From immersive food experiences to wellness-focused menus and tech-driven personalisation, the food is becoming the highlight of the wedding. For hotels, the challenge lies in execution, but the reward is delivering an event that guests will talk about for years.
At Andaz Delhi, by Hyatt menus highlight hyperlocal revival, with authentic regional cuisines presented in upscale, boutique trends. Fusion creativity is at an all-time high, captivating guest with inventive combinations such as sushi idlis and paneer tikka tacos. Banqueting has become interactive, featuring live chef counters, DIY food stations, and immersive beverage experiences. There is a notable shift toward health-forward offerings: wellness zones serve immunity-boosting shots, millet-based starters, vegan desserts, cold-pressed juices, and allergen-friendly thalis.
At WelcomHeritage Cheetahgarh Resort & Spa, weddings are designed as immersive culinary experiences rather than routine banquet spreads. Couples today want their food to reflect their personality and values. The trend is moving from excess to meaningful curation menus are smaller, fresher, and deeply experiential.
At CGH Earth, food is more than indulgence it is a bridge between culture, community, and consciousness. Weddings give us a platform to express this philosophy on a grand scale. Gourmet experiences, especially when they involve multiple live or speciality counters, naturally call for thoughtful planning in terms of layout and guest movement. These setups work best in events with larger guest capacities — typically above 250 to 300 — as they allow the counters to be displayed in their full grandeur without feeling crowded.
Some emerging directions include:
- Interactive kitchens where chefs cook and converse with guests.
- Regional storytelling
- Fusion reinterpretations
- Health-conscious dining with gluten-free, vegan, and farm-to-table options.
- Destination-driven setups — sundowner grills, forest dinners, and lakefront tasting menus.
- Sustainability as Standard: Zero-plastic setups, seasonal menus, and food sourced within a 50–100 km radius. We consciously avoid imported ingredients that increase carbon footprint and compromise freshness.
- Community Engagement: Local women’s groups and farmers often participate in wedding preparations, ensuring authenticity while empowering the community too.
- Health-Conscious and Plant-Forward Choices: Vegan, gluten-free, millet-based, and clean-labelled dishes are now integral to every wedding menu.
- Storytelling Through Food: Menus are crafted around heritage, family recipes, and the destination’s culinary culture turning dining into a memorable occasion.
The dining experience is now as important as décor; food has become part of the wedding narrative.
Delivering gourmet finesse at the scale of a wedding is challenging. Maintaining consistent quality across multiple live counters, ensuring the supply of fresh ingredients in a semi-rural destination like Jawai, and meeting diverse dietary preferences require detailed planning.
Guests increasingly expect restaurant-grade plating and flavour in banquet environments, which calls for precise coordination between the kitchen, service, and logistics teams. Weather conditions in outdoor venues also demand flexibility in menu design and setup.
Despite these challenges, we see it as an opportunity to elevate standards and personalize every culinary moment. Gourmet food at weddings is about emotion, not extravagance. It’s the warmth of a local recipe, the drama of live fire, and the precision of plating that make a celebration memorable. Each wedding menu we create aims to connect guests to the land, the couple’s story, and the joy of shared experiences.
Some of the key challenges in serving gourmet, sustainable food at weddings include ensuring the consistent sourcing of local and seasonal ingredients, particularly in remote destinations, and maintaining authenticity while still allowing room for creative presentation. Reducing food waste while catering to a wide range of palates and dietary preferences is another major consideration. Sustaining eco-conscious practices in high-volume events, from using biodegradable serve ware to running energy-efficient kitchens requires meticulous planning to balance sustainability with sophistication. Additionally, managing logistics and keeping food at the right temperature across varied settings adds another layer of complexity to creating a seamless, high-quality culinary experience.
Read the full story that first appeared in Hotelier India’s Nov 2025 issue here:
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