Food and Faith in Four Ingredients

Rakesh Raghunathan is a South Indian culinary ambassador, whose vision is to showcase the rich heritage of the region to audiences across the world. He brings a unique perspective and experience of the south Indian cuisine, while also seeking to turn the spotlight on the custodians of these traditional knowledge systems. A food raconteur, armed with a wealth of anecdotal history, and a deep insight into socio cultural practices, Rakesh has taken food to the realm of the performative. His presentations are a multi-sensory and aesthetic experience with an element of romance and drama thrown in, as he draws his audiences into a space where food and art converge seamlessly.

His travels have taken him to the far-flung nooks and corners of South India’s towns and villages, to discover a vast repertoire of indigenous food, and a whole body of culinary knowledge and practices. His travels are now documented in the form of a popular television shows which he hosts – Dakshin Diaries, 100% South Indian on Living Foodz and Zee Zest channels as well as Sutralam Suvaikalam for News7 Tamil.

Shoba Narayan is the author of four books and a columnist with Hindustan Times Brunch magazine. She writes about food, travel, fashion, art and culture for many national and international publications. She is the overseas correspondent for Radio New Zealand. She has taught at IIM-Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Science. Besides writing, she watches birds, quaffs wine, and enjoys gadgets. Her lifelong mission is to get fit without exercising and lose weight without dieting.