If you have ever been to the wonderful land of Chile (pronounced : Chill+ae, and not like the spicy chili), you would agree with their latest global tagline “Every time you open a Chilean Product you are #Unboxing Chile.” Recently, the India office of ProChile (the agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, which promotes export of Chilean goods and services and whose role is to boost commercial relationship between Chile and India) hosted a one-of-a-kind event titled Unboxing Chile in the capital.
The main objective of ‘Unboxing Chile’ campaign is to offer a box full of diverse experiences and generate curiousity among Indian buyers to experience the culture, scenic beauties, colours, and aromas of the country. With these signitaure Chilean products they get to feel the spirit of Chile, its warmth, all the beautiful places that Chile can show and the identity of the Chilean people stamped in their produce. We spoke to the Marcela Alejandra Zuñiga Alegria, Trade Commissioner of ProChile in India, and found out some interesting facts about the country and the latest offerings from the Republic of Chile.
The event was hosted at Hotel Leela in Gurugram saw the participation of leading Indian food, travel and lifestyle writers, influencers and enthusiasts. Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Chile to India, H.E. Juan Angulo, remarks, “Chile and India share a tremendous relationship that is based on shared values. Economic partnership between the two countries continues to grow and food is a very important part of this. Indians are slowly getting a taste of Chilean foods and are beginning to appreciate the quality that Chilean produce brings. Chile is bestowed with a unique topography to make Chile a phytosanitary island. This is a primary reason for the high quality of produce that comes from there.”
While Marcela Alejandra Zuñiga Alegria, Trade Commissioner of ProChile in India, believes that the goal of ProChile is to bring Chile closer to India and improve the visibility of Chile, as country, supplier and partner. ProChile is a nonprofit entity, whose main objective is to improve bilateral trade between both countries. Unboxing Chile is an international campaign that comes alive tonight in India and provides an incredible opportunity to know and connect with Chile, its flavors and its people.
The Chilean products showcased at the event were fresh produce like kiwifruit, cherries, blueberries and apples and dry fruit like Walnuts. Addiontially, the delish Chilean wines were also served to the guests to sample the notes. Unboxing Chile stimulates one’s senses and through this experience, created memories that will not let those who attended forget the magical goodness of Chile and exhibited tourism possibilities for the faraway land of mountians, oceans and exotic deserts.
The evening was beautifully curated for the esteemed guests and the chefs at Leela under the leadership of their Executive Chef Ashish Bhasin put out an extensive menu featuring Chilean fruits and dry fruits. The invite to us was extended by food writer and blogger Rupali Dean and her daughter Akanksha, who arranged a special customised sitdown meal for every guest, and ensured everyone went home with a speical red goodie box of #UnboxingChile.
The writer is a Delhi-based blogger, and you can reach her at [email protected]