A Culinary Journey with USA Blueberries — Master Class by Chef Raj Sethia
Chennai, November 24, 2025: The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) hosted an exclusive USA Blueberries Master Class in Chennai at The Residency Towers, T. Nagar, bringing together some of the city’s most respected culinary talents.
The event opened with an inaugural ceremony graced by Padma Shri Dr. Chef Damodaran, President of SICA, alongside Chef Raj Sethia, Director – Culinary at Gangotree Foods, who led the master class. The showcase featured engaging live demonstrations, media interactions, and creative applications of USA dried and frozen blueberries across Indian and global cuisines.
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Mr. Shuvrat Kapoor from USHBC India provided a special orientation, highlighting blueberries as a rising star in India’s 2025 Food Trends, especially within global fusion dishes inspired by Indian classics.
Chef Raj Sethia’s live session immersed participants in a vibrant exploration of flavour. He presented simple yet innovative blueberry-based recipes including a Healthy Blueberry Salad, Blueberry Crostini Rusk, Blueberry Pizza, and Blueberry Rasgullas.
Speaking about his culinary approach, Chef Raj Sethia said, “From the farms of America to the plates of India — blueberries prove that flavour has no borders. Cooking is an emotion for me. USA Blueberries open up a world of creativity and become my canvas for new culinary stories.
From reimagining tradition with a Blueberry Rasagulla, to crafting a fresh and colourful Blueberry Salad, to baking a bold, playful Blueberry Pizza — every dish tells a story. This master class celebrates how a single berry can spark innovation, emotion, and unforgettable flavour.”
Mr. Shuvrat Kapoor added, “USHBC continues to support India’s growing appetite for fruit-based innovation, encouraging chefs and manufacturers to explore blueberries in traditional, modern, and fusion formats.”
Raj Kapoor, India Representative for USHBC, noted, “With rising interest in functional, premium, and clean-label foods in India, blueberries offer an exceptional combination of taste, versatility, and health benefits. We are excited to demonstrate new applications suited for both home cooks and professional chefs.”
Recent scientific insights further emphasize the benefit of incorporating berries into daily diets. Research published in Annals of Medicine (2025) indicates that replacing even one serving of commonly consumed fruits with berries — including blueberries — can significantly increase intake of anthocyanins, vitamin C, and dietary fiber, nutrients associated with better cardiovascular health.
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