heritage of our country. From the royal kitchens of Rajasthan, the dessert capital of Kolkata to the soothing flavours of Oriental cuisine each episode will spell the magic of rich traditional and contemporary food landscape in India using some of the choicest ingredients from the world class/ distinguished food portfolio of ITC Foods like Aashirvaad, YiPPee!, Sunfeast, B Natural et al. In addition, each episode will feature a guest chef who will share the screen with ITC Hotels’ Chef and journalist-turned-anchor Dheeraj Juneja who gives an interesting spin to the conversation as he interacts with the chefs about food preferences & influence of Indian culture across cuisines.  

The show premiered on 23rd May and will be aired every Saturday & Sunday at 11:00 am for six weekends. The 12 episode series will be aired on Hotstar & the STAR TV Network across 33 channels in 7 languages - Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla and Malayalam.  

Link to the promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x38WCNp_1JU

As per the latest BARC data, India has witnessed a surge in television viewership by 24% when compared to Pre COVID period despite unavailability of fresh content. Further, restrictions in movement, consumer doubts about quality of food hygiene paired with an innate desire to learn cooking witnessed overall recipe related searches grow by 20% on YouTube as per Google Trends data. This robust insight gave both the companies an opportunity to co create fresh content for consumers which was relevant and meaningful in the present times. 

Talking about the initiative, ITC Hotels Spokesperson said, “The concept of this show is aligned with the Responsible Luxury ethos of presenting the culture and tradition of a destination through easy culinary interpretations by our renowned chefs. Food Is a Universal language that each of us across the globe relates to. This knowledge sharing is our humble effort to reach out to those who are staying at home and seek different recipes they can cook to bring some joy in the lives of their near and dear ones” 

Elaborating on the initiative, ITC Foods Spokesperson said, “In the current times when people are spending more time than ever on television and seeking newer content everyday, we though it relevant for us to turn tables and participate in creating fresh and relevant content for them. Individuals across the world are pivoting from dine-ins to home-made food and while they make that transition, they are either exploring the chef within, looking to try a new dish or a cuisine or learn a new preparation style. When we decided to create this platform 5 STAR Kitchen ITC Chef’s Special, it was to reach every Indian kitchen, share the knowledge and expertise of our chefs and help the audience amp up their dinner table with some time- honoured and contemporary creations”.

“Star Plus has always been a front runner when it comes to entertaining audience with its definitive content choices. While the channel has ensured to enthral its viewers with a wide array of programs, slated across all age groups, we are excited about bringing in a new and one-of-its-kind cooking show from ITC Hotels, '5StarKitchen ITC Chef’s Special. We are sure our viewers will be able to turn their kitchens around into a 5 STAR kitchen after watching the show” said a spokesperson from STAR India Network.

ITC Hotels Boiler Plate:

The well-being of guests, associates and partners has always been of paramount importance at ITC Hotels and more so in these testing times. Namaste at ITC Hotels is not only a heartfelt welcome, it is inspired from our ancient scripture ‘Atithi Devo Bhava' which prescribes the dynamics of the host and guest relationship. Namaste acknowledges the honour in being a host and to look after guests in the most responsible manner without compromising the high standards the guest has come to expect. It is a call from within that keeps the Indian Values alive, pure and timeless.

With ‘Responsible Luxury’ as its guiding premise, ITC Hotels is committed to delivering luxury experiences with sustainable practices embedded in the process - an endeavour which has manifested in the coveted LEED*® Platinum rating for all its luxury hotels , making ITC Hotels amongst the ‘Greenest’ luxury hotel chains in the world. (*Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design – by U.S. Green Building Council and the Indian Green Building Council)

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About ITC Foods: A Division of ITC Limited

ITC's branded packaged foods business is one of the fastest growing foods businesses and the third largest foods company in India, driven by the market standing and consumer franchise of its popular brands - Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Bingo!, Yippee!, Kitchens of India, B Natural, Mint-o, Candyman, Fabelle, Sunbean and GumOn. The Foods business is today represented in multiple categories in the market - Staples, Spices, Ready-to-Eat, Snack Foods, Bakery & Confectionery and the newly introduced Juices & Beverages.

ITC's Foods brands delight millions of households with a wide range of differentiated, value-added products developed by leveraging ITC's in-house R&D capabilities, deep consumer understanding, knowledge of preferred Indian tastes, agri-sourcing & packaging strengths, and an unmatched distribution network.

ITC's uncompromising commitment to the health and safety of its consumers ensures adherence to the highest levels of quality, safety and hygiene standards in manufacturing processes and in the supply chain. All ITC-owned manufacturing units are Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified. The quality performance of all manufacturing units is monitored continuously online. Going beyond process control, ITC ensures that quality standards are stringently adhered to while choosing ingredients that go into the preparation of its food products.

The business continues to invest in every aspect of manufacturing, distribution and marketing to ensure that it can leverage emerging opportunities and fulfill its aspiration of being the most trusted provider of branded packaged foods in the country. ITC's Foods business also exports its products to the key geographies of North America, Africa, Middle East and Australia.

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