The Chinar Park hotel is hosting a special pizza festival, running until November 24, where guests can enjoy freshly made, authentic pizzas.
Ashish Sarkar, executive chef at Holiday Inn, explains that true Italian pizzas are often rustic and not perfectly round. “In Italy, pizza is a staple. Just like how our mothers make luchi at home without worrying about perfect shapes, it’s the same with pizza. The bread must be fresh, and traditionally, it has a rustic look,” Sarkar says.
At the festival, chefs prepare pizzas from scratch right in front of you, kneading and shaping the dough. The ingredients are carefully selected, including imported Italian mozzarella, goat cheese, bocconcini cheese, and canned Roma tomatoes, known for their juiciness and sweetness.
Sarkar, who is a Mediterranean food specialist with global experience, recently joined the hotel. This pizza festival marks his first food event at Chinar Park.
The menu features a variety of pizzas, including the Sicilian pizza with black olives and fresh tomatoes, the Tandoori pizza, and the Kathi pizza, which is inspired by the local kathi roll. The Diavola pizza, made with sausages and salami, is another highlight.
One standout dish is the Green Paneer Dumpling Pizza (Rs 419). Sarkar explains, “There’s a big demand for vegetarian options, so this thin-crust pizza features cottage cheese dumplings, topped with basil. It uses white sauce and spices like cumin, coriander, mint, and chili to suit the local palate.”
The classic Margherita pizza, known as the “mother of all pizzas,” is also on the menu. “Invented by Raffaele Esposito in Naples, it’s a classic that shouldn’t be tampered with, so we serve it as is,” Sarkar says. The Margherita costs Rs 342.
For cheese lovers, the quattro formaggi pizza offers a mix of blue cheese, mozzarella, parmigiano, and Greek feta. While the blue cheese may be strong for some, Sarkar says, “No pizza festival is complete without it.”
Fans of K-pop can enjoy the spicy Buldak pizza, topped with shredded chicken and Korean spices. Seafood enthusiasts will appreciate the Gamberi pizza with tiger prawns, saffron, and gondhoraj lemon.
For a refreshing drink, there’s Maska Daab Shikanji, made with green coconut water, pulp, honey, green chili, and sea salt.
The festival also features a Rs 447 calzone, or folded pizza. Sarkar explains the skill involved in preparing calzones, noting, “Calzones are tough to make because they need to cook evenly. We fold the bread over the toppings, like pithes, to ensure the inside is perfectly cooked.”
Santanu Guha Roy, the hotel’s general manager, believes pizza is a great way to welcome the winter season. “Pizza is our chef’s specialty, and diners are excited to explore new ways this popular dish can be presented,” he says.
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