United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYM). In April 2018, millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals” and the same year, the government declared it the National Year of Millets with the objective of generating more production and demand. On December 6, 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organised the opening ceremony for the IYM 2023 in Rome, which was addressed by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. 

A delegation of senior government officials from India also participated. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare last month hosted a special ‘Millet Luncheon’ for the Members of the Parliament, which was attended by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar and the Prime Minister.

Millets have been made an integral part of the G-20 meetings and delegates will be given a true millet experience through tasting, meeting farmers and interactive sessions with start-ups and FPOs. A lot of restaurants have started to add millet to their menu.

Looking to bring these superfoods back on a diner’s plate, and keeping in sync with the United Nations’ declaration of celebrating 2023 as the International Year of Millets, ITC Hotels recently reintroduced these ancestral crops to its buffet spreads across the country. To make this possible, the team of expert chefs spearheaded by Chef Manisha Bhasin, Executive Corporate Chef, ITC Hotels  has curated a cyclic millet menu wherein the supergrain has been incorporated into Indian, Western, and Asian cuisines.

Another restaurant chain, One8 Commune, takes you on a journey to explore the millet world. With the assortment of experimental dishes, they offer you an A La Carte menu of comfort dishes. One can find salad options like Baby Bocincinni, Arugula and California Grapes and other mouth-watering dishes.

Sukhraj Singh, co-founder of Food Bus of India stated that the inclusion of millets in our diet not only nourishes our bodies but also strengthens our connection to our cultural heritage and local food systems.

"Let us make a conscious effort to incorporate millets in our daily meals and support the farmers who cultivate them. Together, we can build a more resilient and equitable food system. Millet is not just a grain, it's a way of life. Let's embrace this humble yet mighty crop and reap its numerous benefits for a healthier and happier future. The rise of millets in the culinary world is not just a trend, it's a movement towards a more diverse and sustainable food culture. Join us in this journey towards a better future," Singh stated while talking to us.

It was only in recent times, with rising global temperatures, that governments worldwide started mobilizing their efforts to conserve native foods. While millets have long continued to be an integral part of Southern Indian households, the comeback of popular categories such as Ragi, Bajra, and Sorghum to urban plates is a significant development that can offer many lessons in promoting native food and addressing malnutrition through sustainable crops. 

Indian restaurants globally are also expected to serve more millet flour-based dishes in near future, given the health benefits of these multi-grains among the busy urbanites, a Singapore-based Indian restaurateur has said.

“There is a growing trend of eating healthy food, especially among busy executives in bustling cities, and millets as well as other such cereals, I believe, shall be widely accepted as organic food with many health benefits,” Capt. Inder Jit Singh, the 60-year-old owner of the Yummy Punjaby (YP) Restaurant. “We had been contemplating introducing various such flour breads,” said Singh, noting the importance of these multi-grains underlined by the Global Millets conference held recently in New Delhi.

“We have been serving ‘missi roti with saag' for 11 years and are loved by many. We shall soon be introducing millet and other flour-based bread for our multi-national patrons,” said Singh, who has managed to keep his passion afloat for more than a decade, despite the numerous obstacles faced as an SME including the recent Covid-19-pandemic.

He also said that Indian restaurants globally are expected to serve more and more millet flour-based products in near future, given the health benefits of these multi-grains among the busy urbanites.

Indian restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, and several other Chinese cities have come up with several exclusive millet dishes to popularise them among their Chinese guests. They have also kept a variety of Indian millets on display in special enclosures to highlight their importance for nutrition and food security. Beijing’s oldest Indian restaurant, Taj Pavilion, has come up with an exclusive new millet menu that includes, Millet Dhokla, Goti Pokodi, Tomato Ragi Omelette, Chicken Bhuna Sargam, Barlie Barlie Mutton pulao.

“Chinese are well versed with millets. They have “Conjee”, a porridge with a mix of total millets and total grains every day”, the Taj Pavilion owner M H Pastakia said. “With exclusive millet dishes, we are trying to show our Chinese customers that millets can be tasty in a main course like parathas and desserts”, he addressed the media.

“In some of these dishes, we have innovated with a mix of spices and included them in the main course and surprisingly they are being received well by our Chinese customers”, he added. Another popular Indian restaurant ‘Dastan’ hosted a Millet Festival 2023 with 25 dishes which saw the participation of the Indian Ambassador, Pradeep Kumar Rawat.

“In that event, we served 25 exclusive millet dishes which are widely appreciated by the Chinese, international and Indian guests,” Rabiul, an Indian chef who last year started a new Indian restaurant called Dastaan commented.

Millets are versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes, ranging from breakfast to dinner. They are also gluten-free and rich in nutrients, making them a healthy option for customers. By incorporating millets in their menu, restaurants can attract health-conscious customers who are looking for nutritious options. Additionally, millets are an affordable grain, which can help restaurants keep their costs low while still offering a unique and healthy menu item. 

The incorporation of millets in the menu has been successful for restaurants in India, attracting health-conscious customers, promoting millets as a sustainable crop, and creating new business opportunities.