The world's best food destinations serving tourists the worst versions of their cuisine
Ben Groundwater recently wrote an article carrying the abovementioned title in the Traveller newsletter. He listed seven countries or rather labeled them as been among some of the planets best food destinations, where local hotels were serving tourists a poor version of their cuisine; namely Chile, Italy, Myanmar, Vietnam, Jordan, Iran and wait for it…Sri Lanka!
The same writer wrote another article outlining every Anglo-Saxon’s favourite non-Indian Indian dish - the chicken tikka masala. Alluding that this dish, which popped out in the UK in the 1960s or early 1970, he claims the true origins of chicken tikka masala to revolve around many theories. One been that it was invented by a Bangladeshi chef in Glasgow, another by several cooks of Bangladeshi origin in England; a third theory that it was created by an Indian chef in London using Campbell’s tomato soup…or that it’s actually a little known Punjabi dish that a migrant chef popularized in the UK. Now that’s going to infuriate a lot of Indians. However that’s another story for another day.
Returning to his pick of destinations that serve tourists the worse versions of their cuisine, this is what he had to say of Sri Lanka, Quote… “There are few things sadder than a Sri Lankan hotel buffet. The hotels take this amazing cuisine, these curries and sambals that, when eaten in $2-a-plate hole-in-the-wall restaurants across the country, will slap you fair in the face with flavour after flavour – and they kill it. They wring the life out of it. They dial down all of the flavours. They take out the spices, and the herbs, and everything that makes Sri Lankan food great, and serve up a bain-marie of boredom instead. My advice: give the hotels a big miss and stick to cheap local restaurants”…unquote.
A crucial element of F&B services that holds enormous potential as a strategic attraction to a destination is indigenous cuisine. Local dishes of destinations have been documented as attractions in their own right. In this respect, Sri Lanka boasts of a fascinating culinary heritage, blended by a unique fusion of local ingredients with recipes and spices brought to the island in the past by Arabs, Malays, Portuguese, Dutch and Indians. Whilst many independent restaurants and street food vendors have taken advantage to make local dishes as an authentic part of the eating-out experience, sadly, the same cannot be said of restaurants in many hotels. And what Ben Groundwater says is not far off the mark.
Many of the chefs in hotels, some less gifted than others, compensate for a lack of culinary subtlety with the liberal use of ‘chilli’ powder – and that can make it devilishly hot. Others view foreigners as likely to collapse at the slightest mention of the word ‘spicy’ and thus prepare bland Sri Lankan dishes. Consequently, Sri Lankan food served in star class hotels does no justice to how wonderful a properly cooked Sri Lankan dish can taste.
Ilzaf Keefahs is a freelance writer who enjoys focusing on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. He delves into the heart of hospitality to figure out both customer service and consumer trends that impact the industry.
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