World leaders\\’ personal chefs on culture-culinary tour of Taj

\ PHOTO: PTI10_27_2016_000121B\ Agra, Oct 27 (PTI) Taj Mahal has served as the backdrop\for pictures of many Heads of States and the monument of love\was equally enchanting to the personal cooks of these leaders\who could not resist posing in their immaculate white uniforms\during their trip here.\ Chefs of Heads of State from across the globe are on a\cultural and culinary tour of India as part of \\’Le Club des\Chefs des Chefs\\’ (CCC) Annual General Assembly, which is\taking place in the country for the first time since its\inception in 1977 in Paris by French chef Gilles Bragard.\ The club, which is touted as the world\\’s most exclusive\gastronomic society, is enjoying the much-talked about Indian\hospitality.\ Besides visiting Taj Mahal, they also sampled Mughlai\delicacies and watched a performance of Kathak, Montu Saini,\Executive Chef to President Pranab Mukherjee, told PTI.\ \\"They had great fun in Agra. We wanted a picture in our\official club caps and one without caps in front of Taj Mahal.\One of the members told me that he had read about the monument\in his school books and ever since he wanted to visit Agra, so\he was very happy to come here. ITC Mughal organised a gala\dinner where they sampled Mughlai dishes and then there was a\Kathak performance,\\" Saini said.\ The chef has now taken the members to a trip to Jaipur\where they are meeting for a lunch hosted by Princess Diya\Kumari at the City Palace in Jaipur.\ Saini said he is happy that the club, which travels every\year to the country of one of the members, has finally made\its long due trip to India.\ \\"It took me months to organise this trip. The members\met the President and the Prime Minister. The attempt is to\showcase the best of Indian culture and culinary traditions,\\"\said Saini.\ The members, including Cristeta Comerford, Chef to the\President of the United States of America, Indo-Canadian Neil\Dhawan, who is Chef to the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark\Flanagan, Chef to the Queen of the United Kingdom, Christian\Garcia, Chef to Prince Albert II of Monaco and the President\of the club, are in the country till tomorrow. PTI BK AKJ\\JCH\