Rakesh documents food history, culinary traditions, and heirloom recipes from across South India. He enjoys telling the stories around recipes and exploring their provenance. Recording family recipes from home chefs and tracking down traditional dishes at legendary eateries has given him a unique perspective on food and health. He practices wholistic wellbeing by observing how food relations in traditional societies are intrinsically linked to seasons, hyperlocal ingredients, and indigenous practices.
Rakesh grew up in a sattvic vegetarian home in Chennai. Food was always blessed at the family altar before being served and fasts and feasts were observed with equal fervor. After a few years of putting the management degree he earned in the United States to use, he was bitten by the food bug.
Rakesh launched a chain of health-food outlets in Chennai, and soon began hosting successful shows that delved into South India’s cuisines. His shows on national television, including Sutralam Suvaikalam (Travel & Taste) and 100% South Indian showcased rare food tales and forgotten heirloom recipes from across the region. Ammavum Naanum (Mom & Me) is a hugely popular series, in which Rakesh gleans culinary wisdom and recreates family recipes with his super-talented mother. In Dakshin Dairies, Rakesh travels across South India to record local wellness wisdom through food.
Rakesh is particularly obsessed with cataloging India’s temple cuisine and other sacred food traditions. He brings out the links between history, mythology, literature, folk wisdom, organic farming, and blessed foods via his shows, pop-ups, and seminars.
For Rakesh, food is truly blessed when wellness, native wisdom, music, art, and beauty come together.
