While consumers in the United States and Great Britain can easily differentiate between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, they have no awareness of Chettinad chicken, Gongura chicken, Kozhambu chicken, or Malabar chicken varieties.
Published Aug 03, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 03, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Dipti Jadhav in culinary motion. (Supplied)
Synopsis: South Indian cuisine, rich in diversity and nutrition, remains under-represented globally despite its vegan-friendly appeal. Chef Dipti Jadhav of Avartana champions its depth through thoughtful innovation, reviving traditions with elegance and technique. From French-pressed rasam to mindful sourcing, her work bridges heritage and modernity.
South Indian cuisine faces a paradox in the global culinary landscape. Despite being one of the world’s most naturally vegan-friendly and nutritionally diverse food systems, featuring everything from fermented Idlis to complex regional curries, it remains significantly under-represented on international menus.
While North Indian dishes like butter chicken have become household names from Canada to America, the rich culinary traditions of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka struggle for recognition beyond their regional boundaries.
Recently, the “Dosa Idli Sambar Chutney Chutney” song took the internet by storm, celebrating South Indian staples in a catchy, playful tone.
However, Dipti Jadhav, Executive Sous Chef at Avartana–ITC Maratha, offers a quieter, more thoughtful view. Her approach to South Indian cuisine moves beyond the viral, focusing on convention, innovation, and cultural depth.
Her re-imagination narrates a story of culinary roots. “There’s a soulful interplay of heat, tang, crunch, and comfort. It’s not just food; it’s rhythm, climate, and culture on a plate,” explains Chef Dipti Jadhav, describing the essence of South Indian cuisine to South First.
Her restaurant has earned recognition in Asia’s top 50 list while pioneering innovative approaches to traditional dishes.
The under-representation stems from multiple structural challenges. “Indian food abroad is often simplified into one or two curry-based archetypes. The vastness and richness of South Indian states gets compressed unfairly,” notes Chef Dipti.
This homogenization means that while foreigners might recognize dosa and sambar as “pancake and lentil soup,” they remain unaware of the diverse world of regional specialties.
The complexity of preparation presents another barrier. “South Indian food relies on freshness, fermentation, and layering — things not easily translated to fast-paced restaurant settings or pre-packaged food,” Chef Dipti explains.
Unlike the more straightforward preparations that have made North Indian curries globally popular, South Indian cuisine demands specific techniques and fresh ingredients that don’t always translate well to international restaurant operations.
Perhaps most critically, “South Indian cuisine hasn’t had enough global champions who’ve told its story on a large, modern platform yet,” according to Chef Dipti.
While consumers in the United States and Great Britain can easily differentiate between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, they have no awareness of Chettinad chicken, Gongura chicken, Kozhambu chicken, or Malabar chicken varieties.
The diverse world of rice and pulse crepes—uttappam from Udipi, appam from Kerala, pesarattu from Andhra Pradesh—remains largely unknown, as do Kerala’s distinctive biryani styles like Thalassery biryani.
Despite some experts questioning its nutritional value, South Indian cuisine offers remarkable diversity. “South Indian cuisine is one of the most naturally vegan-friendly and nutritionally diverse systems in the world. It features lentils for protein, fermented foods for gut health, leafy vegetables, whole grains, and a variety of regional oils like coconut and sesame,” Chef Dipti emphasizes.
Addressing the nutritional deficiencies cited, Chef Dipti notes, “It’s often due to modern shortcuts—overprocessing, loss of food wisdom, or imbalanced meals. Traditionally prepared, South Indian food is a complete diet, especially for vegans,” adding,
A sweet dish from Andhra Pradesh, Pootharekulu. (Supplied)
“The solution lies in returning to native millets, cold-pressed oils, and balanced thalis, while educating around food sequencing and mindful combinations. The cuisine isn’t lacking—it’s just been disconnected from its roots.”
The regional diversity within South Indian cuisine tells distinct stories. Hyderabadi cuisine represents “Nawabi luxury — a royal fusion of Mughlai, Turkish, and Arabic influences with Deccan roots. Think slow-cooked biryanis, rich haleem, saffron, dry fruits, and ghee-laced desserts like apricot delight and Sahi tukda,” Chef Dipti describes.
In contrast, “Telugu cuisine is fiery, rustic, and hyper-local. From the tang of gongura pachadi to the boldness of Kodi Kura and the comfort of pappu, it reflects the pulse of Andhra and Telangana homes.”
Describing one of the famous sweet dish of Andhra Pradesh, Chef Dipti says, “In the form of dessert jaggery and dry fruits are incorporated in every fold of Pootharekulu.”
Chef Dipti has studied and explored farming and cooking with an eclectic objective, and her words resonate with the value and nutrition of South Indian cuisine.
While we set stereotypes, also known as trends these days, some voices push for deeper understanding. “A turning point in my culinary journey came when I watched a local documentary on overfishing and food systems,” she shared with South First.
“That prompted a conscious decision to experiment with plant-forward cooking—not as a trend, but as an ethical backbone to my philosophy.”
Realizing that creativity thrives under constraints, the chef wanted to advocate for societal changes through the art of cooking. Quitting the engineering path, determined and passionate, she began her career from Kolhapur.
She diligently worked in agricultural farms for a year under her father’s mentorship, learning hyper-local sourcing and preparing dishes with local, organic vegetables for better health and sustainability.
While studying at IHM Chennai, she was exposed to the brand Dakshin. Her working experience at Dakshin led her to launch ‘Local Love,’ dedicated to local Marathi cuisine in 2015. Following this initiative, in 2022 she introduced Dakshin Coastal in ITC Maratha. But what gave her significant fame was ‘Avartana’—her restaurant in ITC Maratha.
Modern South Indian cuisine is finding new expression through thoughtful innovation. At Avartana, Chef Dipti has created signature dishes like the Double-Distilled Tomato Rasam—a refined take on tradition where fresh tomatoes, Tellicherry pepper, and cumin are distilled using a French-press method, delivering a clear, aromatic broth served in a sleek martini glass.
French pressed rasam
“A French press rasam, Uthukuli chicken with mini paratha, coriander curry with mini appam, potato cracker— these are ways to make regional flavours travel, without reducing them to caricatures,” she explains. The approach maintains what she calls the three basic principles: balance, technique, and visual appeal.
This philosophy extends beyond individual dishes to a broader movement. “In a world of viral trends and global fusion, South Indian cuisine endures by evolving without losing its entirety, the essence stays the same. We adapt traditions into modern formats, showcasing ingredients without compromising authenticity,” Chef Dipti notes.
“Diners now seek the stories behind each dish, embracing age-old methods like wood-fire cooking and stone-grinding. The new generation is reviving forgotten recipes with reverence.”
The future of South Indian cuisine on the global stage requires strategic repositioning rather than fundamental change. “South Indian cuisine doesn’t need a makeover — it needs recognition, reinvention, and the right medium. Its future is in holding space for both — heart on the plate, and innovation in the mind,” Chef Dipti concludes.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
