New Delhi is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit from September 12 to 13, with many world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in attendance.
Some of the most meaningful conversations may begin not in the Summit's conference rooms but around the dining table. For that, the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, has been preparing a culinary experience designed to introduce international delegates to India's rich food heritage while making them feel at home.
According to a report by news agency ANI, Executive Chef Kaushik Misra is at the centre of these preparations. He has overseen months of research and planning to curate menus that bring together India's regional flavours, familiar comfort foods and culinary references from the participating countries.
Deep Dive
What is the 'India Friendship Menu' prepared for delegates at the BRICS Summit?
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He said ‘India Friendship Menu’ has been conceptualised specifically for in-room dining, bringing together classics associated with Delhi and different parts of India.
By combining regional specialities with flavours familiar to international guests, the menu aims to create a sense of comfort while offering a glimpse into the breadth of India's culinary culture.
What is being served at the BRICS Summit 2026?
Among the dishes mentioned by chef Kaushik Misra are Nalli Nihari and pepper fry with almonds, alongside other curated offerings. But the culinary experience extends beyond the main menu.
{{/usCountry}}Among the dishes mentioned by chef Kaushik Misra are Nalli Nihari and pepper fry with almonds, alongside other curated offerings. But the culinary experience extends beyond the main menu.
{{/usCountry}}The hotel has incorporated flowers and ingredients as sources of inspiration, including the lotus and orchids, and transformed these references into curated pralines, mithais and savouries. The intention is to make the food presentation itself part of the larger experience, allowing delegates to encounter Indian ingredients and aesthetics in different forms," he told ANI.
The chef added, "One of the more distinctive elements is a culinary map of India, designed to introduce delegates to the country's geographical and gastronomic diversity. The concept brings together references to different capitals and states, with regional savouries representing the distinct food traditions found across the country."
Chef Misra said the initiative also seeks to educate visitors about India's culinary landscape.
"Alongside the food, a concept note has been prepared to explain the thinking behind the offerings and the significance of the ingredients and preparations selected for the summit. That attention to detail has required months of preparation. Misra said the team spent between three and six months researching the preferences of delegates, including their likes and dislikes, before putting together the final experience," he said.
And perhaps the most personal touch comes in the form of a recipe book being presented to the delegates.
According to Misra, it contains chef-curated recipes from their mothers, a keepsake intended to be taken home with them after the summit.
In a gathering shaped by discussions on cooperation among nations, the gesture adds an intimate dimension to the idea of cultural exchange.
The recipe book, much like the ‘India Friendship Menu’, turns food into something more than hospitality: a memory, a conversation starter, and a way to carry a piece of the experience beyond the summit.
More about the BRICS Summit 2026
The 18th BRICS Summit is being held under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, with development, sustainability and innovation forming key areas of focus.
BRICS has emerged as an important platform for coordination among major emerging economies and for advancing the interests of the Global South in multilateral institutions. Its agenda spans development, finance, technology, trade and people-to-people exchanges.
The grouping currently comprises 11 countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the UAE. Collectively, its members account for around 49.5 per cent of the global population, 40 per cent of global GDP and 26 per cent of global trade.