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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
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."
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Automation in Bengaluru's kitchens: Hotels seek solutions to South Indian cook shortage
Representative Image BENGALURU: As demand for South Indian cuisine surges and hotels face a cook shortage, many are seeking new ways to integrate advanced technology into their kitchens. While automation in the hotel industry is not a new concept, it is now entering a new phase, with a focus on further automating tasks traditionally done by human hands. "Particularly South Indian cooks are hard to find," says PC Rao, Honorary President, Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA). "We have machines for vada-making, pongal preparation, and more, but there's still a need for someone to measure the ingredients and feed them into the machines. It is not 100% mechanised yet." He was talking to TOI on the sidelines of the launch of Media Day Marketing trade expo where equipment industries will meet the hospitality sector. Echoing his sentiments, President of Bangalore Hotels Association, Subrahmanya Holla said, "It's interesting how things will unfold, and we're also waiting to see." Holla, whose own hotel still favours a hands-on approach, acknowledges that machines can be a good solution for bulk production, such as in catering. "Vada making makes sense in high-volume business. Pongal machines are already in use. But you can't fully mechanise everything. Some things still require ahuman touch, like pouring ghee and sugar, in a Mysore Pak production line," Holla shares. K Rama Murthy, owner of Konark Hotel on Residency Road, who was in the industry for over 40 years, addresses the challenges in complete automation of South Indian food. "South Indian food is passed down generationally. It is not something we can easily put in a syllabus for students. Hence, while the automation of beverage preparation, like cocktail mixing, is already common, the same is harder to achieve with food. For Indian food, especially South Indian items, it is made to order." He finds the fresh food production segment at a crossroads. New manpower laws have made hiring and retaining fresh-food staff more challenging, shrinking the pool of cooks willing to learn complex, made-to-order South Indian recipes. Advanced solutions like freeze-drying plants or vacuum-packed ready-cook systems are emerging to retain higher nutrition levels, but are expensive, he added. At his hotel, he uses automation. Murthy elaborates on the same: Three-star hotels in the city have adopted this technology—a combi-oven, which can cook with steam and dry heat—giving you rice, steam veg, pulao, any rice item—bisibele bath and pongal. You can roast masalas in the machine in a systematic way. There are limitations—shallow frying and traditional methods, like masala dosa preparation, or making sambar. For Uddina vadas, there is a separate machine—the dough gets dropped like doughnuts. "We also have an in-house South Indian filter dispensing machine, and are looking for idli dropping and cooking systems," he said, being the go-to person on automation in the sector. Hospitality students are also training on the growing role of AI in the sector, including streamlining kitchen operations. Sanchari Chowdhury, Director at IIHM Bangalore, said, "Although human touch is still very much needed in hospitality, AI helps in menu planning, stock taking, and ingredient percentages, making the process faster. Even experiences are curated using tech—a Japanese restaurant in the city has automated the process of learning its guest's food and seating preference. " "We are in a city that has accepted automation well," she adds. "Key cards in hotels are replaced by mobile check-ins. Roles in hospitality are changing—but the warm body is very needed in hospitality even today."
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
100% excise licence fee hike jolts liquor industry
The government must immediately withdraw this exorbitant increase in licence renewal fees – PC Rao, President, Bangalore Hotel Association licence renewal fee In a major blow to the liquor industry, the Karnataka government has sharply increased the excise licence renewal fees by up to 100%, aiming to boost revenue collection to fund its flagship guarantee schemes. The revised rates will come into effect from July 1, coinciding with the start of the excise year in the Excise Department, which is the second-largest contributor to the state's revenue, expects to generate an additional Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore annually through this hike. The Finance Department has issued a formal order notifying the fee revision across various licence categories, both in urban and rural areas. For instance, a licence that previously cost Rs 2 lakh will now require Rs 4 lakh, and those at Rs 4 lakh have been revised to Rs 8 lakh, marking a significant increase across the is the first major fee hike since 2016, although the government had previously floated the idea several times. It was repeatedly deferred due to strong opposition from liquor associations. However, the current fiscal push has overridden such concerns, triggering anxiety among liquor vendors and bar said that the revised excise licence fee structure has seen steep hikes across all major categories. For instance, the CL-9 licence for bars and restaurants has increased from Rs 8.62 lakh to Rs 17.25 lakh, marking a hike of Rs 8.63 lakh. Similarly, the CL-7 boarding licence now costs Rs 19.55 lakh, up from Rs 9.75 lakh, reflecting a rise of Rs 9.8 lakh. The CL-5 retail outlet licence fee has doubled from Rs 11.5 lakh to Rs 23 hike impacts all 13,567 excise licences currently issued in Karnataka, which includes 3,999 liquor retail outlets, 3,642 CL-9 bar and restaurant licences, 3,030 CL-7 boarding licences, and 303 CL-4 club licences. In addition to these, distilleries, breweries, and godowns have also seen licence fee hikes exceeding 100%. The brewery licence fee has gone up from Rs 27 lakh to Rs 34 lakh, while the fee for godowns has doubled from Rs 45 lakh to Rs 90 lakh, significantly increasing the financial burden on the liquor industry across the urban municipal zones with populations over 20 lakh, thehas increased to Rs 12 lakh, and in other municipal areas, it has gone up to Rs 10 lakh. Smaller towns and panchayat areas will now pay Rs 8 hike comes at a time when liquor sales are already slowing due to increased taxes on beer and spirits earlier this year. Industry representatives have expressed alarm, calling the move a 'major financial blow.' 'The government must immediately withdraw this exorbitant increase in licence renewal fees,' demanded PC Rao, President of the Bangalore Hotel Association. As Karnataka targets Rs 40,000 crore in excise revenue for 2025, up from Rs 36,500 crore last year, the burden on the liquor industry is set to intensify.
