New York: The aroma of authentic Indian cuisine will tease American connoisseurs as the first week- long Indian food festival in the US begins next month to showcase a wide variety of regional cuisines. The "Indian Festive Food Week" will be held in fine dining Indian restaurants in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as well as the major cities of Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Francisco during December 12-20. "The food week is sure to provide unprecedented gastronomical delights to food connoisseurs across the nation," Indian Consul General Dnyaneshwar Mulay said at an event ahead of the festival.

The food week is an initiative of India Unlimited, a series of multi-city fashion, dance, food and cultural events being organised in the US to promote the heritage of India. Several restaurants across the US have partnered with India Unlimited. A special prix fixe menu will be served for lunch and dinner that would include a variety of regional cuisines ranging from Awadhi, Mughlai, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Bengali and Udupi. During the week, several food workshops and sessions would be organised with industry experts to create awareness about Indian cuisine and regional methods of cooking.