Poila Baisakh celebrations at The Gateway Hotel, Kolkata

Amrita's Experience:

Poila Boishakh/Baisakh celebrations are on full swing all over Kolkata with the Bengali new year just round the corner which is celebrated on 15th April. As a non-Bengali it is the best time of the year for some sinful and scrumptious gourmet indulgence for me. 

The Gateway Hotel cordially invited Kolkata Food Bloggers to join in their celebrations of Poila Boishakh with Gourmet chef Shawkat Osman who specializes in Bangladeshi cuisine (or how people here would refer as Opar Bangla cuisine).

The timeless battle of the 'Bangals' and the 'Ghotis' have always intrigued me but I have seldom made any effort to understand it. Why waste time in understanding people of the same origin rival each other in everything. The event was however an eye opener for me to understand the Bangal (Bangladeshi/East Bengal cuisine) which has quite some basic differences to the Ghoti (West Bengal) cuisine.

Clad in a cotton Kurta with a very simple appearance and open bushy hair, Chef Shawkat Osman comes across as an extremely friendly, amiable and artistic person. Chef took us through an amazing gastronomic journey through his delicious food that my palate will remember for a very long time. He very patiently answered all our amateur questions and helped us understand the vividness of Bangladeshi cuisine.  

READ MORE....

Kamalika's Experience:
Someone appeared without the Chef's Toque and the double breasted chef's suit, casually stormed towards us with his heavy steps, running his fingers through his curly bushy hair. Cladding with a Punjabi (Kurta) and white wide Pajamas renowned Bangaldeshi Chef Shawkat Osman comfortably relaxed on his position and asked "Bolo, Kotha theke Shuru Kori??"  (Tell me where to to start from). In his first appearance his intellectual aura enlightened and changed the whole atmosphere. And thus we started our journey with him to explore the Bangladeshi cuisine, I wished like it would never end ever. A very simple down-to-earth personality who will make one a friend within a second and a bag full of humour to share and make an atmosphere always full of joy with his jovialness - He is like that. Yes, he is Shawakat Osman the famous and talented Chef, who always leaves the impression whenever he comes to Kolkata to wave his magic wand through his authentic style of traditional Bangladeshi Cuisine and let us remember the taste that lasts days after days. We had witnessed an unforgettable memory that we will cherish ever after.
READ MORE...