This endeavor resulted in a unique anthology celebrating food, interwoven with personal narratives, cherished memories, recipes, art, poetry, and captivating photo essays from 100 Indian kitchens worldwide
“Memories on a Plate” is a remarkable collaborative project that emerged during the challenging years of the pandemic. Conceived by Shruti Taneja from the heirloom culinary project Nivaala and Rohini Kejriwal from the weekly art newsletter, The Alipore Post, the initiative was sparked by their recognition of a greater passion project waiting to be realized. This endeavor resulted in a unique anthology celebrating food, interwoven with personal narratives, cherished memories, recipes, art, poetry, and captivating photo essays from 100 Indian kitchens worldwide, as reported by thehindu.com.
According to Shruti, this project was driven by a collective yearning to honor the beautiful intersection of cooking, nostalgia, and personal storytelling. She mentions that the idea had been percolating for some time, fueled by their shared love for food, and has been in development for several months.
In February, Shruti and Rohini issued an open call for personal stories, recipes, art, and poetry centered around the theme of food. Rohini, based in Bengaluru, elaborates on the process, involving outreach to contributors, meticulous curation of their submissions, and the artful weaving of these diverse elements into a cohesive narrative that encapsulates the essence of nostalgia through culinary experiences. They were heartened by the overwhelming response, receiving over 300 submissions from across India and the global Indian diaspora.
Shruti highlights their collaborative journey, revealing that they physically met for the first time in Delhi in April to meticulously select the final 100 submissions during an intense editorial sprint. Since then, they have been diligently engaged in Zoom calls, editing, designing, and painstakingly crafting this anthology, page by page. Shruti, who runs a personalized cookbook publishing service and designs recipe journals at Nivaala, has brought her expertise to the project.
Every submission, whether it’s about kori roti, sel-maani, or dal dhokli, holds a special place in their hearts. Shruti expresses how some of the stories shared a poignant blend of nostalgia and tragedy, applauding the courage of the writers who shared these tales. The anthology also features fabulous recipes that the duo eagerly anticipates trying, alongside stunning illustrations and captivating photo essays.
“The project was driven by a collective yearning to honor the beautiful intersection of cooking, nostalgia, and personal storytelling. She mentions that the idea had been percolating for some time, fueled by their shared love for food, and has been in development for several months.”
— Shruti Taneja
Creating a seamless flow of narratives around food and nostalgia was pivotal, according to Shruti, in shaping the 200-page book. They meticulously curated the submissions and arranged them in a deliberate sequence. Maintaining a cohesive visual style was equally crucial, and each page was thoughtfully designed to provide the visual treatment that each story deserved, with the visuals being contributed by the creators themselves or crafted by the duo.
In contrast to other Nivaala projects, “Memories on a Plate” is a crowdfunded venture, a choice that Rohini explains was deliberate. They believed from the outset that this project should be a collective endeavor, mirroring the collective memories and experiences associated with food. Crowdsourcing allowed them to capture a diverse array of perspectives, resulting in a book that genuinely reflects the rich tapestry of Indian kitchens worldwide.
Rohini clarifies that this isn’t a conventional magazine where writers are commissioned with specific voices. Instead, the love for food and storytelling emanates directly from the contributors themselves, enabling the focus to be on weaving together this tapestry of perspectives and crafting a book that celebrates shared memories, emotions, and connections. Moreover, for each copy sold, “Memories on a Plate” pledges to provide a meal to those in need through the Mumbai-based non-profit Khaana Chahiye, contributing to their mission of eradicating hunger.
Priced at INR1,199, the book is currently available for pre-orders on nivaala.com until September 30. Shipping is scheduled to commence during the second week of October, catering to readers both within India and internationally.
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