Food researcher Prerna Garg is introducing India’s unsung local food to people in big cities

“We have a small kitchen. So before an event, everything is spread out. Utensils, fresh ingredients and staff fill every room of my house,” Garg explains. “But there’s a method to the madness. We make everything fresh, so over a few chaotic, sleepless nights, we carefully plan cooking times, ingredient preparation and coordination to serve over a hundred people.”

In each dish, authenticity and the element of surprise are non-negotiable. “We love it when people say they could’ve never imagined pumpkin or guar (cluster beans) served this way, or that they didn’t even know these ingredients existed,” Garg says, smiling modestly.

Garg poses for a photo. Photographed by Zacharie Rabehi