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Indian food is not just about taste—it is about memory, emotion, and identity. For celebrity chef Kunal Kapur, every ingredient carries a story, and every season brings back a flood of sensory nostalgia. From childhood summers filled with aam papad on rooftops to today’s immersive dining experiences, Kapur’s culinary journey is deeply rooted in “ghar ka khana” and elevated through modern gastronomy. In an exclusive conversation, the chef opens up about food memories, discipline in professional kitchens, the rise of home chefs in India, and why Indian cuisine still has so much left to be documented.

Summer on a Plate: Mangoes, Aam Papad & Forgotten Flavours
For Kunal Kapur, summer in India is not just a season—it is a flavour archive. “You get local mangoes which are brilliant. Melons pop up, jamun, falsa… everything that north India and Punjabi households are used to eating comes alive,” he says, recalling how seasonal produce defines Indian summers.



But what stands out most vividly in his memory is the humble aam papad. As a child, he remembers rooftops transforming into mini food factories. “Moms used to make aam papad on the terrace. Somewhere achar was drying, somewhere sabzi was being sun-cured. Mirch ka achar, adrak ka achar, lahsun ka achar—it was all happening together.”

For him, summer is not just about taste—it is about collective memory. “It’s a recall of seasonal food being cooked at home.”

The Emotional Core of Food: “Maa Ke Haath Ka Khana Is Soul Food"


Ask Kapur about maa ke haath ka khana, and his tone instantly softens. “That’s soul food. It touches your soul,” he says. “It’s the first niwala you ever have in life.”

He explains how a child’s earliest food memories become lifelong benchmarks. “Your mother is usually the first person who feeds you. So all senses latch onto that taste. Later in life, everything good or bad is compared to that emotional reference point.” For Kapur, food is not just nourishment—it is emotional calibration.

A Dish for His Mother: Mango Kulfi & a Sweet Memory


Mentioning the role his mother has played in his life, the chef pauses before choosing a dish dedicated to his mother. “I think mango kulfi,” he says with a smile. “We used to make it at home.” But behind the sweetness lies a playful memory from childhood kitchens—one that still makes him laugh. “Once I said something off the record, and my mom was heartbroken,” he recalls, hinting at how deeply food and emotion are intertwined in family life.

Inside A 360° Culinary Journey
A significant part of Kapur’s recent work involves the Blenders Pride Reserved Experiences, a multi-sensory dining concept designed to engage sight, smell, sound, and taste simultaneously. “It is a complete sensorial experience of all your senses,” he explains. “Food is the only art that is edible.”

The experience is divided into curated zones—each representing floral, fruity, nutty, and spicy elements, alongside aroma-focused installations and visual storytelling spaces. From lighting to plating, from music to ingredient storytelling, every detail is orchestrated. “It is a 360-degree immersive experience where everything comes together.” The project took nearly 3–4 months of intense collaboration, something Kapur describes as both challenging and deeply rewarding.

While modern gastronomy encourages experimentation, Kapur believes in restraint. “There is only so much deviation you can do before you lose the soul of the dish,” he says. “The idea is to keep the essence intact while adding excitement on top.” He sees two approaches to food today—one that educates, and another that elevates experience. “We are choosing the second route,” he adds.

One of the most difficult aspects of his recent project, he reveals, is synchronising food with performance. “The most challenging part is the gastronomic performance,” he says. “Plating food while aligning it with music, sometimes traditional sitar, sometimes modern compositions, is extremely complex.”

Lessons from the Kitchen: Discipline Over Emotion

While home kitchens are forgiving, professional kitchens are not. “They are brutal,” Kapur says candidly. “They don’t care about your mood or personal life. You have to show up and perform.” He contrasts this with home cooking, where flexibility exists. “Professional kitchens demand discipline—whether it is Diwali or a regular shift, you are expected to be there.”

Criticism, Growth & the Anonymous Voice of Reviews
Over the years, Kapur has learned to navigate criticism from anonymous online reviewers. “You cannot cook for everyone’s taste,” he says. “Initially, it was difficult, but eventually you learn to filter the noise.” Instead of reacting defensively, he now analyses feedback. “Sometimes criticism is valid. It just needs patience to decode.”

The Rise of Home Chefs: A Long-Overdue Revolution
The rise of home chefs and pop-ups across India, he believes, is a positive shift. “The more the merrier,” he says. “Indian food was never properly documented. It was passed down orally—from mothers and mothers-in-law.” Unlike French cuisine, which has structured documentation, Indian cooking traditions often lack written records. “That’s why interpretations of authenticity vary so widely,” he notes.

For Kunal Kapur, Indian food is still being discovered, one home kitchen at a time. It is shaped by mothers, seasons, emotions, and evolving interpretations. From aam papad on rooftops to immersive dining theatres, his journey reflects a larger truth—Indian cuisine is not static. It is alive, evolving, and deeply personal. And at its heart, as Kapur reminds us, it always returns to the same place: maa ke haath ka khana—the original flavour of life.

Images Courtesy: istock and Instagram