Caterers trim menu, eschew fried food, simmering gravies

Mumbai: The LPG shortage has hit the catering industry too. Caterers are scrambling to acquire coal ‘chulhas' and electric stoves in the absence of commercial gas cylinders. Menus are being altered to avoid lengthy cooking processes. Rates have increased in certain cases.Caterers are avoiding fried items like puri, simmering gravies, biryani as well as live counters for dosa and tawa items that guzzle gas. Instead, salads, cold cuts, fruit platters, sandwiches and chaat are replacing these at birthday parties, religious functions and community gatherings.Rohit Yadav of R R Caterers in Andheri West, who does industrial and film catering, says, "We are shortening our menu and including more chaat items and cold foods like salads and chhaas. Hot puris, dosas and medu wadas are out."Yadav said, "Clients are not cancelling events. If a person is not directly affected, he doesn't understand our difficulty. In fact, clients are unhappy that vendors are helplessly offering alternatives or are unable to provide certain items. As industrial caterers, we are having difficulty procuring chapatis from chapati vendors, or readymade snacks."Fortunately, few weddings are scheduled at present, since the Muslim fast of Ramzan is under way as are the Christian solemnities of Lent. Hindu weddings will pick up pace in April. If gas supply is not restored by March 20, the first to be affected will be the post-Ramzan wedding rush.Raymond Rodrigues of Cynthia Caterers said, "We are witnessing a mix of cancellations, postponement and curtailment of menu. So far, charcoal is available so we are preparing some items. But Chinese cuisine is cooked on a high flame, so it cannot be done without gas. Luckily not many Christian weddings are scheduled since Lent is on."Caterer Chander Kochhar of Chander Caterers said, "This is just the start of the problem. Things may worsen. For instance, an event catering to 100 people involves the livelihood of around 20 families including cooks, servers, dish washers, cleaners and raw material suppliers. It requires two cylinders at least — one for cooking, another for live counter operations. If you have a dessert counter, add another cylinder. These days weddings are designed to impress, so sometimes eight cylinders are needed. At present, marriage parties cannot alter the mahurat, so they are going ahead. But people are postponing those events for which invitations have not yet been sent."