Bringing a culinary amalgamation of flavors, aromas, and authenticity in his cooking, Sandeep Pande is executive chef at JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. A master in Mediterranean, Thai, Indian and French cuisines, Sandeep has been associated with the Marriott hotels for a prolonged time in his past endeavors where he lead the culinary forefront with innovation, passion, and dedication. Presently leading kitchens at JW Marriott Aerocity, he is continuously on a drive to elevate the hotels’ culinary experiences for their in-house and non-resident guests. “My enthusiasm has always pushed me to go beyond the realm of work and collaborate with other teams to create something wonderfully new. Hence, going beyond my culinary expertise, I also take an active interest in the overall F&B (food and beverage) operations,” he shared. Excerpts from the interview:

How the food at Marriott is different from other restaurants. How much time did you spend doing research on the food etc.?

Tastes change. Trends come and go. Throughout the world, our team of more than 3,000 executive chefs, expert culinarians, and mixologists bring the freshest concepts and ingredients together. From seasonal harvests from local producers for farm-to-table eating to innovative cuisine from our chefs, with tapas, build-it-yourself plates, comfort foods, and artisanal treats. There are small bites and big flavors. Desserts to take away. Non-traditional break options like food trucks, juice stands, nuts, dried fruit, and candy bars. And, of course, craft beverages, flavor-balanced cocktails, homemade infusions, and limited batches.

What is the biggest food innovation that you have brought to the menu in the past 2 to 3 years?

Keeping up with the food trends, I and my team have showcased new trendsetting desserts in the dessert buffets as part of our brunches. The guest's comments specifically mentioning our dessert buffets on Zomato and TripAdvisor have gone up by 40 percent and this has also been reflected in Delhi Baking Company which has seen an upwards trend by 30 percent and has helped cross monthly budgets and positioned it as the best Restaurant for desserts on Tripadvisor.

#ChefCurated: Our tagline is 'Do not feel boxed by the menu', if we have the makings we will make it for you. A brilliant mantra crafted by me for all our food and beverage offerings and this is what is conveyed to our guests by our managers as well.

Who are you targeting as your customer at Marriott restaurant? 

We are targeting the upper class, corporate, families, honeymooners, and travelers like premium, business, and leisure as its target customers. It believes in serving with integrity and excellence.

Chef, we see that 2020 has brought a complete change in the behavior of customers. How are you trying hard to meet their demand?

The current pandemic is changing customer behavior and will continue to have an influence even when the crisis subsides. The coronavirus crisis is forcing all customers to adopt new habits surrounding dining at restaurants and eating in general. After the pandemic has passed, customers expect to be much less reliant on takeout than they are now. The current pandemic is changing customer behavior and will continue to have an influence even when the crisis subsides.

Also, we see that Marriott is one of the first hotels to adapt to the new innovations including delivery. How has it given a new set of customers?

This has helped us shift the paradigm and opened a new customer base.

What according to you will be the 4 biggest trends in the coming years?

For me, trends are an opportunity to do something new not just from an individual standpoint, but on a macro level. The number of people availing of the services of the food industry is steadily increasing due to their increased disposable income. The food and beverage service industry are different from other industries in satisfying the needs of customers. It satisfies one of the most important physiological needs of the consumers, that is, hunger and thirst. Food and beverage have witnessed a healthy growth over the past couple of years and with this trend there have been some significant shake-ups. The sector has moved increasingly from imitation to innovation.

The continued rise of plant-based products: These days, plant-based foods are not only widely accepted by consumers, but they’ve also reached the mainstream. It’s not uncommon to find plant-based alternatives at the grocery store, in restaurants, or even at fast-food chains.

Convenience Foods: It’s no shock that consumers are busy, always looking to strike a better balance between work and life. As a result, shoppers want convenient and fresh food options that can keep up with their fast-paced lifestyle.

Food Transparency: More than ever before, consumers of today want to know where their food comes from and what’s in it. This trend is known as food transparency

Plant-based Milk: The next growth spurt for plant-based milk is going to come from grains. Oat milk has already set the stage for the acceptance of grain-based milk, with its taste and greater sustainability compared to almonds and other nuts. Interest in oat milk has overtaken the other top contenders in the space of alt milk.