Food Festival in  Pondicherry- A Gastronomic Delight

Ever Been to a food festival, I am sure you had, it’s truly a paradise for food lovers like me. It’s like you get all your favorite food items at the same time in the same place. What else you could have asked for! There are so many varieties and quite a wide range of stalls to choose from, just one wish comes out of mouth that, “why God you didn’t give me two stomach and two mouths?” So here I am going to share with you all my experience at the Bon Appetit Food Festival in Pondicherry, that I took part in, on my last visit. I was very lucky that the festival started just on the day I arrived Pondicherry. Read all about my Pondicherry trip HERE and plan your trip. Without wasting time me and my elder sister visited on the second day of Bon Appetit The Food Festival in Pondicherry.

My Experience at the Food Festival in Pondicherry- Bon Appetit 2017

Bon Appetit , a Food Festival in Pondicherry which was organized by  Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 and Pondicherry Tourism from 14^th July to 16^th July. The event took place in Old Port Beach, Sea Gulls, Puducherry. It was “Eat For A Cause” event. Quite a wonderful initiative on the part of both the organization and Pondicherry Tourism. The venue was a huge ground which could make room for around thousands of visitors, volunteers were there who made sure peace and harmony was maintained.

This not-so new concept of Food Festivals are gaining grounds in India since past few years, the idea is simply brilliant entire festivals dedicated to only Food. Food lovers also get an awesome chance to taste exotic cuisines. This Food festival is also a classic medium of cultural exchange. Our country being so diverse in ethnicity, language, customs and tradition, the important of all is Food. Every state, every ethnic group have their own exclusive cuisines and Food Festivals are the only medium where people irrespective of individual differences can acquaint themselves with the dishes which they could really never had a chance of tasting. What else can you say about a country India which is known as a land of spices, where food is given more importance in weddings and other social occasions.

Nowadays restaurants and hotels have come up with their concept of various Food Festivals related to the cuisines of a specific state or ethnic groups. Mughal Food Festivals, Awadhi Food Festivals, Bengal Food Festivals just to name a few are various events organized in Guwahati, Assam by big hotels and restaurants.

Bon Appetite, food festival in Pondicherry was a altogether a large affair, from stalls of famous resorts and hotels of Pondicherry to Dominos Pizza to the local dhabas, local stalls in the beach area, to popular Cafes in Pondicherry, Bakery shops, juice stalls, ice-cream stalls, special south Indian stalls and what not, you just name it and you have it. 

My sister said around two or three years back there was a similar Food Festival in Pondicherry and I was very upset on hearing that, but I guess I was very lucky this time. At first we scanned all the stalls and the menus which was displayed just outside of each stall. I was so confused; I really didn’t know from where to start. We planned to start from those stalls which had something different and unique in their menu. The food was priced per plate so it was quite reasonable and affordable too. You just had to pay for only what you love to eat and as such there were no leftovers. I hate to leave behind food on my plate. And also due to small proportions of each item, we could taste a wide array of dishes. So here I am sharing some pictures of the items me and my sister had at the food festival. Hope you like them.