Chefs and cooks promote Karnataka's micro-cuisines through new dining formats
Culinary professionals are using pop-ups, cafes, and documentation to bring regional Karnataka food to wider audiences.
Chefs, home cooks, and researchers across Karnataka are bringing the state's micro-cuisines to new tables through curated dinners, cafes, and travelling supper clubs, according to the Deccan Herald.
Dr Darshan Gowda, founder of Dakshin Soirée, hosts multi-course dining experiences every 45 days. His menus feature regional dishes such as yetti tisre chutney from Mangaluru, punarpuli meen from Karwar, and Bhatkali biryani.
Beary food documentarian Nazeera Mohidine has documented 50 recipes on Instagram since 2020. She recently hosted Daawath’g Baru with Coastal Collective Heritage, where guests learned to make mass ro unde, which are rice balls stuffed with coconut, red chilli paste, and mass.
Anusha Venkatesh, founder of Ole Project, began documenting food across the state's four regions in 2022. Since September 2024, the project has operated as a travelling kitchen, featuring a Jawari menu that presents North Karnataka cuisine in different formats.
Chef Shriya Shetty, founder of BuCo. artisanal bakery and cafe, operates a Karnataka-forward cafe. She uses indigenous ingredients like red amaranth, ridge gourd, and dry fish to showcase Mangalurean food beyond common dishes like ghee roast.
The movement aims to move regional cuisine beyond fine dining and into everyday food and beverage formats.