Ayurvedic principles of mindful consumption are inspiring India's sustainable culinary movement, with chefs turning kitchen remnants into gourmet creations
Chef Radhika Khandelwal is championing India’s zero-waste movement by creatively repurposing food scraps into sustainable, flavourful dishes.
Amid the rhythmic clatter of knives and flickering flames, a culinary revolution is unfolding in the bustling kitchens of India's luxury hotels—driven by chefs who are reimagining Ayurveda's five-millennia-old traditions through the lens of contemporary haute cuisine—viewing food not merely as sustenance, but as a carrier of 'prana'—vital life force. “We're seeing a remarkable convergence of age-old wisdom and modern culinary techniques,” says Vivek Kalia, executive chef at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru. “These traditional practices,” he notes, “which once seemed outdated, are proving to be surprisingly relevant to current conversations about sustainability in high-end dining.”
Vegetable peels transform into crispy garnishes, herb stems infuse artisanal oils and teas, and fruit rinds metamorphose into complex reductions—each innovation paying homage to Ayurveda's respect for nature's complete offerings. The urgency of this culinary evolution becomes stark against India's paradoxical food landscape. While the country produces abundant food, 195 million Indians remain undernourished, representing a quarter of the global hunger burden. The nation witnesses annual food wastage worth ₹92,000 crore, while households discard approximately 68.7 million tonnes yearly—roughly 55 kilograms per person—positioning India second only to China in household food waste.
This renaissance in waste consciousness has led leading chefs to embrace what Ayurveda terms 'sattvic awareness'—a mindful consciousness that sees the interconnectedness of all things. In India, where the concept of zero-waste remains an ambitious ideal, food security activists such as Chef Radhika Khandelwal are leading the charge to revive sustainable traditions.
Khandvi Ravioli with a bisque made with prawn shells
Image: Chef Radhika Khandelwal
Discussing her commitment to incorporating traditional preservation techniques to combat food waste, Khandelwal, the driving force behind Delhi’s European-inspired restaurant Fig & Maple, shares her philosophy with Forbes India. “At Fig & Maple, we regularly incorporate traditional preservation techniques such as fermenting, pickling, and drying—not only to reduce food waste but also to honour these time-tested methods that align with Ayurveda’s principles of sustainability and balance. These techniques allow us to extend the shelf life of surplus or seasonal produce while enhancing their nutritional value and flavour,” she says.