KOZHIKODE: The city has always been the cradle of an exotic food tradition which has been challenged in recent times with a shift in culinary choices as International food brands have hit the city. The foodies of Kozhikode have never failed to experiment with different types of food. Thus famed international food brands like Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dominos Pizza, Subway (sandwiches and burger), McDonalds and U.S Pizza are witnessing a remarkable boom in the city.
Charles Mariano, the manager of KFC, told DC “The reason behind choosing Kozhikode to open the largest showroom of KFC in South India is considering the love people have shown for food. The tremendous response we receive is a pointer to this”. These prominent brands from America serve popular dishes like burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and fried chicken. During evenings, families crowd the outlets.
These food outlets also act as a social lubricant for youngsters. “Such places have become one of the best spaces to hang out with my friends. It also gives a break from the traditional food our mothers prepare. The traditional food cooked by our mothers are the best, so we don’t prefer restaurants for that,” said Aswin Sidharth, who is a frequent visitor to Dominos.
The health issues posed by junk food are another side of the story. “The food can be delicious but it is still junk food. I choose traditional food over this. I find it healthier with the use of rich ingredients,” said Sofiya Francis. The over consumption of such food items can lead to heart diseases, obesity, High cholesterol and blood pressure. “The food prepared is overly processed resulting in the loss of nutrition. It’s always better to consume in limited amounts,” said Naomi Jacob, who runs a health café in the city.
