A Symphony of Assamese Flavours Unleashed at Tamra, Shangri-La Eros New Delhi

Journey through Assam: a week-long culinary extravaganza with Chef Santa Sarmah.

(New Delhi, December 2023) Shangri-La Eros New Delhi warmly invites discerning guests to partake in a culinary exploration of Assamese flavours during a captivating week-long pop-up at Tamra, the renowned multi-cuisine restaurant. From 11 to 17 December 2023, both lunch and dinner will showcase delicious Assamese cuisine, featuring a diverse range of signature dishes.

A virtuoso hailing from the vibrant town of Tezpur, in India’s Assam region, Chef Santa Sarmah takes centre stage during the pop-up event. Her journey, fuelled by a passion for cooking that originated from the cherished memories of her mother's kitchen, has evolved into a remarkable career. Despite challenges, Chef Santa persevered and transformed her passion into a profession, earning recognition and accolades.

This Assamese culinary extravaganza promises to envelop every patron in the unique and vibrant flavours of Assam, presenting signature dishes like Sungo Mangkho (chicken cooked in fresh bamboo), Patol Dia Mas (steamed fish in banana leaves), Mas Pura (roasted fish), Bahor Gaj Di Bhoja Mangkho (fried chicken with fermented bamboo shoots), Hah Kumura (duck with ash gourd), Masor Tenga (fish curry), Kukura Mangkho Jalukia (chicken curry with bhoot Jalukia chili), Amita Khar, Masor Mur Di Laor Khar and Ketli Mukhot Diya Pitha (steamed rice flour cake).

Guests are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant tapestry of Assamese flavours, with each bite representing a journey through tradition and innovation, exclusively at Tamra. It's not only a dining experience but also an opportunity to savour the richness of Assam's culinary heritage, meticulously presented by Chef Santa Sarmah. The lunch buffet is priced at INR 3,000 plus taxes, while the dinner buffet is priced at INR 3,200 plus taxes.

To learn more about this exclusive experience, please contact the hotel at tamra.slnd@shangri-la.com, +91 11 4119 1010 or via the hotel’s website.

About Chef Santa Sarmah

Santa Sarmah was born and raised in a multi-cultural family in the beautiful town of Tezpur, Assam. Memories of food cooked in her mother's kitchen kept her going as she earned laurels among friends and family for her culinary skills. What started as a necessity at an early age, due to her mother’s passing, soon became a passion! Santa got married in 2010 and moved to the small hamlet of Amilighat, about 100 kilometres away from the nearest city. Being in a small town with extremely limited infrastructure was very challenging for Santa. Often, she would not be able to find ingredients and the equipment required to try her ideas. In spite of these difficulties, Santa kept her culinary dreams alive by learning from her favourite chefs through online means whenever she could, even while managing her household. Slowly, she started her commercial journey as a home chef and baker in 2015, supported by her husband. One of her major breakthroughs came in 2019 when she participated in a televised regional cooking contest, even though she didn’t make it to the final at the time. The following year, with extreme grit and determination, she went on to win the show title, ‘Grihini Superstar’, and became a popular name in cooking circles. The pandemic, however, delayed her leveraging this opportunity; but rather than feeling dejected, she utilised all the down time to hone her culinary skills, taking part in online collaborations and cooking challenges. In 2022, she was shortlisted for the national TV show, MasterChef Season 7, where she was one of the top finalists, and also earned the moniker of ‘the fearless gorkhali’.

Her aim is to bring the little-known yet flavoursome Assamese and Gorkhali cuisines to the forefront, with a modern and contemporary twist. She believes that homemakers also have immense potential and that with the support of family members they can achieve a lot. Coming from an extremely humble background in Assam, with little exposure and resources, Chef Santa is the embodiment of courage, grit and determination in the culinary world.

----