How cooking workshops in Chennai are shaping new food experiences

CHENNAI: In 1916, Franz Kafka wrote on a postcard, “I’m getting fat!” and listed all the foods he had been feasting on. Over 100 years later, artist Alex Braden in St. Louis, Missouri, discovered this postcard and recreated Kafka’s menu. Inspired by Kafka’s letter, city-based chef Piyus Arya hosted a cooking session where participants created a salad and dessert based on Kafka’s culinary indulgences. Interestingly, Chennai has been witnessing a range of unique cooking workshops where people are exploring creative themes for their classes. DT Next takes a look at how these cooking workshops have evolved and how they have helped change people’s eating habits.

When Piyus Arya was contacted by the Goethe Institute Chennai, the idea was to showcase the foods that Franz Kafka enjoyed. “While going through the notes, I discovered that Kafka ate a lot of salads. I thought it would be interesting to teach participants how to make an Indonesian salad called Gado-Gado,” Piyus explains. “Gado-Gado is a simple and flavourful recipe that typically includes a variety of vegetables, eggs, tempeh, and tofu. Kafka also noted that he was getting fat because he loved indulging in sweets, so I taught the participants to make a dessert using coffee and chocolate. Curating a cooking session inspired by a prominent personality was a new and enriching learning experience. Nearly 25 people participated in the session, and they thoroughly enjoyed it,” says Piyus, who runs Frangipani Culinary Expression.

For more than a decade, Piyus has been hosting baking, chocolate-making, and cooking classes in the city. Over the years, he has observed a significant shift in how people approach these workshops. “The concept of cooking itself has evolved. In the past, it was common for only one person from a family to attend, but now couples, siblings, and friends are signing up together. People today are eager to learn new skills and techniques,” he explains. “I’ve also noticed a growing interest among men who are now actively participating in and inquiring about the workshops. The style of the workshops has become more detailed and comprehensive. It’s not just about preparing food anymore; participants are interested in exploring various flavour profiles, learning advanced cooking techniques, and understanding all aspects of food to make more informed choices.”

As an instructor, Piyus recognises the need for innovation to keep his classes engaging. “Today, there are many ways to learn cooking. As a hands-on workshop centre, we need to constantly find new variations to make our classes interesting. For example, in a sushi-making class, about 80 per cent of the participants will already be familiar with the basics of sushi preparation. So, to keep the class engaging, I need to introduce unique variations in the recipes. This approach not only attracts more students but also makes the experience interesting for everyone involved,” Piyus elaborates

Chocolatier Keshav Krishna has been conducting workshops where participants gain firsthand experience in making a variety of chocolates, including unique creations like PlayStation controllers and chocolate stilettos. “Everyone loves chocolates, and instead of teaching traditional chocolate-making techniques, I’ve introduced classes where people can create chocolates in various shapes and patterns. People are very imaginative, and workshops like these provide an opportunity for them to explore their creativity and innate skills,” shares Keshav, who runs Cheers Chocolates.

He tells us that a lot of corporate employees have started joining the classes in large groups. “Usually, it’s home bakers who enroll for such workshops. But now, IT professionals are coming in as teams. For them, it’s not just about learning a new skill, but also a way to unwind from their busy lives,” he says.