Sheraton Hyderabad Hosts the Karaikudi Food Festival - A Celebration of Chettinad's Bold Culinary Legacy

A Fiery Culinary Journey Arrives in Hyderabad

This March, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel invites the city to experience a cuisine that is as intense as it is intricate.

At Feast, the hotel's signature all-day dining destination, the Karaikudi Food Festival unfolds from March 18–22, 2026, bringing the unapologetic depth of Chettinad cuisine to one of India's most discerning food capitals. Hyderabad has long been a city that takes its culinary traditions seriously — as reflected in the living richness of heritage recipes of Hyderabadi cuisine celebrating bold flavours and empowerment — making it the ideal stage for Chettinad's arrival.

At the heart of this experience is Chef Athi Lakshmi — a culinary custodian whose approach is rooted not in reinterpretation, but in authenticity.

This is not a reinterpretation of tradition. It is tradition — served as it was meant to be.

Karaikudi — The Soul of Chettinad Cuisine

Located in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, Karaikudi is more than a town — it is the cultural epicentre of the Chettiar community.

Known for their global trade legacy and architectural grandeur, the Chettiars are equally revered for a culinary tradition that is bold, layered, and deeply expressive.

Chettinad cuisine stands apart for its distinctive spice palette:

• Kalpasi (black stone flower)
• Marathi mokku (dried flower pods)
• Star anise
• Black pepper
• Sesame oil

These ingredients — often hand-ground into fresh masalas — create flavours that are intense, aromatic, and unmistakably complex.

The result is a cuisine that resists simplification. One that cannot be replicated through shortcuts.

Chef Athi Lakshmi — A Keeper of Culinary Tradition

For Chef Athi Lakshmi, cooking is not performance — it is preservation.

Having spent years mastering the culinary traditions of South Tamil Nadu, she brings with her a repertoire defined by slow cooking, hand-pounded spices, and deeply layered gravies.

Her philosophy is simple yet profound: "For me, food has never been just nourishment. Every dish I cook is a celebration of culture, of tradition, of love. I want every plate at Hyderabad to carry that same authenticity and pride."

At Sheraton Hyderabad, her kitchen becomes a bridge — connecting a centuries-old culinary heritage with a contemporary audience. India's hotel dining scene is increasingly becoming the home of such culinary storytelling, from Four Seasons Mumbai ushering in a bold new culinary era with a visionary chef to regional specialists bringing their best to the table.

A Menu That Celebrates Depth and Authenticity

The festival menu is a carefully curated expression of the Karaikudi table — rich, diverse, and unapologetically bold.

Signature highlights include:

• Chettinad Chicken with robust spice layers
• Karaikudi Mutton Chops, slow-cooked to perfection
• Kola Urundai — traditional spiced meatballs
• Pepper Crab with intense coastal flavours
• Kuzhi Paniyaram and Vazhai Poo Vadai for regional authenticity
• Chettinad Vegetable Curry paired with rice and dosa

Each dish reflects the cuisine's defining characteristics — depth, heat, and aromatic complexity.

This is food that lingers — not just on the palate, but in memory. Regional food festivals hosted by luxury hotels have become one of the most meaningful ways to preserve and celebrate India's culinary diversity, as seen when Novotel Visakhapatnam brought the authentic flavours of Kerala to a new audience through a similarly immersive dining experience.

An Immersive Dining Experience

Beyond the plate, the experience extends into the ambiance.

Feast will be transformed with a Karaikudi-inspired aesthetic — drawing from the region's textures, colours, and cultural motifs. The result is an environment that complements the cuisine — immersive, evocative, and deeply rooted in place.

It is not just a meal. It is a journey. The standard for what an immersive luxury hotel dining experience can feel like continues to be raised across India, as demonstrated by an exceptional dining and hospitality encounter at Together & Co., Hilton Garden Inn Mumbai.

Hyderabad — The Perfect Culinary Stage

For a cuisine that has long influenced Indian gastronomy without claiming the spotlight, this festival arrives at a fitting moment.

Hyderabad — a city known for its culinary discernment and love for bold flavours — provides the ideal backdrop for Chettinad cuisine to take centre stage. The success of curated food festivals at Hyderabad's top hotels confirms the city's appetite for discovering world-class cuisines in a setting that does them justice.

This is where tradition meets appreciation.

Event Details

What: Karaikudi Food Festival at Feast, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel
When: March 18–22, 2026
Timings: Lunch & Dinner — 12:30 PM–3:00 PM | 7:00 PM–11:00 PM
Price: Lunch Buffet ₹2,400 AI | Dinner Buffet ₹2,600 AI
Reservations: +91 73373 58581

A Rare Culinary Moment

Some cuisines demand attention. Others quietly earn reverence.

Karaikudi's Chettinad cuisine belongs to the latter — rich in history, unapologetic in flavour, and deeply rooted in identity. In a world where the world's 50 best restaurants celebrate culinary journeys defined by depth and excellence, it is a reminder that India's own regional traditions deserve the same reverence and spotlight.

At Sheraton Hyderabad, this is more than a festival.

It is a rare opportunity to experience one of India's most powerful culinary traditions — exactly as it was meant to be.