17th Anniversary Special: Exploring the rise of the locavore movement in Chennai

Imagine it's a warm afternoon and you’re in the kitchen. The gentle sizzle of freshly harvested vegetables in a hot pan pulsates through the air, the aroma of herbs plucked just hours ago fills the room — fresh, pungent, delicious, and there is a satisfaction you feel, knowing the food on your plate hasn’t travelled across oceans — that’s the magic of eating locally.

Alice Watersonce wisely pointed out, “The best way to eat is to eat locally, to understand where your food comes from, to know the farmer and their philosophy. Local food is a way of connecting with the seasons, the people, and the land around you.” This sentiment rings even truer in today’s fast-paced world, where food often seems to appear mysteriously on our plates, detached from its origin. The locavore movement, with its focus on local, sustainable eating, is a response to this disconnection.

“In this modern society, people have no idea where their food comes from, how it is grown and how far it has travelled. They don’t know how it’s processed, packed, stored, transported. And if a civilisation doesn’t know where its food comes from, then that society will be in decline,” says Krishna Mckenzie, an Auroville-based farm-toplate entrepreneur, who has been engaged in the practice for a long time.

The modern world, dominated by globalisation, has transformed the way we experience food. Supermarkets are stocked with products from around the globe, and eating ‘exotic’ fare can be as easy as a trip down the aisle. Think of those bright red cans stacked neatly on the supermarket shelves, or the instant noodles, the sliced cold cuts — all so familiar, like an old song. But in this array of options, something is often lost — the connection to the earth, the knowledge of your food, and the relationship with local farmers who grow it. Locavore challenges this status quo.

The concept has made inroads in many cities around the world, including Chennai, where it is unfolding like the turn of seasons. As the global push for sustainability rises, many of the city’s chefs and restaurants have started to embrace this philosophy.

Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar from The Park is among those who believe in the concept and is actively trying to incorporate the principle in his cooking. For him, it’s the need of the hour, a way we can move to be more sustainable. “We should look at what’s happening around us, what is growing nearby, rather than getting some far-fetched ingredients. A whole lot of products we use are sourced locally. I mean, wherever possible, there is always an attempt to source ingredients, which can be used again, and we put them right on the menu. It’s not like you’re passing off something. We clearly suggest what we’re using, because that kind of educates the consumer as well,” he says.

Area Executive Chef — South Food & Beverage Production for ITC Hotels, Mayank Kulshreshtha, another advocate for the locavore movement in the city, says that he has integrated the philosophy into many of his signature dishes in a bid to support local farmers and save the earth.

“By incorporating local ingredients, we support regional farmers, reduce carbon footprints and celebrate the biodiversity of Tamil Nadu and its surrounding regions. Many of our dishes embrace the locavore philosophy. Some standout signatures are Marina bhajji, Vazhipoo cutlet, Curry leaf prawns and Madras fried chicken.”

Further explaining on how they select suppliers, the chef says, “It involves visiting farms to assess their sustainable practices and establishing long-term relationships. We prioritise those who share our commitment to quality, ethical farming, and environmental stewardship. The aim is to create a value chain that benefits both the local communities and our guests.”

For many, the benefits of the locavore approach extend beyond taste and sustainability. As celebrity chef and food historian Rakesh Raghunathan points out, it’s also about reducing carbon footprints. “I think it says the farmer knows what to produce. People consume it right away, and most importantly, when they consume there’s no wastage, thereby leaving lesser carbon footprints.”

Locavore is not a new concept. This movement, which reportedly began as a small experiment in San Francisco in 2005, has since spread globally, capturing the imagination of food enthusiasts and environmentalists. And in current times, it is gaining more momentum.

Highlighting some reasons for the concept’s current popularity, Chef Ashutosh adds that in the last few years, local sourcing has transformed into something quite ‘fashionable’, a badge to wear.

“In the last five years, locavore has become a trendy thing. It also helps, ticking the box (of being fashionable) and making sure you’re using the right local ingredients and glamorising them. Now, as a chef, I feel cooler to use gobindo rice for a risotto, rather than using arborio rice. Five, seven years back, it wasn’t as cool. When I started, all these exotic things definitely excited us a lot, Something as simple as a banana with a flawless yellow skin, not realising the importance of the bananas being grown locally.”

Local food is not just a trend but a way of holding onto the past. The demand for locally sourced ingredients is growing, especially among those who see food not merely as nourishment, but as an experience to be savoured on multiple levels. There is even an increase in people and outlets in the city who want to know more about their food.

Rakesh adds that while it may not be the majority, those who truly appreciate are, indeed, drawn to locally sourced ingredients. “People who understand food, who want to look at it and different layers, definitely seek out the locally sourced ingredients. Some sessions that I have done on reviving, say, indigenous rice and millets and seasonal produce, people were curious to understand what it was all about. At least the restaurants I collaborate with are very open to ideas when it comes to sustainability. The hospitality industry is also opening up to more demands and more inquisitive and more appreciative audiences that they have.”

But with all the benefits, there are a few challenges the chefs face. “There are always some things we can’t avoid importing, like Kikkoman soy sauce or salmon and tuna for sushi. The chef has to make informed choices about when and how to use local ingredients. You can’t just use anything locally grown without considering quality. At the end of the day, we’re in the business of serving great food,” says Ashutosh.

Beyond economics, the locavore movement also plays a role in cultural preservation. In an era where fast food and processed meals dominate, Krishna laments that the dissociation from food may lead to dissociation from culture. “People have always eaten what’s grown around them. But now, it’s all potatoes and instant noodles. If we forget our traditional dishes, our food culture will become homogenised. What will happen to India if we lose our connection to these local flavours?”

The locavore movement is about much more than simply eating food grown nearby. It’s a return to something purer, something closer to the earth. It’s a way to reclaim our connection to the land, to each other, and to our own history. And perhaps, in those simple acts — choosing a local vegetable over an imported one, savouring a dish made with ingredients from just around the corner — we find not just sustenance, but a way to remember where we came from, and how we’re all bound to the same earth beneath our feet.

Email: mayurkaushal@newindianexpress.com

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