The 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 is going on in Chennai. This is the first time the event is taking place in India. The tournament which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on July 28, will end on August 10.
While the players battle it out on the chess boards, the hotels they have been accommodated at are trying their best to make the stay memorable for the players. Players from around 20 countries are staying at Novotel Chennai OMR and Novotel Chennai SIPCOT. A spokesperson from the hotel said that the hotel staff are trying their best to create a conducive environment for the players along with serving them delicacies that adhere to their nutritional requirements.
On the food front, both the hotels are treating the players with a wide variety of food choices across an array of cuisines. According to sources, the culinary team at the Novotel went on to display a hearty menu comprised of the flavours of India for the players. They were served with local Tamil food like dosa and panniyaram along with dishes from other Indian regions including paya, dal makhani, chole kulche, roomali roti, biryani, rasmalai, and basundi, to name a few.
The culinary experience for the players started with an on-arrival amenity. One of the amenities was chocolates, based on the chessboard and chessman theme. The second Amenity was based on the culture of Southern India ( traditional sweets presented on a banana leaf).
The chefs also crafted a menu that includes international dishes considering the diversity of the players who are staying at the hotels. At the same time, the culinary team served Indian cuisines too during the meals as some of the players have visited India for the first time.
According to sources, players at various interactions mentioned that they were looking forward to their meals eagerly as their dietary requirements were taken care of, to prepare them for an intense game. In addition, this helped them satisfy their souls with some delicious delicacies.
The players relished several Indian delicacies during their meals such as bhuna gosht, chicken malai tikka, mutton rogan josh, jalebi, and garlic butter naan. The chefs also created a special breakfast experience for the players at both the hotels when the players were on daybreak. The hotels also arranged for multiple live counters where chefs customized an array of dishes for the diners.
Sources added that some players like Jessy February also tried their hand at cooking. The culinary team also went on to create a special experience for Randa Sedar, an eight-year-old chess player from Palestine. The team created a dessert medley and a special cake for her first-round victory.