Goa's Culinary Crisis: Chefs Return to Wood Fires Amid LPG Shortage
The acute shortage of LPG cylinders, triggered by the ongoing conflict involving Iran, has plunged Goa's vibrant food and beverage industry into a state of emergency. Chefs across the coastal state are dusting off traditional wood-burning hearths, drastically trimming their menus, and fervently hoping the crisis subsides before their gas supplies are completely exhausted.
Adapting to "Over the Flames" Dining
Refusing to surrender to the circumstances, Goa's restaurateurs have swiftly adapted to what they term "over the flames" dining. This innovative approach offers patrons a rustic and smoky rendition of their favorite delicacies, utilizing charcoal-fired barbecues and firewood for traditional stone 'chuls' (hearths).
"Everyone had LPG gas stock for 7-8 days. In Assagao, we are cooking prawn curry and xacuti on open wood fires to save on gas," revealed Amey Naik, co-founder of Peep Kitchen and Avo's Kitchen. The sudden curbs on commercial LPG cylinders caught the industry by surprise, with no clear timeline for resumption despite interventions by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with suppliers.
Menu Trimming and Operational Adjustments
Establishments like Mama Miso have communicated directly with their patrons, citing the West Asia conflict and nationwide LPG shortage as reasons for temporarily scaling back their culinary offerings. "We are presently operating with a limited menu. Many of our favourites are still available, and we look forward to bringing back our full menu very soon," stated the management.
Peep's Kitchen curated a temporary menu focusing on favorite or most-ordered dishes until normalcy returns. According to Carol Thomas, a British resident from Northampton, "In Candolim, a few restaurants adapted their menu to cook over fire or induction. I've only heard of one restaurant closing. It closed for breakfast and lunch, so it could open for dinner."
The Shift to Induction and Its Challenges
Many hotels and restaurants turned to electric induction cooktops as an alternative, but this solution came with its own set of burns. Menus were streamlined to 16 dishes or fewer, emphasizing tandoor items, bulk cooking, and quick-to-prepare options suitable for induction.
However, the demand surge caused prices of commercial induction cooktops to skyrocket. "The 3.5kW and 5kW commercial electric induction cooktops shot up from Rs 13,000 to 20,000 in just three days for the 3.5kW model," noted industry sources. Eateries felt compelled to purchase these at inflated prices, even if needed for only a fortnight or less.
Cruz Cardozo, president of the Shack Owners' Welfare Society, highlighted the dilemma: "With no LPG, it is a problem. Some restaurants shut down. If you use firewood to boil water or cook food, the smoky smell remains."
Flavor Compromises and Staffing Worries
Naik emphasized the culinary trade-off: "For Indian and Goan dishes, you cannot get the same flavour that you get when you cook on an open flame. You need the open flame to get the right taste." To cope, many are cooking in bulk—dishes like biryani, butter chicken, and xacuti—and reheating portions on induction as orders come in.
Beyond gas shortages and equipment price spikes, eateries face another pressing ingredient: employee retention. Naik expressed concern: "If you let the staff go home, after spending time and money training them, there is no guarantee that they will return. With that fear, we just have to absorb the losses."
This multifaceted crisis underscores the resilience of Goa's culinary scene, as it navigates supply chain disruptions with traditional ingenuity and modern adaptations, all while hoping for a swift resolution to the LPG shortage.
