'Machher jhol' off menu, only veg thali at Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind is strictly vegetarian and prefers simple and masala-free food. Hence, the cooks at the Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen have reportedly been asked to follow only a vegetarian menu.

Also, like his predecessor, he reportedly doesn't like sweets and confections.

“The President has not expressed his fondness for any particular food. He loves different sabzis (vegetables).

“But one thing is evident … he is very conscious about his salt intake. The instruction is to put as little salt as possible,” the Hindustan Times quoted a source as saying.

President Kovind also reportedly likes 'litti-chokha', which is served with hot curry and ghee, a popular Bihar snack.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan's kitchen is run by an executive chef although the President can bring his own cook too.

Former president Mukherjee had brought his own cook who had reportedly served him for three decades. Ex-president Pratibha Patil had used the services of her two personal cooks from Maharashtra.

However, during state banquets, the chefs at the Rashtrapati Bhavan also use the services of top cooks from hotels like ITC and Taj.

During Mukherjee's tenure, the menu at events 'grew more diverse with new vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian culinary delights', the report said, adding, 'the tradition is set to continue on Kovind’s watch.'