India, Nov. 9 -- Lucknow ke khane ki khushboo uski hawa mein hai' (the aroma of Lucknow food is in its air). Few foodies would deny this.

Much before Unesco named Lucknow as the "Creative City of Gastronomy", a host of distinguished people from former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Bollywood stars, foreign diplomats and corporate honchos were drawn to the city by the fragrance of Lucknawi food for decades. And it's not merely the kebabs that melt in your mouth, but also the yummy chaat and delicious sweets like makhan malai and malai paan.

What makes the Lucknow cuisine so unique is not only the special herbs or slow cooking on chulha, but also the fact that the food ingrains the city's rich cult...