Tourism & Hospitality | Friday 5 February, 2016 2:21 pm |

Existing warm Saudi-Indian ties were spiced up on Wednesday with the launch of the three-day Indian Food Festival in Jeddah.
Organized by the Indian Consulate and the Ministry of Tourism, in association with Elaf Hotel (Red Sea Mall) in Jeddah, the event has seen a number of Saudis and Indians sampling and savouring the mouth-watering dishes beside the hotel pool.
Three celebrated chefs have been specially flown in from India to prepare well-known Indian delicacies to delight the palates and tastes of food connoisseurs in Jeddah. 
The festival was inaugurated by Saudi media analyst Khaled Almaeena who described the Saudi-India relationship as one that has been nurtured and strengthened over the years by businessmen on both sides.
As the gentle breezes blew in from the Red Sea, the Elaf Hotel poolside was alive with the aroma of Indian cooking against a background of Indian music which added to the magical aura.
Indian Consul General B. S. Mubarak paid fulsome tributes to Elaf Travel and Tourism Company Vice President Mohammed M.S. Binmahfouz and Elaf Hotel Vice President Abdullah Bakri for having taken the lead in organizing the Indian food festival for the last three years.
“This reinforces our trust in them,” the consul general said at a press conference that preceded the opening. 
“They are our trusted partners, and their parent company, SEDCO Holding, has invested in more than 100 projects in India.”
He said Indian cuisine, well-known for its variety and deliciousness, is a favorite among people all over the world. 
“In Britain alone, there are 10,000 restaurants specializing in Indian food,” he pointed out. 
Mubarak noted the popularity of Indian cuisine was due to its eclectic influences from the Moguls, the British, the Arabs and the Portuguese, not to mention traditional Indian cooking itself.
“We hope that during these three days both Saudis and other people who enjoy Indian food will have a great time at Elaf,” he said.
Almaeena praised the Binmahfouz family as businessmen of integrity. “They are good because they are led by good people,” he said. “And Indian food needs no introduction. Whether it is chicken curry or the mouth-watering dam pukht, Indian dishes always have, and always will, tickle our palates.”
Binmahfouz was confident about the festival’s success. “The fact that we have been organizing this festival for the last three years indicates how popular it is,” he said. 
“Indian food is always in demand and our company wants to use this opportunity to build on our already-strong relationship with India and Indians.”
“We want to provide a mini-India here in Jeddah,” he said. “We want everybody to enjoy the food and the ambience.”
Binmahfouz added that his company was exploring the possibility of providing accommodation for Indian Haj pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
Mubarak confirmed that Elaf is in talks on the subject with the committee in charge of accommodation for Indian pilgrims.
Prominent among those who attended the inauguration were Haj Consul Mohammed Shahid Alam, Consul for Consular Services Anand Kumar, Consul for Press and Information Irshad Ahmad and Consul for Commercial Affairs S.R.H. Fahmi.