As eating out becomes a no-go zone, hotels tap into food delivery to reach their patrons while ensuring their safety, says Saimi Sattar
For all of us who are experiencing this moment, it is certainly a watershed time. From now on, we would always talk about life before and after the pandemic as nothing will ever be the same. Eating out was one of those things that we did without giving it a second thought as we took it for granted. Birthdays, anniversaries, catching up with friends, not in a mood to cook — all were good enough reasons to eat out. But with the lockdown and social distancing in place, dining out is certainly not an option, at least for sometime. But that does not have to mean that you miss out on dishes that you savour. Most of the five star hotels in the city have tapped the delivery route to dish out the favourites of their patrons. Many have seen a spike in delivery which earlier formed almost a negligible part of the services that they offered.
Executive Chef Vikram Ganpule at Andaz, Delhi says that a definite rise can be seen, “On a daily basis, at Annamaya restaurant there were three-four deliveries earlier. The number has now jumped to 10-12 orders per day.” But what has really surprised him is the rise in the demand for artisanal breads which, he says, they are making in larger quantities than was done during pre-lockdown.
According to Vivek Shukla, general manager, The LaLiT New Delhi and corporate affairs, deliveries have climbed up by 50 per cent at the hotel.
When it is about food, there are bound to be some dishes which are preferred more than the others. Biryani, in its multifarious variations, certainly makes the cut for most hotels and restaurants. Rohit Arora, area general manager, THE Park New Delhi says that it is this rice dish along with pizzas and pastries from Flurys that diners want to dig into most. The hotel can send it directly to its and has also enrolled the services of different delivery platforms for the same.
Ganpule lists something more specific. With the outbreak of the virus, there is certainly an increased focus on health and eating more wholesome food. “Our millet biryani, both with chicken and vegetables, has been ordered quite a few times. Then there are the good old favourites like butter chicken, kebabs and tikkas that have found favour. Our regular customers also specially request for our Lamb chops and Homestyle chicken curry which were popular on our regular menu but weren’t included on the delivery one. Even though people are a little wary of salads, Nutrition bomb which we make with in-house grown microgreens is also popular,” says Ganpule. The hotel has tied up with delivery services for the transport of the 30 odd selected items which is done in two slots, one at lunchtime and the other for dinner.
At LaLit too, it is the signature dishes that rule the menu. “Biryani, Dal Baluchi and chicken are the ones that are the ordered the most. There is a definite spike in bakery products — cakes, breads and other desserts also,” says Shukla. The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group’s outdoor catering vertical, The Lalit Food Truck Company looks after larger orders and more elaborate customised and bulk menu for families. This operates from eight in the morning to six in the evening while a special midnight menu can be delivered from 11 at night to four in the morning. Smaller orders are delivered through Swiggy and Zomato from 11 in the morning to 11 at night. The menu for this has snacks, grills, sandwiches biryani, main course dishes and desserts.
A new player on the delivery scene, Roseate Hotels & Resorts which started the service as recently as April 10, has seen the maximum interest in its bakery products like cakes, breads and more. These are delivered from seven in the morning to 10 at night. Interestingly, the delivery menu has a spread which includes macaroons for those with a sweet tooth as well as snacks like sandwiches, burgers and more. There are Indian restaurant specialities like Tandoori paneer tikka, Silbatte ki shammi, Murgh Kolhapuri, Chukundar chilgoze ki tikki, Malabar fish and more.
The selections are done and the idea that it can land on your table any moment does not necessarily mean that we can eat it without any apprehensions in the new world that has established its hold on our minds and hearts. Food delivery needs to be safe as became apparent when a pizza delivery boy infected with COVID-19 visited 72 households before being detected with the virus. So even though it can lead to a little more time, safety is paramount in days of the Coronavirus.
The checks at Andaz are at two levels — in the kitchen and also for the delivery service boys. Ganpule says, “We ensure in-house hygiene, temperature checks, social distancing and mask wearing without a single deviation. Since the lockdown, the team is staying in the hotel and when they come from their rooms, there is a specific path that they follow. Their temperatures are checked thrice everyday while entering, exiting the kitchen and once in between. There is a hygiene manager, who ensures that all the protocols are followed and that everyone is wearing gloves, masks while working.” Moreover, the hygiene standards are extended to the delivery services too as the temperatures of people who come to collect the food are checked as is the fact that they wear gloves and masks.
The LaLit is ensuring safety on its part by following all suggested sanitisation processes by WHO. The teams have been given intensive training, the property is regularly fumigated and kitchen surfaces cleaned. “All staff working in the kitchens and hotel premises are wearing face masks and hand gloves. All products — groceries and vegetables — are first collected at the landing bay, where they are washed and sanitised, before going to the kitchens for use. Our delivery channels ensure that the delivery men have gone through proper hygiene training. The food also has double layer of packing, so guests can easily discard the outside layer to avoid surface contact,” says Shukla.
Roseate too is doing its bit. Dr Ankur Bhatia, executive director, Roseate Hotels & Resorts points out, “We have contact less delivery and ensure safe packaging (double outer layer), multiple frequent sanitation of our kitchen utensils, regular temperature checks of all involved personnel to ensure safe food delivery.”
Neeraj Tyagi, Director of Culinary, Pullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity says that they are adhering to international standards as the food is prepared with the best in class safety measures and hygiene standards. “The delivery organisations too are using strict safety and hygiene protocols,” he says. The hotel does not deliver on its own but has tapped into the two food delivery services like the others.
Shukla says that the reason for the spike in delivery is because people are looking for a change. Arora points out the reason why hotels score when it comes to deliveries. He says, “Guests are slightly more comfortable to order directly from the hotel considering hygiene factors as compared to their neighbourhood restaurants. Moreover, the team is in constant touch with regular guests and at times goes out of its way to deliver favourites even if they are not a part of our customised menu.”
So the next time that you are craving for a meal from your favourite hotel, all you need to do is place that phone call or simply log in to your favourite ordering platform.