Three Day Course on Culinary and Gastronomic Studies

Organizer: Kerla History- A People's Initiative for Kerala's Past

About the Programme

• When: November 17, 18 & 19
• Live online classes
• Evening sessions
• Registration fee: ₹150
• Platform: Google Meet (Session links will be shared via email before the classes)

From understanding culinary culture and Kerala's diverse food landscape to exploring the future of food, discover the stories, traditions, and influences behind what we eat.

Resource Persons:

Kavya Mohan (Research Scholar, Institute of English, University of Kerala)

Dt. Lakshmi Sreenath (Dietitian, Author, Translator, Entrepreneur, The Good Nutrition Project & @thestorytellerfromkochi)

Course Syllabus / Schedule

Day 1: Introduction to Gastronomic Studies / Culinary Culture

• What is Culinary Culture
• Food as more than a sustenance
• Food, Identity and Belonging
• Food and Memory
• Food and Community
• How geography, climate, socio-cultural patterns shape foodscapes
• Methodology and Methods to study gastronomy

Day 2: Understanding Kerala's Culinary Landscape

• Introduction to Kerala Culinary Culture
• Regional Food Cultures / traditions of Kerala - Travancore, Cochin and Malabar food Culture - Hindu, Muslim and Culinary Tradition -Coastal and Inland food Practices
• Caste, Food and Social Identity of Kerala - food restrictions and caste, vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism, concept of pollution and purity - food as a marker of social status - 'whose' food becomes recognized as 'traditional'

Day 3: Food and Future

• Colonialism, Globalization, migration affecting food
• Restaurants, hotel and 'thattukkada' culture of Kerala
• Delivery apps - Blogging and vlogging culture of food
• Digital Food Archives Recipe Documentation - Oral History
• Fusion Cuisines of Kerala
• Digitisation of Culinary Tradition

Contact: kavya000828@gmail.com