The icing on the cake while covering a sport

The Hindu

4 hours ago

More than a decade ago, my professor at journalism school advised us to always carry a few chocolates or an energy bar while we were on the field. This was to counter the uncertain world of day-to-day reporting, where both availability of food and windows to eat are erratic.
However, I took up sports journalism, where a day is more structured. We know of events beforehand, and we usually cover a sport which has designated breaks for lunch and tea, and of late, even dinner. This has given us the opportunity to explore multiple culinary worlds. So much so that the lunch and tea spreads rank second in the list of our curiosities, just below the great sport itself.
There are those who consider catering at stadiums as an enabler and not a main event. It helps scribes do their jobs without having to worry about filling their stomachs. It is a complimentary service, not a right. But cricket in India — at least at a majority of the stadiums — has such good arrangements for food that it has become an integral part of our experience.
In this, I can say with authority — and can speak for a lot of others too — that Chennai and its iconic venue Chepauk ranks the best. It did when I worked there from 2012 to 2015, and it still did when I went back last year.
During IPL 2024, one favourite dish was kalan pattani milagu peratal (mushrooms and green peas cooked in crushed black pepper and onion masala). It was rich and layered, in line with its long name and elaborate explanation.
Bengaluru, my home city; Indore, widely regarded as the street food capital of India; and Ahmedabad, which I have visited often in the past two years, offer excellent spreads too.
In fact, cricket reporters regularly upload photos of 'today's menu' on social media platforms, and two enthusiastic journalists even started a web portal to document each venue and the food it had to offer.
A month ago, I landed in Leeds, United Kingdom, to cover the opening match of the ongoing five-match Test series between England and India. I had, of course, packed my usual set of ready-to-eat meals, but I was very much looking forward to the lunch and tea buffets at the famed cricket ground in Headingley.
Mac and cheese and one boiled vegetable welcomed me on day one. With that, my bubble, which had swollen disproportionately because of years of pampering, burst immediately.
The local press corps was upset with the cuisine too, and though things got better in the days ahead and the desserts were outstanding throughout, the first afternoon was a rough reminder that catering was indeed a service and not a right.
My colleagues from other Indian media houses, who had past experience of covering cricket in England, assured me that I would be better off in Birmingham, the venue for the second Test. The West Midlands city has a significant Asian population and I was desperate to see that rich diversity reflect in my plate.
The Industrial Revolution-era megapolis did not disappoint, with the first afternoon offering masala chickpea salad, Indian chopped salad, slow cooked carrots and broccoli, and home-made flavoured bread. To round it off, there was chocolate mint with chocolate mousse and egg custard tart, tickling my taste buds no end.
Wimbledon, my last stop of the work tour, was predictable but perfect. From the menu to the chefs to the counter-managers in the media cafeteria, nothing had changed much since my first visit in 2019. The world famous strawberries and cream was inflation-proof from 2010 to 2024 at £2.50, and rose by 20 pennies only this edition.
And like a champion tennis player's repeatable technique, the catering at the All England Club delivers every single time. A great service that everyone rightfully enjoys.
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