by Vijaylakshmi
ITC Hotel’s senior master chef Gulam M Qureshi is in Bengaluru overseeing the launch of Dum Pukht at the ITC Windsor, Bengaluru—a return to the true flavours of the hotel chain’s culinary expertise. Sourcecaught up with Qureshi on the eve of the launch of the newly redone Dum Pukht (moving away from the earlier version of Dum Pukht Jolly Nabobs which had Anglo-Indian dishes on the menu) on June 14, 2024.
Qureshi is a man who has a crucial role in keeping the tradition of Awadhi cuisine alive. A family tradition which began according to him, generations ago, with his forefathers cooking for the royal family. He recalled how it was Ajit Haksar inviting the late great Imtiaz Qureshi to cook him a feast in Lucknow during the launch of one of the company’s iconic cigarette brands in 1975.
Qureshi, who’s related to the maestro Imtiaz Qureshi, recalled how he himself has been working in ITC Maurya from when it started in 1977 – first in Bukhara and then Dum Pukht when it launched in 1988 – and has been associated with the restaurant and its cuisine since.
The recipes used on the menu are the product of many months of research and development that was commissioned by ITC and has stood the test of time.
“All the traditional kitchens of the Islamic royal families in India fall under the umbrella of what can be classified as Mughal or Mughlai cuisine,” Qureshi said. A tradition that he now carries on in his dishes which are remarkably the same to what was served in the original Dum Pukht restaurant in New Delhi.
The secret to keeping standards up, Qureshi confessed, is to be absolutely uncompromising when it comes to sourcing materials and ensuring only the best quality is used.
“Quality (of materials) existed when the restaurant launched and quality exists now. It’s simple, you need to pay for what you buy. You may buy elaichi at INR 2000 a kilo, while the one I choose may be INR 3500. It is simply about choosing and using the best,” he said.
Qureshi says he will be visiting the Bengaluru restaurant on and off and making sure that the team develops an understanding of the 44 dishes that have been curated for diners. Standards will not slip under his eagle eye, he said.
The restaurant will be open for dinner during the week with lunch on weekends.
