CHENNAI: Several hotels in Chennai have switched to wood stoves and stopped preparing dishes such as biryani and parotta following a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, according to a report by Maalaimalar.
Supply of commercial LPG cylinders has been temporarily stopped in Tamil Nadu. The move is said to be linked to the ongoing US–Israel conflict with Iran, which has affected supply.
Due to the shortage of commercial cylinders, there are concerns that hotel services could be affected on a large scale. The temporary suspension of supply was announced on Monday.
Following this, several restaurants in Chennai were forced to temporarily close, while some others continued operations with limited food items. Hotels that did not have cylinders in stock were the most affected.
Notice boards have been placed in several big and small hotels informing customers that certain food items will not be available. Areas including Teynampet and Thiruvanmiyur have reported such notices.
Hotel operators have said they are currently giving priority to dishes that can be prepared quickly, while avoiding items that require longer cooking time. Some hotels have also started using wood stoves to continue basic cooking until the cylinder supply resumes.