Checkmate To Cravings! Indian Chess Stars Feast On South Indian Delicacies In Norway During 2024 Tournament

Going abroad is thrilling at first, but after a while, you start missing home-cooked meals and would do anything to have them again. The Indian players participating in the 2024 Norway Chess tournament, which started on May 27, have been experiencing this longing. So, discovering a South Indian restaurant in Norway felt like a dream come true for them.

On Friday, May 31, the first rest day of the 2024 Norway Chess tournament, the Indian players headed to Spisoh, a South Indian restaurant in the city center of Norway.?

This included Praggnanandhaa and his sister Vaishali - both Indian Chess Grandmasters - who visited along with their mother Nagalakshmi.

Praggnanandhaa & Vaishali at Spisoh in Norway/ Indian Express

Also read:?There's No Stopping Praggnanandhaa! Watch Viral Video Of Him Defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen In Classical Chess

Typically, they are careful about their diet when abroad, sticking to vegetarian food or having their mother cook for them in their room.?

But on this Friday evening, they let those reservations go and indulged in dosas, chicken curry, and Kerala parotta.?

Dosa

"The family looked at the menu for a long time and then Vaishali and Nagalakshmi had two dosas each with their favourite podi on top of it. Pragg had Tamil Nadu-style chicken curry with Kerala parotta. They said that they will come back," said Nitish Kamath, one of the five owners of Spisoh, to the Indian Express.

The five friends behind Spisoh hold regular day jobs in the energy and IT sectors, launching the restaurant fueled by their shared love for South Indian cuisine.?

Pragg and Vaishali aren't the sole Indian players attracted to the eatery. Last year, another Chennai teenager and chess prodigy?Gukesh, sought solace in its flavors.

Indian chess grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh, known for his prodigious talent, holds the distinction of being the third-youngest Grandmaster ever.??

Gukesh and coach Grzegorz Gajewski at Spisoh, last year/ Indian Express

Also read:?'Never Be Content': Gukesh's Success Mantra, A Journey Of Talent, Resilience, & Continuous Improvement

"When Gukesh was playing at the event last year, they were always ordering aatu irachi masala (South Indian style lamb masala with roasted spices and sautéed curry). That was clearly their favorite. Day in, day out, they were ordering only that. So when we would punch in the order, our chef would know it was Gukesh ordering. Most days, Gukesh’s father would stop by to pick up the food, but on rest days, Gukesh also came with his trainer Grzegorz Gajewski," adds Nitish.

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