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 professional boundaries as a food writer, and what “good taste” means when dining out becomes social currency.

Quick Bites: From Indian English prose to plastic tablecloths and dosa definitions, how language and aesthetics shape whose food stories get told.

In the Margins: On AI, the future of media, and why being a food journalist is less about hype and more about holding power to account, one story at a time.

This episode is fact checked, double spiced, and just the right amount of sweet, which means the Bombay Bhel Chikki by Bombay Sweet Shop was the only sensible pairing, really.

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Host: Smitha Menon

We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co or contact@maed.in

This is a Maed in India production.

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Meghna Gulati

Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Animation: Alika Gupta

Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary

Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha

Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni

On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar TemkarProduction Assistant: Natasha Vakil

Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay

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 hype

Broths & Chutneys: Rethinking what “authenticity” really means, and how dosa and ramen are finding new homes in urban India y today.

No By Two: Striking a balance between authenticity and adapting to consumer needs, and plans of expansion.

Today’s episode is crunchy, chaotic, and slightly addictive. So obviously, I had to pair it with Choco Butterscotch Barks by Bombay Sweet Shop.

– – –

Host: Smitha Menon

We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co or contact@maed.in

This is a Maed in India production.

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Meghna Gulati

Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Animation: Alika Gupta

Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary

Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha

Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni

On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar TemkarProduction Assistant: Natasha Vakil

Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay

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 of profitability vs. creativity

Combos: How to keep creativity alive when running a business and navigating being a chef and creator in an era of “chefluencers”.

Delishaaas: Finding meaning beyond likes and metrics, the power of mentorship, and why telling India’s food story will always be worth it.

This one’s a deep dive into creator ambitions, delivery numbers, desi cravings, and digital-first food. I mean, what else but Chocolate Butter Cookies by Bombay Sweet Shop for that kind of comfort math?

– – –

Host: Smitha Menon

We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co or contact@maed.in

This is a Maed in India production.

Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Meghna Gulati

Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru

Animation: Alika Gupta

Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary

Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha

Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni

On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar

Production Assistant: Natasha Vakil

Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay