Besides the tourist attractions, what leaves a lasting impression about a journey is the food. The local cuisine is an integral part of the itinerary as tourists ensure they don't miss out on any outlet that acquaints them with regional flavours. My travels made me experience a multitude of tastes, familiarising me with the synergy between travel and food. For example, when I visited Maharashtra's Nashik last year, I bought a packet of locally produced biscuits made with indigenous grains from a food festival promoting tribal heritage. It made me witness a prevailing sense of urgency to save traditional offerings and curb the mushrooming impact of changing food habits, such as the dominance of quick bites and fast food.

　　With subsidies for grains like rice and wheat and the onset of highly processed foods, the traditional food system is weakening, and indigenous flavours have taken a back seat. Thomas Zacharias felt the same when he set off on a culinary expedition in 2014 across India. Seeing traditional recipes vanishing into oblivion and tribal communities being pushed to the fringes, he decided to play his part as an informed food connoisseur.

　　As chef-partner at 'The Bombay Canteen,' Zacharias blended indigenous ingredients into contemporary cuisines, offering patrons a taste of the regional flavours. In 2022, he channelled his passion for culinary adventures and founded 'The Locavore' to create a "food revolution."

　　Speaking at the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards 2024, he told OT, "I realised that my work as a chef was disconnected from what is happening at the grassroots level. The lack of awareness regarding indigenous foods nudged me to create a collaborative platform that brings different stakeholders together, builds communities, and engages the audience and the consumer to think about food and sustainability in India differently.

　　Delving further into the variance in the food system, 'The Locavore' aims to forge a pan-Indian movement to revive indigenous flavours through storytelling and food tours.

　　Excerpts from the interview:

　　QAQA

　　QAQA

　　QAQAQA