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Big Food Energy

Smitha Menon 27 Episodes Dec 17, 2025

Hosted by renowned food journalist Smitha Menon, Big Food Energy celebrates a movement reshaping India's culinary landscape. The podcast features insightful conversations about topics like Michelin-starred khichdi, food delivery algorithms, and the global rise of dosa. It is a Maed in India Production.

Episodes

Food Journalists Priya Krishna and Anisha Oommen on Restaurant Reviews and the Future of Food Writing Dec 17, 2025 00:39:09 Behind The By-lines: Priya Krishna (The New York Times), Anisha Rachel Oommen (Goya Journal), and Smitha Menon pull back the curtain on what it means to write about food today.Amuse-Bouche: Food as a lens into caste, class, politics, and identity; and why the table is still one of the last places we can have hard conversations.Main Course: The blurred lines of PR and journalism, maintaining profe

Akhil Iyer of Benne and Kavan Kuttappa of Naru Noodle Bar on Hyper-focused Restaurants Dec 3, 2025 00:48:26 Rasam for Two: Akhil Iyer of Benne in Bombay and Kavan Kuttappa of Naru Noodle Bar on going hyper-local with dosa and ramen.Bangalore Special: Growing up in Bangalore, experiencing local and global cuisine, and tying that childhood nostalgia into their respective microdiners.Main Course: Building an entire business around a single dish, and the role of social media in creating hypeBroths & Chu

Saransh Goila on Scaling Butter Chicken While Balancing Profitability & Creativity Nov 19, 2025 00:46:52 Chef’s Table: Saransh Goila of the famed Goila Butter Chicken is on a mission to bring a fresh take on the classic dish and entrepreneurship.Appetiser: From pop-ups to over a 100 kitchens, how Saransh’s ambitions turned the classic butter chicken into a global culinary experience. Main Course: Crafting experiences for consumers, building structures for acquisition, and navigating the hard truths

Vinesh Johny on Finding Bangalore’s Sweet Spot Nov 5, 2025 00:43:55 On the Brew Board: Vinesh Johny of Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, Kopitiam Lah, and LICKLocal Roast: How a college kid’s idea turned into Lavonne Academy, arguably India’s best pastry schoolSoups and Short Eats: The creative process, the evolution of India’s pastry scene, and the tightrope walk of scaling up without selling outHouse Special: Holistic hospitality: – from Lavonne

How Ritu Dalmia Built Her Empire Without Following Any Rules Oct 22, 2025 00:47:54 On the Kitchen Counter: Ritu Dalmia of DIVA, Cittamani, and moreThe Mise en Place: From a childhood fear of Indian cuisine to reimagining it with her signature global flair.Full Course: How a single idea turned into a restaurant empire – built on impulse, experimentation, and the power of passion.Cultural Garnish: Blending Italian simplicity with Indian complexity, and finding unexpected overlaps

Asha Jhaveri and Niva Zaveri on How Swati Snacks Became a Mumbai Institution Oct 8, 2025 00:41:55 Yellow Plates For Two: Asha Jhaveri and Niva Zaveri, two of four generations behind Mumbai’s most beloved chaat institution, Swati SnacksStarters: The origin story of Swati Snacks – a tiny kitchen in Tardeo that sparked a Gujarati food revolution, and why quality always trumps quantityMain Course: Navigating family dynamics in business, balancing tradition with innovationTraditional Specialities:

Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar on Building a Movement Around Indian Cuisine Sep 24, 2025 00:57:08 On The Round Table: Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya of Unapologetic Foods (Dhamaka, Semma, Naks, Masalawala & Sons, and more)Pots and Platters: From Kolkata and Mumbai roots to Michelin-starred tables in New York City, the journey of crafting unapologetic Indian foodBrunch Thali: Challenging perceptions of Indian cuisine, the power of cultural identity, and why authenticity beats trend-chasin

Rohit Kapoor on What Swiggy Knows About How India Dines Sep 10, 2025 00:40:37 Behind the Delivery Curtain: Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy’s Food MarketplaceServd: A taste of street food memories and navigating India’s diverse culinary landscapeOrder Placed: The balancing act of convenience vs. tradition and adapting to a country of many palatesSnaccables: From premium home dining to the rise of QSRs, and the unstoppable influence of social mediaFoodie’s Dessert: A candid look

Himanshu Saini on Michelin Stars and Indian Cuisine Aug 27, 2025 00:38:56 Chef’s Table: Three Michelin-starred chef Himanshu Saini of Trèsind Studio, Dubai Appetiser: His culinary origin story – from cooking at home to leading one of Dubai’s most talked-about fine dining kitchensMain Course: Patience as a secret weapon, the power of teamwork, and why Indian cuisine deserves its moment on the global stagePairing: Spices as superpowers, changing perceptions of Indian food

AD Singh and Riyaaz Amlani on Food Spaces That Define a Generation Aug 14, 2025 00:46:29 Table for Two: Restaurateurs AD Singh (Olive, Monkey Bar, SodabottleOpenerWala, etc) and Riyaaz Amlani (Social, Smoke House Deli, BANNG, etc)Starter: A throwback to the early days – Mocha mugs, Olive nights, and the quiet beginnings of a restaurant revolutionMain Course: Scaling with soul, shaping food culture, and why the best restaurants are more than what’s on the platePairing: Local pride, Cat

Big Food Energy Is Back for Season 2 Aug 10, 2025 00:01:21 Michelin-starred khichdi, food delivery algorithms, multi-generational Gujarati eateries, fermentation discourse, and the unapologetic rise of dosa – India isn’t just having a food moment, it’s leading a food movement.Hosted by food journalist Smitha Menon, Big Food Energy is back for Season 2 with more high-flavour conversations from the heart of India’s food evolution. From fine dining to street

The Real Story Of Prateek Sadhu’s NAAR Nov 14, 2024 00:53:08 In this episode, we’re catching up with Prateek Sadhu, the chef with a fire in his belly and a bold vision called Naar — a one-of-a-kind fine dining spot tucked away in the foothills of the Himalayas. Prateek made waves as the head chef at Masque, crowned India’s best restaurant by Asia's 50 Best, before deciding to trade the city hustle for a mountain adventure. It's now Naar's first anniversar

Can This Platform Fix Hospitality’s Biggest Challenge? Oct 3, 2024 00:47:58 On this episode of #BigFoodEnergy, we're sitting down with Rishi Khiani, Karan Khetrapal, and Rachel Goenka, the folks behind Kaam.com, a platform that’s tackling one of the biggest challenges in the hospitality industry—labour shortages. Kaam.com is an industry-backed staffing and employment platform designed to create opportunities for both job seekers and businesses. We’ll explore how Kaam.com

This Simple Strategy Built A Thriving Craft Beer Business Sep 5, 2024 00:44:37 What if the secret to building a successful craft beer business wasn’t only about brewing great beer? In this episode of Big Food Energy, we dive into the story of how Nakul Bhonsle, the founder of Great State Aleworks, turned an unexpected strategy—his community—into the backbone of his brand’s success. From tapping into local networks to fostering a loyal fan base, learn how this craft beer en

Can Fine Dining Be Sustainable? Aug 22, 2024 00:46:12 In this episode, we sit down with Chef Deepanker Khosla, the visionary behind Haoma, Bangkok's Michelin-starred restaurant renowned for its groundbreaking sustainability practices. From winning the Sustainable Restaurant of the Year award at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants to redefining what it means to be an eco-conscious eatery, Chef Khosla shares his insights on how sustainability shapes every a

What Happens When Inclusivity Becomes the Main Ingredient At A Cafe? Aug 8, 2024 00:33:57 In this episode of Big Food Energy, we’re chatting with Alina Alam, founder of Mitti Cafe, a groundbreaking social initiative changing the landscape of inclusivity in the food industry. The chain started as a single cafe in Bengaluru in 2017 and has since expanded to 38 outlets in corporate spaces, malls, and airports in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai. It recently opened a location on the cam

The Secret Sauce: How Samyukta Nair Builds London's Top Restaurants Jul 25, 2024 00:41:28 In this episode of Big Food Energy, we're chatting with Samyukta Nair, the visionary restaurateur behind some of London's most sought-after dining spots, including Jamavar, Bombay Bustle, Socca, Koyn, and MiMi Mei Fair. Samyukta has hospitality in her DNA, hailing from the renowned Nair family, founders of the prestigious Leela Hotels group. In this episode, we delve into how Samyukta has

The Secret To An Award-Winning Bar is... Jul 11, 2024 00:45:20 While retiring and running a bar is a dream that many people have, few understand what really goes on behind the scenes and how to build a sustainable business. In this new episode of Big Food Energy, we're chatting with Pankaj Balachandran of Countertop Collective, the company behind some of the coolest bar programs in the country. Pankaj has worn many hats—sommelier, hotelier, restaurateur

The Indian Entrepreneur Bringing Tech To Chocolate Jun 27, 2024 00:47:29 In this episode, we sit down with Chaitanya Muppala, the innovative CEO of India's first craft chocolate company. After 13 successful years transforming the Indian sweets and snacks industry at his family business, Almond House, Chaitanya is now turning his attention to chocolate. Chaitanya Muppala is not just any chocolatier. By leveraging AI and blockchain technology, he is pioneering a new

How To Run A Bar Ft. Rakshay Dhariwal Of Pass Code Hospitality Jun 13, 2024 00:39:21 In this episode, we’re chatting with Rakshay Dhariwal, the person behind some of India’s coolest bars and restaurants, including PCO, Jamun, Pings, and Saz. When PCO, one of Delhi's first speakeasy-style cocktail bars, opened in 2012, it was a game-changer. It emphasized cocktails over straight pours, offering a space for long conversations with bartenders or making new friends. Since then, R

The Art Of Malabari Dum Biryani ft Paragon’s Sumesh Govind Jun 6, 2024 00:31:50 In this episode, we speak to Sumesh Govind, owner of Paragon, a chain of restaurants based in South India & Dubai serving home-style Kerala cuisine. Earlier this year, Paragon ranked #5 in the most legendary restaurants in the world list by Taste Atlas, an online food guide. Sumesh is known as the person who revolutionised the dining landscape of Kerala owing to his ability to turn his bigges

Creating One Of India's Top Restaurants Ft. Aditi Dugar ( Masque) May 30, 2024 00:22:27 In this episode, Smitha chats with Aditi Dugar, the visionary behind Masque, about how she became one of the first female restaurateurs on the Asia’s 50 Best list, and the risky bet she took of revolutionising Indian fine dining landscape with a 10-course tasting menu. Learn about her journey of blending local ingredients with global techniques, and the crazy story of how her mother's methi ma

It's All In The Heritage Ft Chef Pam, Founder Of Michelin ⭐️ Restaurant 'Potong' May 23, 2024 00:42:06 At Potong, Chef Pam, Asia's Best Female Chef is dishing up her heritage and creating a legacy by translating culture into cuisine. In this episode, Smitha is joined by Chef Pam, who speaks to her about how she took her personal history and translated it into a beautiful culinary experience. Created By Smitha Menon In Association With Creators Journal Executive Producer: Shivam Srivastav Wri

Behind The Macaron Ft. Pooja Dhingra May 16, 2024 00:46:53 Contrary to popular opinion, life isn't all sugar and sprinkles when you run a popular brand like Le15india which has become one of the most recognised food labels on social media. Smitha chats with the founder Pooja Dhingra about what it takes to build a pan-India patisserie🍰 business, the biggest challenges she's faced despite her many successes and what she learned about herself while

The Art Of Storytelling & Food Ft. The Bombay Canteen May 9, 2024 00:42:08 Why do we vibe with our favourite restaurants instead of just liking them? Dining experiences are fast-evolving, and the most memorable meals these days go beyond the taste buds. In this episode, Smitha is joined by Yash and Sameer, founders of Hunger Inc. Hospitality (The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica's. Enthucutlet & Papa's), who decode just how they have built

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Chips Brand Ft. Mota Chips May 2, 2024 00:38:45 We all have our favourite local snack brands that we binge on but how does a brand survive past nostalgia and continue to stay relevant across generations? The answer lies in the potatoes, according to Jeegar Mota, Director of Mota Chips, a Mumbai-based potato chips brand that started from a small facility of 1,000 sq. ft to a state-of-the-art 12,0000 sq. ft facility which caters to over 1500 ret

Welcome To Big Food Energy 🍕📊 Apr 29, 2024 00:01:18 All you need to know about the one-of-a-kind podcast about the food and drinks industry in India. Insights that can help you with opportunities, storytelling and also create better experiences and flavours. Hosted by Smitha Menon, ex-food editor of Conde Nast Traveller and produced by Shivam Srivastav (Creators Journal). Created by Smitha Menon and Shivam Srivastav.

Big Food Energy

Episodes

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