By: Lifestyle DeskNew Delhi | November 2, 2025 04:25 PM IST 4 min readLucknow has made it to the list of UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy, bringing Awadh’s rich and decadent flavours under the global spotlight. The recognition celebrates India and the South Asian diaspora’s culinary heritage and centuries-old traditions surrounding food.Following Hyderabad, which received the honour in 2019, Lucknow became the second Indian city to join the network of 408 Creative Cities across more than 100 countries – each recognised for excellence in Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, Music, and the newly added Architecture. The announcement was made on 31st October, as part of the 58 additions to the Creative Cities Network made this year.Who can be a Creative City of Gastronomy?According to Conde Nast Traveller, a city must exhibit a deep-rooted gastronomic culture steeped in history and identity to receive the Creative City honour. From food markets to traditional ingredients, the community of chefs to generational recipes, everything is taken into consideration while determining which cities make the final list.Sustainability is another important factor for UNESCO, along with respect for the environment, as well as awareness and education about biodiversity and nutrition. Every four years, the selected cities go for review to ensure they are still upholding their initial commitment.What’s special about this honour?According to the official UNESCO website, by becoming a part of the prestigious Creative Cities Network, Lucknow will have the opportunity to learn, get inspired, and partner with other member cities in the following key areas of action:Sharing experiences, knowledge, and best practicesPilot projects, partnerships, and initiatives associating the public and private sectors, and civil societyProfessional and artistic exchange programmes and networks;Studies, research, and evaluations on the experience of the Creative CitiesPolicies and measures for sustainable urban developmentCommunication and awareness-raising activities. Kebabs are a specialty. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)About Awadhi cuisineLucknow’s culinary heritage celebrates Awadh’s historic cuisine, renowned for dishes like dum phukt biryani and melt-in-mouth kebabs.Historian Rana Safvi, in a previous article in this publication, shared some light on the various kebabs sizzling on the streets of Lucknow.Story continues below this ad“Seekh kebab was refined in India from the shish kebab of the nomadic Mongols, who carried marinated meat in their saddle bags and cooked them on shish or skewers at night, and introduced it to India during their invasions. The shami kebab is said to have been invented for a Nawab sahib of Awadh by a Syrian cook, as the toothless Nawab sahib found it difficult to chew meat,” she had told indianexpress.com.ALSO READ | Visit these UNESCO World Heritage sites in IndiaAccording to her, the rakabdar of the Nawab of Kakori, Syed Mohammed Haider Kazmi, most likely introduced Kakori kebab to Lucknow’s culinary scene. “The story goes that a British officer, a guest at his table, criticised the rough texture of the seekh kebab. His cooks came up with a softer version of the seekh kebab by taking the meat from the raan ki machhli – a cut from the leg of mutton – and then adding khoya to it,” she narrated.Safvi wrote that back in the day, pulao was favoured over biryani in Lucknow. “Though that name is used indiscriminately today, there was a fine difference back then. Pulao was meat cooked with rice, and with very delicate spice flavours. Biryani was usually layered rice with meat, and used far more spices for the delicate Awadhi palate,” she had highlighted.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine. For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd