LUCKNOW, March 14 -- Restaurant owners, hoteliers and those running other food outlets have reduced their LPG usage by choosing alternative cooking fuels and cutting the menu, especially live counters. Others are watching for signs of the situation returning to normal. At Clarks Awadh, banquet-based cooking focuses on slow-cooked food like biryani, dal makhani, kebab smoking and mutton prepared using wood fire, while induction ovens are used for fulfilling a la carte orders. "For banquets, we have shut our live counters which offer delicacies like tikki, kebab, pasta and dal tadka while some dishes like galouti have been transferred to electric and pan-based cooking. The unavailability of (commercial) LPG cylinders will affect the guest experience. We are using wood, charcoal, and electricity to an extent but dishes requiring more heat, such as Asian cuisine (Chinese and Thai), are shut for the time being," said Rohit Chaudhary, executive chef at Clarks Awadh. Mukesh Kumar, executive chef at Renaissance, said they have piped natural gas installed but are still choosing to save fuel by roasting and charring vegetables before using them in dishes. "Electric appliances - hot plates and induction cooktops-are also being used with no compromise on the menu," said Kumar. Murlidhar Ahuja, owner of Royal Cafe, said that they are in a critical position, with 50% of their business already shut, including lunch packets. "We are trying to get diesel and electric options but they are difficult to find. If the condition persists for a few more days, we will have to rely only on serving tea, toasts and other items that can be prepared using an oven and electric appliances while shutting down other delicacies, including chaat. We are anxious," said Ahuja, stating that they were unprepared for such a crisis. Ajay Kumar Awasthi, executive chef at Picadilly, said that alternative cooking methods like induction, charcoal furnace and diesel fryer and burners are being used. "In a la carte, we have reduced the menu and are insisting people choose grilled over fried dishes. Even chaat is made on an electric hot plate," said Awasthi. Srijal Gupta, one of Madhurima's owners, said that alternative cooking is becoming a support system and that once the crisis ends, the food industry will be ready to adopt a more environmentally friendly system. "We are learning every day. We already have 100% thermal boilers and coal boilers at the factory. The restaurant is trying to shift towards electric alternatives; however, they are difficult to find," said Gupta. The kitchen at Lucknow Golf Club also issued a notice stating that, considering the situation, it has temporarily rationalised the golfer and kitchen menu with immediate effect and limited kitchen facilities will remain available for members....