Chefs at ITC Maurya Hotel’s Bukhara have been preparing for the day. Since Monday morning the restaurant went through hectic activities to receive and serve US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to sample the “Obama Platter”. But, they were “disappointed”. Hectic schedule kept the US first couple too busy and too engaged to step into Bukahara.
The “Obama Platter” was finally sent to the presidential suite. The platter comprised, Sikandari raan, seek kebabs, dal, vegetables and lamb kebabs, which has now been named Obama kebab. The platter also contained deserts, ras malai and kulfi. The chefs, looking forward to the day felt “a little down“, a hotel staff said.
The US President reached Maurya around 2.45 pm from Hyderbad House. “After this he, hardly had time to come down, so we sent the platters to his suite,” a hotel official informed.
The President then held a series of meetings with the top politicians of the country which included, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and vice-president, Hamid Ansari.
Somewhat down for missing the President at the Bukaharas, the chefs recalled the Clinton days, “Former US President Bill Clinton not merely had food at our restaurant, but also shook hands with the selective guests,” one of the chefs recalled.
The ITC Maurya had played host to former US president Bill Clinton in 2000 and his wife Hillary Clinton, now the US secretary of the state, in 2009. While both of them have platters named after them, their daughter Chelsea too has her own vegetarian platter.
Mrs Gandhi met the US President along with Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Dr Karan Singh, chairman of the department of international affairs of the Congress Party.
The meeting lasted for nearly half an hour. Mrs Swaraj met the US President for 28 minutes while the vice-president’s meeting also lasted for nearly 30 minutes.