Neha Saini
Ritu Dalmia is a famous chef, restaurant owner, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. She believes in keeping things simple, both in her food and in her thoughts.
Dalmia has brought Italian food to India and encouraged people to try Italian flavors. She has restaurants in both India and Italy. The chef is someone who learned how to cook on their own. They have received several awards, like the Peaklife Gourmet Awards in 2019 and the DelWine Excellence Award in 2019 for being an amazing woman. They also received the Ordine della Stella d’Italia, which is the highest honor given to regular people in Italy. But, the most important thing she achieved is not about her cooking skills.
“From 2015 to 2018, when we were asking for the removal of penalties for Section 377, I received a lot of hate messages from online bullies. ” In 2018, when the law changed to make 377 not a crime, I felt immensely relieved. I don’t believe I will achieve something better in my life. “I have finished now,” she stated during a recent event in Amritsar.
She was one of the five people who fought against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. “Pay attention to how many people are taking their own lives in smaller towns simply because we don’t focus on the problem or provide help,” she stated. She told her parents about her orientation when she was 23 years old. The next day, my mom, who didn’t have much education and came from a traditional and strict background, sent a box of mangoes to my spouse. She said that this is how she supported her daughter.
Food that can speak.
Dalmia believes that food and stories are closely connected, and she is very enthusiastic about food. When you go on a trip, you may eat at really nice restaurants. However, if you are not with good people or in a good mood, you will not have a good time. The food needs to be honest. Italian and Indian food are similar because they both focus on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to bring out the flavors.
Dalmia talked about her first time cooking Italian food. She made risotto for her friends and they compared it to a dish called khichdi. She also shared her both good and bad food experiences. It’s easy to see that Italy is my favorite country for both travel and food. The only time I wanted to have theplas and achaar with me was when I was in Burma. The place is very pretty, the people are friendly, but the food was not very good.
In Amritsar, celebrated chef and LGBTQIA+ rights activist Ritu Dalmia says food and mood go hand-in-hand
