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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Bengaluru's hotel kitchens turn to machines for south Indian fare
Bengaluru: From soft idlis to crispy vadas, south Indian cuisine has always hinged on precision and a practised hand. But as the appetite for south Indian fare surges and skilled cooks grow scarce, Bengaluru's hotel kitchens are quietly adapting — by bringing machines into the masala. The city's hospitality sector is already seeing machines roll out vadas and stir up steaming pots of pongal. Yet, industry veterans say, full automation remains out of reach — especially for food steeped in regional heritage and family recipes passed down over generations. "South Indian cooks are particularly hard to find," PC Rao, honorary president of the Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA), said recently at the launch of the Media Day Marketing trade expo where equipment firms showcased new tools for the hospitality sector. "We have vada-making machines and pongal systems, but someone still needs to measure and feed the ingredients. It's not yet 100% mechanised," Rao said. Demand for bulk-catering solutions is driving part of this change and BHA president Subrahmanya Holla said machines are helpful where quantity matters. "We use pongal machines in large setups. Vada-making too is easier when it is automated. But not everything can be handed over to the machine. In a Mysore Pak production line we visited recently, there was still the need for a human hand to pour ghee and sugar at the right moment," Holla said. At Konark Hotel, one of Bengaluru's long-standing establishments, owner K Rama Murthy has implemented high-tech combi-ovens that use steam and dry heat to prepare dishes like bisibele bath, pongal, and pulao. "We can even roast masalas in it. But for shallow-frying, or making sambar and masala dosa, the machine has its limits," he said. Murthy, with over four decades in the industry, pointed to the difficulty in fully codifying south Indian culinary knowledge. "It's generational wisdom. You can't just put it in a syllabus," he said, adding that Indian food is typically made-to-order, unlike standardised continental or fast-food options. Some kitchens are also experimenting with advanced food technology such as freeze-drying or vacuum-packing to extend shelf life and preserve nutrition, but such methods remain costly. Impact on hospitality edu Meanwhile, hospitality schools are recalibrating their curriculum. At IIHM Bengaluru, students are now being trained on artificial intelligence-driven systems. "AI is streamlining kitchen operations — from menu planning to stock-taking," said Sanchari Chowdhury, the institute's director. "In fact, a Japanese restaurant here uses technology to remember diners' preferences—where they sit, what they order," Chowdhury, who believes Bengaluru's tech-savvy mindset gives it an edge, Sanchari said. She, however, added: "We have already replaced key cards with mobile check-ins. But even as roles evolve, the warm human presence is still crucial in hospitality."
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Automation in Bengaluru's kitchens: Hotels seek solutions to South Indian cook shortage
Representative Image BENGALURU: As demand for South Indian cuisine surges and hotels face a cook shortage, many are seeking new ways to integrate advanced technology into their kitchens. While automation in the hotel industry is not a new concept, it is now entering a new phase, with a focus on further automating tasks traditionally done by human hands. "Particularly South Indian cooks are hard to find," says PC Rao, Honorary President, Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA). "We have machines for vada-making, pongal preparation, and more, but there's still a need for someone to measure the ingredients and feed them into the machines. It is not 100% mechanised yet." He was talking to TOI on the sidelines of the launch of Media Day Marketing trade expo where equipment industries will meet the hospitality sector. Echoing his sentiments, President of Bangalore Hotels Association, Subrahmanya Holla said, "It's interesting how things will unfold, and we're also waiting to see." Holla, whose own hotel still favours a hands-on approach, acknowledges that machines can be a good solution for bulk production, such as in catering. "Vada making makes sense in high-volume business. Pongal machines are already in use. But you can't fully mechanise everything. Some things still require ahuman touch, like pouring ghee and sugar, in a Mysore Pak production line," Holla shares. K Rama Murthy, owner of Konark Hotel on Residency Road, who was in the industry for over 40 years, addresses the challenges in complete automation of South Indian food. "South Indian food is passed down generationally. It is not something we can easily put in a syllabus for students. Hence, while the automation of beverage preparation, like cocktail mixing, is already common, the same is harder to achieve with food. For Indian food, especially South Indian items, it is made to order." He finds the fresh food production segment at a crossroads. New manpower laws have made hiring and retaining fresh-food staff more challenging, shrinking the pool of cooks willing to learn complex, made-to-order South Indian recipes. Advanced solutions like freeze-drying plants or vacuum-packed ready-cook systems are emerging to retain higher nutrition levels, but are expensive, he added. At his hotel, he uses automation. Murthy elaborates on the same: Three-star hotels in the city have adopted this technology—a combi-oven, which can cook with steam and dry heat—giving you rice, steam veg, pulao, any rice item—bisibele bath and pongal. You can roast masalas in the machine in a systematic way. There are limitations—shallow frying and traditional methods, like masala dosa preparation, or making sambar. For Uddina vadas, there is a separate machine—the dough gets dropped like doughnuts. "We also have an in-house South Indian filter dispensing machine, and are looking for idli dropping and cooking systems," he said, being the go-to person on automation in the sector. Hospitality students are also training on the growing role of AI in the sector, including streamlining kitchen operations. Sanchari Chowdhury, Director at IIHM Bangalore, said, "Although human touch is still very much needed in hospitality, AI helps in menu planning, stock taking, and ingredient percentages, making the process faster. Even experiences are curated using tech—a Japanese restaurant in the city has automated the process of learning its guest's food and seating preference. " "We are in a city that has accepted automation well," she adds. "Key cards in hotels are replaced by mobile check-ins. Roles in hospitality are changing—but the warm body is very needed in hospitality even today."
