We’ve all heard about the Emmys, the Tonys and the
Grammys, but how about the Foodies? It could work well as an
unofficial title for something that’s on the horizon. This year, The Goan
Foodie Awards 2017-18 are being held at Bay 15 on May 1, 2017. The
event is one that will focus on the restaurant industry, hotel industry
and travel and tourism industry in Goa.
Speaking on the ideology behind the awards, the founder of The
Goan Foodie, Marlon Lobo, puts a few thoughts forward. “My dream
as a world-travelled chef is to see Goa on the world culinary map.
The prime idea behind The Goan Foodie was to direct people in Goa
(and those coming to Goa for short or longer-term trips) to the best
restaurants and expose them to the best talent of the industry. Goa
has a vast and hard-working hospitality industry. I think that with a
little push, it could well be on the world culinary map, and I am trying
to overcome every challenge to ensure that it happens. The first step
forward was to give them the recognition that they deserve,” Marlon
shares.
The 50 awarded restaurants from Ashwem to Palolem would be
affiliated with The Goan Foodie Privilege Card, which in turn would
offer diners a 15% discount at these restaurants in Goa, as a special
privilege. There will also be a mini expo recommending a few handpicked
services that would aid the industry at large.
However, the awards are only the first step. There are a few hurdles
that need to be overcome in order to truly surge forward, Marlon
believes. Speaking on some of these drawbacks, the chef points out,
“The recent challenges have been lack of consistent quality and the
right kind of ingredients; a dearth of well trained, quality staff is also an
issue. But most importantly, we need to deal with the pollution caused
to the environment by the industry. There are certain products which
could well work towards making Goa green again, which is something
that I have been exploring for a while. These will replace take-away
plastic glasses, poly bags, straws and such products; degrading within
the period of just a year.”
With several initiatives that look into the future of Goa’s culinary
sphere, it certainly seems to be an interesting time that is certainly
lending new meaning to the words ‘eat your greens, it’ll do you good
in the long run’.
