“My god Karnataka is actually huge!” Chef Jolly from JW Marriott with a group of other chefs travelled to the coastal regions in Karnataka to experience the local cuisine like never before. “We could not cover the whole state so we focussed on Udupi Brahmins, Mangalore Shettys, fisher – folk and Coorg Kodavas.”

JW Marriott is a global brand name, but the chefs wanted to stay grounded and be connected to the traditional cuisine. So last month they drove down the NH 48. They tried to get a wiff of the local culture so they avoided the high end hotels. It was all about street vendors, roadside food stalls and home cooked meals. The chefs went onto the fishermen boats and handled the fresh fish. “We were smelling of pomfret by the end of the day”

Chef learnt from the aunties and uncles of the area. “Recipe books are great but there is nothing like an aunty telling you ‘it takes four whistles in the pressure cooker’ and ‘this is the right way to grind the masala’. It's all about that personal touch.”

Now the menu is ready for all of us diners to try. Dishes such as the Kumbala Curry and Kadam Buttu from the Coorg Kodavas, Chicken Sukka and Silver Fish Curry from the Mangalore Shettys and vegetarian delights such as Gulla Huli and Thondekai Palya from the kitchens of the Udupi Brahmins offer a reflection flavours of these regions.

The Culinary Journey through NH-48 Festival will last 10 days starting February 19, 2016 at the JW Kitchen.

JW Kitchen, JW Marriott, Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore