E-Paper
Chefs Suvir Saran and Nishant Choubey spice up HT City Unwind 2026 with a flavour-forward vegetarian cookout on Day 2
Avocado chaat with popcorn crunch to beetroot tikki, chefs Suvir Saran and Nishant Choubey celebrated vegetarian food on Day 2 of HT City Unwind at JLN Stadium.
The fifth edition of HT City Unwind: The Ultimate Food and Music Carnival kept the flavours coming on February 8 with HT City Foodies Signature Kitchen, powered by Zappfresh.com and presented by Prestige. The cookout was part of the larger festival co-presented by Krasa, and it drew a lively mix of home chefs, food lovers and curious onlookers.
Day 2 was all about celebrating vegetarian food, with chefs Suvir Saran and Nishant Choubey bringing bold flavours, fresh ideas and plenty of personality to the kitchen.
Food blogger Kirti Patani said the session offered insights that went beyond the plate. “The chef’s gyaan about the difference between gur and cheeni was very important. Hum aksar swap karte rehte hain, but pata nahi hota ki kyun nahi karna chahiye. Cheeni ko cheeni ki tarah hi use karna chahiye,” she shared.
A musical kitchen moment
The mood shifted as Chef Nishant Choubey made a dramatic, Bollywood-style entry to the beats of Bahraini hip-hop song Fa9La, pulling home chefs onto their feet and turning the cooking area into a full-blown musical kitchen.
Once the energy settled, Choubey showcased inventive vegetarian dishes, including avocado cooked in a cream-doodh malai style makhni sauce and a beetroot tikki paired with cream cheese.
Speaking about his approach, he said vegetarian food often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. “Vegetarian options are usually taken for granted, especially when weddings and big functions depend so much on veg food. This is my way of showing creativity with ingredients, focusing on pairing the right flavours and experimenting with local produce,” he explained.
On getting the audience to dance mid-session, he laughed, “It’s important to keep it lively. I love dancing and this is my skill other than my cooking.”
Lessons beyond recipes
For many home chefs, the session offered practical takeaways beyond cooking techniques. Home chef Vanshika Trehan said the ingredient-focused advice stood out for her. “My favourite part was when the chef spoke about checking ingredients and staying away from artificial ones, especially artificial food colours. Learning how to identify the right ingredients was very helpful,” she said.
Festival love from the crowd
Influencer Mehak Dhawan summed up the mood, calling the event a clear favourite on the city’s food calendar. “HT City Unwind is the OG fest. It is the baap of all food festivals,” she said.
All this and more played out at HT City Unwind 2026.
Watch this space for more from the festival.
CELEBRATION PARTNER – GRANTS, ASSOCIATE PARTNER – LONE WOLF, LIFESTYLE PARTNER – CANTABIL, INTIMATE WELLNESS PARTNER – MANFORCE EPIC CONDOMS, HEALTH PARTNER – HEALIC HOSPITAL, TRAVEL PARTNER – DPauls Travel & Tours Ltd., EXPERIENCE PARTNER – CHIC MANAGEMENT
