#PastForward: chef Mythrayie Iyer points Bengaluru towards the next chapter of its dining culture

Having studied culinary arts at Manipal University, turning away from engineering, talented chef, Mythrayie Iyer has made her mark and is known for bold experimentation and deep respect for regional ingredients and culinary tradition. Winning over the foodies of Bengaluru with her gastronomy, she began her career with ITC Grand Bharat in Gurugram before shifting to the modern South Indian restaurant Avartana at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai. In 2019, Mythrayie became a key part of the founding team to launch a restaurant in Bengaluru, but the pandemic led them to open Farmlore instead — a farm-to-fork restaurant that sources its own produce and serves seasonal, thoughtfully crafted meals.

We begin our tête-a-tête with the chef by conversing about the significance of curating authentic experiences in culinary arts.

“Firstly, there is often confusion between authenticity and creativity. I believe these can complement each other beautifully if we truly understand what makes something authentic. Authenticity does not imply exact replication of how something was originally done; rather, it is about grasping the reasoning or science behind it — why a dish was prepared in a certain way, how seasonality influences the choice of ingredients or why a particular vegetable was processed or treated to achieve a specific outcome. Secondly, while this is not strictly culinary, I feel there is a cultural shift that chefs in this country must embrace. Today, how you make a guest feel goes far beyond the food served, as that initial impression is vital. If done right, it creates an experience where guests feel genuinely welcomed, forgetting the passage of time and immersing themselves in something transformative. It’s no longer enough to simply cook great food, as was often the case in the past,” she tells us.

Fifteen years ago, sustainability was a niche; now, it’s vital. From conscious cooking to zero-waste practices and ethical sourcing, the chef tells us how to identify a successful restaurant in the next decade.

“If we look back at households like mine, my grandmother and mother used every part of a vegetable or fruit, wasting almost nothing. Of course, in fine dining, presentation matters and some wastage is inevitable, but over the last five years, the approach has shifted significantly. Sustainability is no longer a branding exercise or merely a philosophy for a restaurant; it is the baseline standard for any kitchen, a fundamental requirement. A successful restaurant today will not be judged solely by its food. Its reputation will also depend on how responsibly it sources ingredients, how it contributes to the wider ecosystem and the ethics it upholds,” she clarifies.

It is believed that the concept of a restaurant should be very personal to its founders, with less emphasis on chasing trends and more respect towards ingredients and culture that are founded on deep research. Mytherie elucidates on this with her insights.

“Eating should be a more conversational experience, rather than a transactional one, which is how it has often been treated. However, truly integrated cuisine occurs when there is a culinary context — when ingredients share a logic in terms of climate, soil, palate or history. For a forward-thinking chef, the fundamental struggle is balancing creativity with survival — the most basic yet most significant challenge in the kitchen.”

But when it comes to creating something that has never been done before how do chefs and restaurants balance between heavy experimentation and familiar flavours, we enquire. “Pushing boundaries is exciting, but the market does not always seem supportive. Yet, if approached correctly, it often proves worthwhile over time. A chef is constantly negotiating between ambition, creativity, operational practicality and how consumers ultimately perceive or respond to the work. You cannot push too quickly or too slowly — it is a process and trusting that process is essential. Be true to your idea and do the best you can; when executed well, it is always worth it,” she explains.

Mythrayie, who stepped down from her role as head chef at the Bengaluru restaurant, is currently pursuing new experiences in Mumbai. “Looking ahead, not just in Bengaluru but across the industry, I believe the future lies in menus that respect ingredients. For me, Past Forward means using the past as a compass and then building upon it. Understanding the terroir, cultural identity and the reasons behind certain practices. At the end of the day, what our soil provides, along with sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint, will play a central role in shaping the evolution of the culinary landscape,” she signs off.

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