Bengaluru's hotel kitchens turn to machines for south Indian fare
Bengaluru: From soft idlis to crispy vadas, south Indian cuisine has always hinged on precision and a practised hand. But as the appetite for south Indian fare surges and skilled cooks grow scarce, Bengaluru's hotel kitchens are quietly adapting — by bringing machines into the masala.
The city's hospitality sector is already seeing machines roll out vadas and stir up steaming pots of pongal. Yet, industry veterans say, full automation remains out of reach — especially for food steeped in regional heritage and family recipes passed down over generations.
"South Indian cooks are particularly hard to find," PC Rao, honorary president of the Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA), said recently at the launch of the Media Day Marketing trade expo where equipment firms showcased new tools for the hospitality sector.
"We have vada-making machines and pongal systems, but someone still needs to measure and feed the ingredients. It's not yet 100% mechanised," Rao said.
Demand for bulk-catering solutions is driving part of this change and BHA president Subrahmanya Holla said machines are helpful where quantity matters.
"We use pongal machines in large setups. Vada-making too is easier when it is automated. But not everything can be handed over to the machine.
In a Mysore Pak production line we visited recently, there was still the need for a human hand to pour ghee and sugar at the right moment," Holla said.
At Konark Hotel, one of Bengaluru's long-standing establishments, owner K Rama Murthy has implemented high-tech combi-ovens that use steam and dry heat to prepare dishes like bisibele bath, pongal, and pulao.
"We can even roast masalas in it. But for shallow-frying, or making sambar and masala dosa, the machine has its limits," he said.
Murthy, with over four decades in the industry, pointed to the difficulty in fully codifying south Indian culinary knowledge. "It's generational wisdom. You can't just put it in a syllabus," he said, adding that Indian food is typically made-to-order, unlike standardised continental or fast-food options.
Some kitchens are also experimenting with advanced food technology such as freeze-drying or vacuum-packing to extend shelf life and preserve nutrition, but such methods remain costly.
Impact on hospitality edu
Meanwhile, hospitality schools are recalibrating their curriculum. At IIHM Bengaluru, students are now being trained on artificial intelligence-driven systems. "AI is streamlining kitchen operations — from menu planning to stock-taking," said Sanchari Chowdhury, the institute's director.
"In fact, a Japanese restaurant here uses technology to remember diners' preferences—where they sit, what they order," Chowdhury, who believes Bengaluru's tech-savvy mindset gives it an edge, Sanchari said.
She, however, added: "We have already replaced key cards with mobile check-ins. But even as roles evolve, the warm human presence is still crucial in hospitality."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Dollar firms as markets brace for Iran response to US attacks
The U.S. dollar firmed slightly on Monday as anxious investors sought safety, although the moves were muted so far suggesting markets were waiting for Iran's response to U.S. attacks on its nuclear sites that have exacerbated tension in the Middle East. The major moves were in the oil market, with oil prices hitting a five-month high, while global stocks slipped in the first market reaction to the U.S. attacks over the weekend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo In currency markets, the dollar advanced broadly against most rivals. It was up 0.25% against the Japanese yen at 146.415 after touching a one-month high earlier in the session. The euro was 0.33% lower at $1.1484, while the Australian dollar, often seen as risk proxy, weakened 0.2% to $0.6437, hovering near its lowest level in over three weeks. That left the dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six other units, 0.12% higher at 99.037. Sterling was 0.25% lower at $1.34175, while the New Zealand dollar also fell 0.24% to $0.5952. Live Events Carol Kong, currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia , said the markets are in wait-and-see mode on how Iran responds, with more worries about the positive inflationary impact of the conflict than the negative economic impact. "The currency markets will be at the mercy of comments and actions from the Iranian, Israeli and U.S. governments. The risks are clearly skewed to further upside in the safe haven currencies if the parties escalate the conflict." Iran vowed to defend itself a day after the U.S. dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs onto the mountain above Iran's Fordow nuclear site. American leaders urged Tehran to stand down while pockets of anti-war protests emerged in U.S. cities. In a step towards what is widely seen as Iran's most effective threat to hurt the West, its parliament approved a move to close the Strait of Hormuz. Nearly a quarter of global oil shipments pass through the narrow waters that Iran shares with Oman and the United Arab Emirates. "Markets appear to be treating the U.S. strikes on Iran as a contained event for now, rather than the start of a broader war," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo. "The muted haven flows suggest investors are still assuming this is a one-off escalation, not a disruption to global oil supply or trade." While the dollar has reprised its role as a safe haven due to the rapid escalation in geopolitical tension, the relatively muted moves suggested investors remain wary of going all in on the greenback. The U.S. currency has dropped 8.6% this year against its major rivals as economic uncertainty from President Donald Trump's tariffs and concern over their impact on U.S. growth has led to investors scurrying for alternatives. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was up 1.3% in early trading after dropping about 4% on Sunday, while ether rose 2.3% on Monday after sliding 9% in the previous session.
India Gazette
22 minutes ago
- India Gazette
India can play proactive role in stopping Iran-Israel war, says West Asia strategist Awwad
New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): West Asia expert and veteran journalist Waiel Awwad on Sunday said that India can play a proactive role in stopping the ongoing war between Iran and Israel. While speaking to ANI about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Awwad emphasised that India should leverage its position to de-escalate tensions in the region. '...Prime Minister Modi has said that this era is not for war. Peace should prevail. India will be affected by the war situation in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries and the Persian Gulf. Food and oil security will be affected...7 billion dollars of Indian revenue is generated there, so India will suffer...,' he said. 'India says that it is taking a leadership position -- even the G20 was held here -- which means India can play a proactive role in stopping this war,' he added. PM Modi on Sunday spoke with the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing deep concern at the recent escalations and called for 'immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy'. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, 'Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations.' He emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution and added, 'Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability.' During the intervening hours of Saturday and Sunday, the US and Israel targeted Iran's nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. Fardow is Iran's main enrichment location for uranium enrichment to 60 per cent. According to a CNN report, the US likely used six B-2 bombers to drop a dozen GBU-57 A/B 'bunker buster' bombs, also known as Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP), on the Fordow nuclear site, which is Iran's main location for uranium enrichment. A US official also told CNN that a full payload of bombs was dropped on Fordow. In his first public remarks following the strikes, President Trump warned that further action could be taken if Tehran fails to agree to a satisfactory peace settlement. 'There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we've witnessed over the last eight days,' Trump said in his address to the nation from the White House on Saturday (local time). (ANI)
Mint
33 minutes ago
- Mint
Indian stock market: 7 key things that changed for market over weekend- Gift Nifty, Israel-Iran war to oil prices
Indian stock market: Indian indices - Sensex and Nifty 50 - are likely to open on subdued note on Monday amid escalating tensions in Middle East. Asian markets plunged on Monday, meanwhile, US stock market closed in red, following the United States' strike on three nuclear facilities in Iran. On Friday, India's benchmark stock indices ended a three-day losing streak, rising over 1%, driven by short-covering ahead of the upcoming monthly derivatives expiry and relief over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to delay involvement in Israel's offensive against Iran. The Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex both climbed 1.3%, closing at 25,112.40 and 82,408.17 points, respectively. The rally in the Nifty 50 was supported by strong gains in major stocks including HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, and ICICI Bank. 'Markets witnessed consolidation after the recent spell of subdued trend, as strong European cues and positive Dow Futures triggered a massive rally in local benchmarks. Investors also resorted to short covering ahead of next week's monthly derivatives expiry. Despite the rebound, investors would still maintain caution due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, as any spike in crude oil prices owing to escalation in tension could fuel uncertainty and spook markets," said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd. Asia-Pacific markets tumbled on Monday following the United States' strike on three nuclear facilities in Iran, which drove up oil prices and heightened investor concerns over a potential escalation in the Middle East conflict. Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 0.58%, while the broader Topix index slipped 0.48%. South Korea's Kospi index declined 1.16%, and the tech-heavy Kosdaq saw a sharper fall of 1.99%. Meanwhile, futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index were at 23,396, indicating a weaker start compared to its previous close of 23,530.48. Gift Nifty was trading around 24,977 level, a discount of nearly 152 points from the Nifty futures' previous close, indicating a muted start for the Indian stock market indices. U.S. equity futures declined during early Asian trading hours after American military strikes in Iran. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped 109 points, or 0.3%, while futures linked to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively. On Friday, two of Wall Street's major indexes closed lower as investors monitored escalating tensions in the Middle East and weighed the Federal Reserve's outlook on interest rate cuts. The S&P 500 dipped 0.22% to close at 5,967.84, marking its third straight loss. The Nasdaq Composite slid 0.51% to end at 19,447.41, whereas the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up by 35.16 points, or 0.08%, finishing at 42,206.82. The world watched with tension on Sunday as Iran prepared to respond to a major U.S. assault on its nuclear facilities—marking the most significant Western military action against the country since its 1979 revolution and carried out in coordination with Israel. A day after the U.S. deployed 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs targeting the mountain above Iran's Fordow nuclear site, Iran pledged to defend itself. Meanwhile, U.S. leaders called on Tehran to exercise restraint, even as anti-war protests began to surface in cities across America. The U.S. dollar edged up modestly on Monday as cautious investors turned to safer assets, though the gains were limited, indicating that markets were awaiting Iran's reaction to U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities, which have heightened tensions in the Middle East. In the currency market, the dollar strengthened against most major currencies. It rose by 0.25% against the Japanese yen, reaching 146.415 after hitting a one-month high earlier in the day. Oil prices surged on Monday to their highest levels since January, driven by concerns over supply after the United States joined Israel in striking Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend. As of 0117 GMT, Brent crude futures rose by $1.92, or 2.49%, to $78.93 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed $1.89, or 2.56%, to $75.73 per barrel. Brent has climbed 13% since the conflict started on June 13, while WTI has increased by approximately 10%. Gold prices are likely to be under scanner following a significant escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict, as former U.S. President Donald Trump announced America's involvement in the war. On Friday, gold prices remained largely unchanged. Spot gold hovered at $3,369.63 per ounce—its lowest level since June 12—while the overall index recorded a weekly decline of 1.8 per cent. Meanwhile, U.S. gold futures dropped by 0.7 per cent to $3,385.50. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
