Firewood back in focus as hotels grapple with LPG crisis
But hotel owners say many chefs not familiar with old cooking ways
Hyderabad: A shortage of LPG cylinders forced many eateries to revert to traditional cooking methods of firewood and charcoal. The hoteliers and eateries have trimmed menus, suspended certain dishes to stay operational. They decided to discontinue the preparation of Indian and Chinese dishes.
According to hotel sector insiders, the restaurants are scrambling to stretch whatever LPG they have left as the West Asia conflict continues to disrupt fuel supply chains. Starting from Thursday, majority of the restaurants in the city cut down on menu and started serving biryanis, tandoori, and a limited selection of other dishes that were prepared in large quantities using firewood.
Shah Ghouse Cafe, a famous restaurant known for its biryani, switched to traditional cooking methods, and has begun using a wood stove in its kitchen to continue serving biryani to its customers, after facing difficulties in procuring commercial gas cylinders needed for daily operations. Mohammad Rabbani, the owner of Shah Ghouse Cafe, said “The supply is almost disrupted, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to cook. The supplier confirmed there was no LPG available.”
Mohammed Abdul Majeed, owner of the Pista House said in addition to biryanis and bakery products, many dishes have become a challenge to prepare, such as Chinese cuisine, Mughlai dishes, and fried dishes like fish and prawns, as they can’t be cooked using firewood. We are looking to stir-fry in place of deep-fried Indian side dishes for the time being.” He said, unlike earlier chefs, many chefs are not experts in cooking using firewood, and so we are in touch with the senior cooks for preparing the biryanis and other dishes which could be cooked in bulk quantities.
Another hotelier, Ali Raza Kazmi, who owns the Lucky restaurants, mentioned that the Iranian hotels convened a formal meeting regarding the ongoing crisis and has resolved to reduce their menu by skipping Indian and Chinese dishes from their menu. Ali Raza said that restaurants are also encountering an additional challenge in transitioning to cooking with firewood.
He explained that, unlike traditional hotels of the past that had expansive kitchens and previously prepared meals using firewood, contemporary restaurants lack sufficient space for this method of cooking. “Nevertheless, we have opted to utilize Haleem bhattis for preparing biryanis and other dishes that can be made in large quantities with firewood. However, following the conclusion of Ramzan, the future situation remains uncertain," he added.
Many of the small hotels have been forced to sell only tea and shut their kitchen. Sampath, an owner of Sai Krishna Tea & Snacks, said “We have been left with no other choice than skipping the dishes or snacks mirchi-bajji, pakoda, samosa, and other fried items served to consumers. We are serving only tea, and coffee to run our business.”
Meanwhile, the closure of several restaurants or cutting down the menus has created serious difficulties for delivery boys and gig workers, leaving thousands worried about their future. A large number of young workers associated with online delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato and Zepto are facing growing financial challenges as their income continues to decline.
