New Delhi: The European Union (EU) launched its first agricultural food campaign in the country, ‘More Than Food’, with a specially curated unique food experience: a virtual tasting event. Hosted by the EU Delegation to India, and the renowned Chef Ajay Chopra, ambassador for the More Than Food campaign in India, the tasting not only marked the launch of the campaign, but also introduced the European Union’s ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy.
With the launch of the campaign, the European Union has created an opportunity for consumers in India to explore its diverse and rich nature of ingredients and agricultural products. With a range of unique culinary experiences, ‘More Than Food’ brings the authenticity, quality, safety and sustainability of European food and beverages to life in India. Two renowned chefs have been brought on board to represent the campaign as ambassadors: Chef Ajay Chopra and Chef Guntas.
The event showcased a combination of the rich culture of Europe, its food heritage and interesting stories behind the various European Union’s ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, pork and poultry, olive oil, cheese and dairy, as well as wines and spirits. This presentation was followed by an engaging live ‘Do-It-Yourself’ session on how to make a charcuterie and cheese grazing board with European products available in India. Chef Ajay Chopra introduced each ingredient explaining their origin, their use and the best way to present them on a grazing board. Through the presentation and the live session, the experience was immersive and allowed the audience to grasp knowledge about what makes EU products so special.
Talking about the campaign, H.E. Ugo Astuto, The Ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan, claims, “With a partnership of over 60 years, both India and the EU have maintained robust strategic relations. The ‘More Than Food’ campaign is a step towards strengthening this alliance by increasing awareness about EU’s agricultural products. All European products are reinforced by vigorous food safety regulations, guaranteeing authentic, high-quality, sustainable and safe products being exported all over the world. We want to bring the best of European food & beverages to India, and we hope the Indian market will enjoy the rich ingredients from Europe.”
Speaking about the event, Chef Ajay Chopra Ambassador for the More Than Food campaign in India said, “I am extremely honoured and delighted to be a part of the European Union’s ‘More Than Food India’ campaign. The European ingredients truly embody the richness and diversity of the European culture. The ‘More Than Food India’ series will give the audience a chance to explore the vast variety of European ingredients. This unique virtual tasting that we hosted with importers, distributors and our audience from the HORECA sector allowed us to showcase how they can enjoy these products, knowing that they are truly authentic, of excellent quality, sustainable and safe to consume. We had an exciting ensemble of products from the European Union, which truly highlighted and brought alive the true heritage of the European food culture. It was good to see how the audience created beautiful grazing boards with these amazing ingredients.”
