Kitchen Table Talks: New Delhi

Kitchen Table Talks was an intimate gathering hosted by Meenakshi Thirukode / School of IO and the Food Art Research Network on a rooftop in New Delhi. Around fifty participants came together for an afternoon of conversation and exchange, exploring artistic and research practices spanning food, ecology, photography, vernacular architecture and grassroots movements. With Aabha Muralidharan, 8:30 Collective x Menty Jamir, Tenacious Bee Collective x Malini Kochupillai, Madeleine Collie, Alana Hunt, and Meenakshi Thirukode (Food Art Research Network), Nipun Prabhakar.

During the long afternoon / evening each person introduced themselves and shared their connection to food, culture, caste, loss and family. While it was intended to be a moment for the presenters to share their work, the event opened up a space for collective gathering and sharing, and it lasted for several hours. It was a rainy afternoon and many stayed until the evening to try the Bhindi curry that we prepared from the cookbook of recipes developed by the 8:30 network of women photographers.

About the 8:30 Cookbook
Food offers one of the most direct and meaningful ways to connect. While widely understood as a shared language, it also carries layered histories, emotions, struggles and resilience. The recipes in the 8:30 Cookbook are a gift from this network, accompanied by stories and memories from across India—including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Goa and Madhya Pradesh—bringing diverse cultures together through the act of cooking and sharing a meal.