After UNESCO tag for Lucknow, UP to promote ‘One District, One Cuisine’ initiative
After Lucknow’s inclusion in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, the chief minister urges people to celebrate every district’s unique culinary heritage
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday proposed launching a “One District, One Cuisine” initiative to globally showcase the state’s diverse culinary heritage, following Lucknow’s recent inclusion in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network under the Gastronomy category. He said the global honour was not only for Lucknow, but also for the diverse cuisine of Uttar Pradesh.
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In a post on X, Adityanath said that following Lucknow’s selection, Uttar Pradesh’s rich and diverse culinary traditions, with their distinct flavours, should be showcased to the world.
Showcasing UP’s flavours
“Take a journey through the world of flavours around you or take a photo or video of your home-cooked dishes and share them on social media with #OneDistrictOneCuisine,” he said.
The chief minister said every district in the state keeps its culture, pride, and history alive with its unique taste. “Lucknow's chaat, malaio of Banaras, Meerut's gajak, sohan halwa of Banda, baalushahi of Baghpat, Agra's petha, Mathura's perhaa, Moradabadi daal, kurchhan of Khurja... the list is quite long,” he wrote on X, adding that every dish has its own taste and an illustrious history.
Global recognition for Lucknow
Welcoming the concept of “One District, One Cuisine”, Himanshu Bajpai, a Lucknow-based author and storyteller, said, “There are many dishes which are made in a particular district. They remain endemic to that particular district, and outsiders do not know much about it.” Once people embrace this idea, the popularity of the food item will increase, he said.
Lucknow was last month officially inducted into UNESCO's Creative Cities Network (CCN), under the Gastronomy category, marking a global acknowledgement of its culinary heritage.
Celebrating creativity through cuisine
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay on October 31 designated 58 cities as new members of the CCN, which now includes 408 cities across more than 100 countries.
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Cities in this network are recognised for their commitment to championing creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development, according to the UN agency.
The United Nations in India, in a post on X, had said, “From mouth-watering Galouti Kabab to Awadhi Biryani, delectable Chaat and Golgappe, desserts like Makhan Malai and so much more -- Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh is a haven for food, enriched in centuries-old traditions.”
(With agency inputs)