Image from left to right: Patrick Duffy, Consul General of Ireland in Mumbai, India, Marian O'Higgins, India and Middle East Market Specialist at Bord Bia, and Darina Allen, Founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School.
India, October 29th, 2026: One of Ireland’s best-known culinary figures, Darina Allen, is travelling to India this week with Bord Bia for a major new collaboration with one of India’s leading hotel groups.
Darina Allen will be showcasing quality Irish food and drink to Indian consumers with the Taj Hotel group, one of India’s most recognisable and influential business groups. The event is part of Bord Bia’s global Spirit of Ireland spirits programme which will see Darina Allen work directly with Taj culinary teams to create and deliver an Irish-inspired menu with spirits pairings across three of India’s major cities: Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru.
The collaboration begins in Mumbai this week, where Darina Allen and chef Gary Masterson will work alongside Taj chefs on every aspect of the menu, from ingredients and preparation to tasting, presentation and service. The menu will explore Irish ingredients, dishes and food traditions, with Darina Allen bringing her long-standing focus on seasonality, provenance, and traditional cooking skills.
Each dinner will feature six Irish spirit pairings of Irish whiskey, cream liqueur and gin, connecting the dishes with a wider story of Irish ingredients, craftsmanship and hospitality. This will be followed by a week-long promotion of participating Irish spirits at each hotel, giving Indian consumers further opportunities to discover Ireland’s drinks offering.
Speaking from Mumbai, Darina Allen said:
“Ireland produces the most wonderful food, and so much is due to the quality of the ingredients themselves, where they originate and how they are produced. I’m really looking forward to showcasing the best of Irish food and spirits, and working with the Taj chefs here in India. It’s exciting to share some of that story with guests in India, while also learning from the incredible food culture and culinary traditions here.”
The programme includes showcase dinners, beginning at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, Wednesday October 28th, followed by New Delhi on Friday, October 30th and Bengaluru on Sunday, November 1st.
At each dinner, Darina Allen will introduce guests to the dishes and the stories behind them, speaking about Irish ingredients, provenance and food culture.
For Bord Bia, the partnership provides an opportunity to showcase Irish food and drink within one of India’s most important premium hospitality networks. The Spirit of Ireland programme is designed to introduce consumers to Irish spirits while building relationships with Taj’s culinary, food and beverage and customer networks.
Marian O'Higgins, India and Middle East Market Specialist at Bord Bia, said:
“Irish food and drink has a compelling story to tell in India, particularly when people have an opportunity to experience the quality of the product for themselves. Working with Darina Allen and the Taj culinary teams allows us to bring that story to life through food, ingredients, hospitality and Irish spirits.
India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing markets for Irish whiskey, achieving an annual growth rate of around 60%. We want these events to be an engaging introduction to Ireland for Indian consumers, while also laying the groundwork for longer-term opportunities for Irish producers, with the potential to build consumer demand and support opportunities for additional Irish whiskey and spirits listings across the hotel group.”
The three Spirit of Ireland evenings will be public-facing, ticketed events, with Indian consumers making up the majority of guests. Each evening will combine an Irish-inspired menu, Irish spirit pairings and culinary storytelling, alongside a smaller number of invited hospitality, trade, media and diplomatic guests.
Image: Spirit of Ireland showcase in India.
Darina Allen Menu
Ballymaloe Breads - Brown yeast bread and white soda bread
Starter
Tomato, Leek and Squash Broth
Parsley pesto, seaweed and dillisk scones
Paired with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin or Jameson Stout Edition
Second Course
Hot-Smoked Fish
Labneh, cucumber pickle and scallion oil
Paired with West Cork Maritime Single Malt Virgin Oak or Jameson Irish Whiskey
Vegetarian alternative
Labneh with smoked beetroot, cucumber pickle and scallion oil
Paired with Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey
Main Course
Ballymaloe Irish Stew
Colcannon, melted greens, organic leaves and edible flowers
Paired with Teeling Single Malt
Vegetarian alternative
Spiced Vegetable Kerry Pie
Paired with Teeling Small Batch Classic or Jameson Irish Whiskey
Dessert
A Selection of Bite-Sized Ballymaloe Desserts
Apple tartlet
Almond tart with raspberries and mint or lemon balm
Aquafaba meringues with fresh berries and softly whipped cream
Lemon posset with crystallised lemon peel
Chocolate mousse with Irish whiskey butterscotch sauce
Paired with West Cork Triple Distilled Bourbon Cask or Jameson Black Barrel
Petit Four
Chocolate Mint Leaves and Shamrock Shortbread
Served with tea and coffee
Paired with Baileys Original Irish Cream
Notes
Irish whiskey
Irish whiskey is currently recognised as the fastest-growing spirit category in India, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 60%, compared to 12% for Scotch and 4% for traditional whiskey segments. India has risen to become the fifth-largest export market globally for Irish whiskey.
Taj hotel group
The Taj Hotel group is owned was founded by Jamsetji Tata, and forms an integral part of Indian hospitality, stretching back more than 120 years to the opening of the iconic Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai in 1903. Today, the group has a portfolio of more than 660 hotels across four continents, including more than 150 Taj hotels.