Foraging in the wild for edible berries, leaves and fruits is perhaps one of mankind's oldest habits. That, though, does not mean that our habit is rudimentary. Even in the present day and age, hundreds of fringe communities across India rely directly on nature for their daily sustenance. In these areas, the food is not classified into the wild and the supermarket — here, food is about recipes and traditions that have been handed down generations, to give company in times of both crisis and good health.
However, when you enter the charming Bombay Canteen in upstate Lower Parel, Mumbai, foraged or "wild" food is most likely not on your mind. Even if it is, it is unlikely for an average diner to be thoroughly well versed with the rich repository of foraging culture and wild food elements that India, the land of diversity, has. Thomas Zacharias, Executive chef of Bombay Canteen, recently curated and designed a wild food festival for an entire month at his restaurant. As if to serve poetic justice, the idea of promoting wild foods hit Zacharias just the way a rare, wild and succulent berry hits the weary, unassuming traveller trudging along a forest.