Charmaine O’Brien has dedicated the past quarter-century to researching and writing about India’s diverse food culture. Her new book, Eating the Present, Tasting the Future: Exploring India Through Her Changing Food, published by Penguin India captures the evolving food scene in the country and documents how and why it is rapidly changing.
The book explores not just what’s on the menu but also the reasons why certain dishes are being served and the influences behind them. “Over the last 25 years, I have observed a rapid transformation in India’s culinary landscape, and it feels like I’m witnessing history in the making. My interest in food lies in understanding why people eat what they do,” said Charmaine in a recent interview with The Hindu.
India’s traditional cuisine is coexisting with a global food culture, as now you can walk into a café in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, or even tier-2 cities like Surat and the ambience and food there will make you feel like you’re in any major city in the world. This phenomenon is closely linked to the influence of the internet and technology, with people now posting their lifestyles online and copying what others around the world are eating, she explains.
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