Divya Sharma Amritsar, February 10 “Amritsar has a special place in Punjab when it comes to food. The city has its own uniqueness compared to other parts of the state. There is history attached to the taste of food here,” said Pushpesh Pant, famous food critic and food historian. The Padma Shri awardee, who was in the city with celebrity chef Ajay Chopra for a food festival, said the pride of Amritsaris was in their food and its taste had helped them maintain the quality of meals and dishes here over the years. “The delicacies of the city are so famous that people take pride in their food. Hence, high standards are maintained. No shortcuts are taken,” added Pant. Talking about the connection between Punjabis and food, Masterchef fame Ajay Chopra said, “It is the richness and vibrancy of the Punjabi food that make the lives of Punjabis revolve around it. There is a lot of emotion attached to food. Amritsar as a place is a perfect example of the Punjabi spirit attached to food. It is colourful and loved. We Punjabis live larger than life.” Talking about the changed perspective towards the food industry as a profession, Chopra feels the talk of food has multiplied over the years in the country. He said people had started appreciating the food industry as a profession. “There is a boost in a number of colleges that have started cuisine-related courses. The perception changed due to extensive exposure to food on various mass media and extensive travel. Today, people love to cook in different states too. It is primarily because of awareness on food,” said Chopra. Pant added, “Definitely, the exposure has helped people show more interest in food. The talk of food has multiplied over the years.”

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