As India prepares to host the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, the capital’s luxury hotels are rolling out specially curated menus to offer visiting world leaders a taste of the country’s diverse culinary traditions.

The two-day summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam, bringing together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries along with outreach invitees. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are among the leaders attending. Putin has already arrived in New Delhi.

With global leaders, diplomats, spouses and business delegations staying at some of Delhi’s luxury hotels, chefs have designed menus that blend traditional Indian flavours with contemporary culinary influences.

The Taj Mahal, The Leela Palace and The LaLiT are among the hotels preparing special culinary experiences for the visiting dignitaries.

Kashmiri walnuts, Purani Dilli flavours at Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal, New Delhi, is set to present a culinary collection titled ‘Tradition to Table’, featuring recipes curated by Taj chefs and inspired by their earliest culinary influences, including their mothers.

The menu, as reported by NDTV, includes Kashmiri spiced walnuts, Purani Dilli Maida Kaju, Maharashtra's Bhakarwadi, Rajasthan's Mini Kachori, Bengal's Kucho Nimki and Tamil Nadu's Murukku.

Edible lotus takes centre stage at The Leela Palace

At The Leela Palace, chefs have prepared a menu that seeks to showcase Indian culinary heritage through a contemporary lens.

One of the highlights is a handcrafted edible lotus, inspired by India's national flower. The lotus is also featured in the identity of BRICS India 2026 and is the election symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The edible creation is made with rose, saffron and cardamom and is paired with indigenous Indian fruits, according to NDTV.

The menu will also feature Aujasya by The Leela millet cookies, handmade granola bars and wellness infusions. The hotel's wellness programme, developed with food and nutrition consultant Dr Ankita Jalori, focuses on the concepts of ‘Restore’ and ‘Renew’.

The specially curated menus also incorporate Indian spices and traditional grains and ingredients such as barley, millet, jowar and sattu. The hotel's restaurants and in-room dining options will feature dishes from Jamavar, its Indian restaurant.

Galouti kebabs, millet dishes at The LaLiT

The LaLiT has also prepared a menu celebrating India's regional culinary heritage while incorporating contemporary influences, NDTV reported.

The spread includes refined versions of classics such as galouti kebabs and tandoor-baked breads, alongside millet-based dishes highlighting traditional Indian ingredients.

Galouti kebabs are a melt-in-the-mouth minced-meat preparation associated with Awadhi cuisine and traditionally linked to the royal kitchens of Lucknow.

BRICS leaders' summit schedule

The summit is scheduled to begin on September 12, with leaders arriving at Bharat Mandapam at 2 pm. A closed-door session and family photographs will follow.

A gala dinner for delegates is scheduled for 7.30 pm at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday.

The summit will resume at 10 am on Sunday, September 13, at Bharat Mandapam.