Best Restaurants in Capital City Presented with Metro Food Awards

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Stating that the government will do all it can to provide the needed support for the growth of the tourism industry, Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran today said that the state considers tourism as one of the key factors in shaping its future, and that it has taken all measures to boost the tourism sector.
Pointing out that availability of good food plays a crucial role in the development of tourism, he said that the
Metro Food Awards initiative, which helps in finding people who provide good and healthy food, comes as a welcome measure.
The minister was speaking after inaugurating the Metro Food Awards 2016 at the Mascot Hotel here, organised with the aim of recognizing the hotels and restaurants in Thiruvananthapuram city for their efforts in providing healthy and hearty food to diners throughout the year.
Organised by the city-based Metro Mart Creative and Events, the Metro Food Awards 2017 was given away to the best rated hotels and restaurants in the star category as well as restaurants category. Congratulating the winners.  Kadakampally Surendran, who gave away the awards along with Minister for Fisheries Mercykutty Amma, hoped that the awards would be an inspiration to all so that more people come up with such good initiatives.
It is the policy of this government to support tourism in all ways. We need to organize various programs in order to lure global tourists as well as domestic tourists to our state, and the government has been working keenly to ensure that this materializes. Alongside, we must also recognize new attractive tourist centres that can attract the tourists, and work for the development of such spots. I firmly believe that our government has been working successfully to achieve this, he added.
In his presidential address, K Muraleedharan, MLA, said that the food culture of Kerala has changed in recent times, with people ordering food from catering services even on festival days. With tourism being the largest revenue generator in Kerala, it can be seen that most of the travellers to Kerala are from the middle income groups. They look for budget eateries and hotels and it is here our hotels and restaurants need to make sure that good and hygienic food is served in the most customer-friendly manner, he said. Along with tapping the tourism potential in more spots in Kerala, it is also a must that customer-friendly eateries that serve hygienic and tasty food are ensured, he added.
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Mercykutty Amma, Minister for Fisheries, said that it is heartening to know that the winners of the awards were chosen after the customers tasted the food served by the respective hotels and restaurants. Stating that Kerala, as a whole, is tourism destination with all districts playing a major role in doling out tourism facilities to travellers, she said that Kerala’s hotels and restaurants need to ensure more cleanliness so that the sector grows manifold.
The Metro Food Awards – 2016 was organised in association with Kerala Tourism, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), South Kerala Hotelier’s Forum (SKHF), and TCCI.
The Metro Food Awards-2016 took into account aspects such as professionalism and dynamism of restaurants in the city before deciding on the winners. Besides, good workmanship, acumen and skills of the restaurateurs would weigh in as core factors that would decide on the success of restaurants
, according to Siji Nair, Managing Director, Metro Food Awards – 2016.
M Vijayakumar, Chairman KTDC, inaugurated the Sunday Card website, which provides for Sunday shopping at discounted rates and offers. The function was attended by U V Jose, Director, Kerala Tourism, Sri. Chacko Paul, President, SKHF, S N Raghuchandran Nair, President, TCCI, E M Najeeb, President, Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry, Suresh M Pillai, Vice President, SIHRA, L V Kumar, Principal, IHMCT, and Siji Nair, Managing Director, Metro Mart Creative and Events.
An esteemed panel of industry leaders and experts constituted the jury, which undertook a rigorous multi-stage process of pre-scoring to determine shortlists, monitor SMS voting by the public, mystery shopping, before a judging the entries to decide the winners.