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Chef Guntas Sethi, ambassador for the European Union’s ‘More Than Food India’ campaign, believes European ingredients can enrich Indian cuisine without altering its essence, offering home cooks new ways to experiment while staying rooted in familiar flavors.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of A Taste of Home with EU Tadka—a recipe book commissioned by the European Union and featuring recipes from chefs and culinary creators across India—Sethi said the growing global outlook of Indian consumers has created opportunities to thoughtfully integrate international ingredients into everyday cooking.
“Indian food is bold in flavor and spice, while European ingredients are often more balanced and subtle. But that doesn’t mean we cannot use those ingredients in our cuisine,” she said.
A chartered accountant-turned-chef and food influencer with more than 1.3 million followers across social media platforms, Sethi said today’s Indian consumer is increasingly well-travelled and often seeks to recreate memorable food experiences at home.
“Whenever I travel, I bring back olive oils, balsamic vinegar and other ingredients. But you’re not going to cook European food every day at home. The question is how you can use these high-quality ingredients in Indian food,” she said.
According to Sethi, the EU campaign aims to demonstrate precisely that—showing how European ingredients can be incorporated into familiar Indian recipes rather than being confined to European-style dishes.
She cited several examples from her own culinary experiments. Halloumi cheese can be turned into protein-rich fries and served as chaat, while European cocktail onions can bring a distinctive flavor to Indian pickles and accompaniments.
“These are high-quality ingredients and you can very easily blend them into Indian food. You don’t have to give up what you cook at home. You can beautifully complement it and create something unique,” she said.
Among her favorite innovations is “Saag Burrata,” a dish that pairs traditional sarson ka saag with creamy burrata cheese and a garlic-red chilli tempering. She also highlighted the potential of using European chorizo in Indian-inspired preparations and incorporating European chocolates into desserts such as sandesh.
“A lot of times it’s not just about creating an entirely new recipe. Even one or two ingredients can create a different experience,” she said.
Having worked closely with the EU food campaign over the past few years, Sethi said the association has deepened her understanding of European ingredients and their applications.
“For me, this campaign has been like going back to school. It has allowed me to study, learn, research and understand how each product can be used,” she said.
Beyond promoting ingredients, she stressed the importance of consumer education, particularly around products such as olive oil. While many consumers recognize its health benefits, they are often unaware of the differences between various categories and their appropriate uses.
“The idea is not just to buy the product and let it sit in the pantry, but to know the right way to use it,” she said.
Sethi said the campaign is focused on building awareness among both consumers and the hospitality sector about ingredient quality, usage and handling. Reflecting on her role as a campaign ambassador, she said it carries a responsibility to ensure accurate information reaches audiences while inspiring them to explore new possibilities in everyday Indian cooking.
