Flavours of empowerment: 12 home chefs to showcase regional home style dishes

CHENNAI: The city is getting ready for Women’s Day events, and a few home chefs are teaming up to help underprivileged women through food. ‘Soul On A Plate’ by ‘Eat Pray & Love’ (EPL) is hosting a special food event called ‘Flavours of Empowerment’ on March 8. It’s not just about tasty food; the money raised will help underprivileged women fulfill their goals. This initiative lets you enjoy home-cooked dishes from different regions, all while supporting those who need it most.

Food evangelist Yogita N Uchil, who is bringing back forgotten regional and micro cuisines of India, is the curator of this event. Speaking to DT Next, she says, “During my culinary adventures, I’ve met many individuals who prepare dishes just as their mothers and grandmothers did centuries ago. These home chefs are reviving traditional dishes that we’ve overlooked. Nowadays, people prefer Asian and continental cuisines, but there’s so much diversity in Indian food that we haven’t explored, especially the younger generation. At this one-day food pop-up, 12 home chefs from the city will showcase their homemade dishes. Each chef will offer three dishes, two non-veg and one veg.”

Each participating home chef represents their native region. “I was born and brought up in Goa, but I am a Mangalorean. So, I will be showcasing Mangalorean cuisine. Drawing from childhood memories and family traditions, all the chefs are presenting dishes deeply rooted in their regional heritage, passed down through generations. There will be specialty dishes from Sri Lanka, Persia, Kashmir, Kodava/Coorg, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Bohri,” adds the curator.

The proceeds from the event will be directed towards underprivileged women, helping them in pursuing their dream careers. “Many of these women have been working as maids for a long time, but they aspire for more. Some dream of becoming tailors, cab drivers, or working in beauty parlours. With the funds raised, we aim to support them by enrolling them in classes relevant to their interests. To ensure maximum participation, we’ve scheduled the event to start in the evening at 4 pm, extending into the late night. Additionally, attendees can look forward to live music performances by a band,” concludes Yogita.

The food pop-up will be held on March 8 at Hanu Reddy Residences, Poes Garden.