(From top) A guest at the French cookery competition at The French Association; innovative bakery items at a contest at Taj Bengal; the buffet spread at Ka San Flavours of India. Pictures by Rashbehari Das and Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

What: Bakery competition. Where: Incognito at Taj Bengal.

When: March 23.

Take a look: Twenty two chefs from Taj Bengal battled it out in the bread and pre-plated dessert competition. The panel of judges included food critics Rajan Bali and Oindrilla Dutt.

From Cheese French Bread to Spicy Herb Bread to Arabian Tea Time Bread to Twisted Doughnut, the bread section saw innovation and creativity at its best. Breads in flavours sweet, salty and tangy were displayed in an array of eye-catching ways. While some displays illustrated village landscapes of waterfalls and coconut trees, others resembled baskets and fruits. The participants in this category were judged on the basis of presentation, taste and texture.

The dessert section matched the creativity of the bread corner. Logs, broken bricks, Bhagat Singh? contestants drew inspiration from it all.

While one presentation put forward a social message to quit smoking, another illustrated how one begins a day with a cup of coffee while reading The Telegraph. Chefs whipped up sumptuous sweet ends like The Cup of Coffee (a three dimensional chocolate cup filled with soft coffee mousse), Sundried Succulent Mangoes with Mascarpone Cheese and White Chocolate Velvet and Almond Praline in Chocolate Flower. Judges looked into the presentation, taste and innovation.

In the bread category, Domnic Samuel, Chintaman Maske and Jay Shankar Jha walked away with the first, second and third prizes. In the dessert section, Indrajit Mukherjee and Alok Das were declared winners.

Voiceover: “As chefs, one always cooks up dishes on the menu or what guests want. Occasions like this help them go beyond that and showcase their talent. The items that these chefs have come up with are a value addition to our menu bank,” smiled executive chef of Taj Bengal, Sujan Mukherjee.

French fare

What: French cookery competition.

Where: The French Association.

When: March 24, evening.

Take a look: The event is an effort to celebrate the Francophony week, a weeklong affair beginning March 20 that celebrates French cuisine, tradition and culture all over the globe.

An open-air affair on the terrace of the institute saw friends, family, faculty members and students enjoying themselves with music and food. The competition had 30 students trying their hand at French cuisine and whipping up French Entree (starters), Plats Principaux (main course) and desserts. Salade De Frute, Crepe Aux Pommes and Boeuf Bourguignon? The dishes with strong French flavours were named accordingly too.

The judges for the contest were French Association faculty member Chai Eng Dutta and Laure Boivin, who teaches French at Chandannagar College. After a long tasting session, Tejaswini Jhunjhunwala and Maria Chatterjee won the best starters and best dessert awards respectively. For main course it was Nidhi Agarwal and Shreya Sen.

Voiceover: “It is an effort to celebrate French cuisine. It also gives students an opportunity to do something interesting apart from studies,” smiles Nusrat Hossain, Edu France counsellor at the association.

B’day buffet

What: Anniversary celebrations at Ka San Flavours Of India.

Where: The restaurant at 6/3A, AJC Bose Road, near Beckbagan Mouchak.

When: March 13 to April 2.

Take a look: In an effort to celebrate the completion of three years, the restaurant has come up with a weekend buffet. The fare is an assortment of Indian, Chinese and Continental delicacies.

Offering a choice of five non-vegetarian items, three vegetarian dishes, a soup, breads and dessert, the menu changes every week. On offer are delicacies like Chilli Fish, Baked Chicken, Veg Manchurian and Dum Aloo. The Corn and Spinach Gratin with its distinct flavour and the Dal Makhni, thick and creamy, are the must-trys. The buffet comes along with a complimentary cold drink or mocktail or beer.

A lucky draw every day gives out attractive gift coupons. At the end of the week there will be one super lucky draw that will give away prizes like washing machines, dinner sets and more.

Pocket pinch: The buffet is priced reasonably at Rs 199.

Voiceover: “Our customers are like our family and this was an excuse to treat them to good food at a very reasonable price. We are planning to come up with a live Mongolian counter and Sizzler platters before the Pujas,” says proprietor Sandeep Sehgal.