Hosted by renowned food journalist Smitha Menon, Big Food Energy isn’t just talking about food, it’s celebrating a movement that’s reshaping India’s culinary landscape. Expect insightful conversations about everything from the inception of Michelin-starred khichdi, food delivery algorithms, and the unapologetic rise of dosa as a global icon.
Created & Hosted by Smitha Menon
This is a Maed in India Production
Food Journalists Priya Krishna and Anisha Oommen on Restaurant Reviews and the Future of Food Writing
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 (https://bombaysweetshop.com/products/chikki-bar?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=big_food_energy) by Bombay Sweet Shop was the only sensible pairing, really.
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Host: Smitha Menon (https://www.instagram.com/smitha.men/?hl=en)
We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co (mailto:smitha@smithamenon.co) or contact@maed.in (mailto:contact@maed.in)
This is a Maed in India (https://www.maedinindia.in/) production.
Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas (https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en)
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome (http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome)
Producer: Meghna Gulati (https://www.instagram.com/amadnessepidemic/)
Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru (https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru/)
Animation: Alika Gupta (https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/)
Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary (https://www.instagram.com/_tasveerz_/?hl=en)
Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha (https://www.instagram.com/short___round/)
Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni (https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en)
On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar (https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar/)Production Assistant: Natasha Vakil (https://www.instagram.com/thesocialnatwork/?hl=en)
Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay (https://www.instagram.com/jishyouwish/?hl=en)
3 Dec 2025
Akhil Iyer of Benne and Kavan Kuttappa of Naru Noodle Bar on Hyper-focused Restaurants
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 (https://bombaysweetshop.com/products/chocolate-butterscotch-bark?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=big_food_energy) by Bombay Sweet Shop.
– – –
Host: Smitha Menon (https://www.instagram.com/smitha.men/?hl=en)
We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co (mailto:smitha@smithamenon.co) or contact@maed.in (mailto:contact@maed.in)
This is a Maed in India (https://www.maedinindia.in/) production.
Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas (https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en)
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome (http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome)
Producer: Meghna Gulati (https://www.instagram.com/amadnessepidemic/)
Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru (https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru/)
Animation: Alika Gupta (https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/)
Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary (https://www.instagram.com/_tasveerz_/?hl=en)
Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha (https://www.instagram.com/short___round/)
Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni (https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en)
On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar (https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar/)Production Assistant: Natasha Vakil (https://www.instagram.com/thesocialnatwork/?hl=en)
Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay (https://www.instagram.com/jishyouwish/?hl=en)
19 Nov 2025
Saransh Goila on Scaling Butter Chicken While Balancing Profitability & Creativity
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 (https://bombaysweetshop.com/products/chocolate-butter-cookies?utm_source=podcast+&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=big_food_energy) by Bombay Sweet Shop for that kind of comfort math?
– – –
Host: Smitha Menon (https://www.instagram.com/smitha.men/?hl=en)
We’re on YouTube, Spotify, and wherever food memories live. Drop in to say hello at smitha@smithamenon.co (mailto:smitha@smithamenon.co) or contact@maed.in (mailto:contact@maed.in)
This is a Maed in India (https://www.maedinindia.in/) production.
Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas (https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en)
Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome (http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome)
Producer: Meghna Gulati (https://www.instagram.com/amadnessepidemic/)
Co-Producer: Rachna Sukuru (https://www.instagram.com/rachnasukuru/)
Animation: Alika Gupta (https://www.instagram.com/capefoxalix/)
Video Editor: Kaval Chaudhary (https://www.instagram.com/_tasveerz_/?hl=en)
Video Guidance: Jishnu Guha (https://www.instagram.com/short___round/)
Sound Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni (https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en)
On-Location Sound Engineer: Nihar Temkar (https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar/)
Production Assistant: Natasha Vakil (https://www.instagram.com/thesocialnatwork/?hl=en)
Artwork: Jishnu Bandyopadhyay (https://www.instagram.com/jishyouwish/?hl=en)
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
24 ratings
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