“You must not have met someone who’s so obsessed with utensils,” laughs Vikas Khanna, as we chat on the phone. He is at the airport, ready to make yet another transcontinental journey, which has become such an intrinsic part of his routine now. And truly, it’s rare to find someone who gets so excited while describing an ancient bowl or a rare utensil (all gleaned from his extensive travels).
For the past 15 years, he has been diligently collecting culinary artefacts from across India, often exhibiting them at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Junoon, in New York.
Nostalgia is a good word. Every time I visit India, I want to carry a piece of it with me.Vikas Khanna
Over time, his collection of “bartans” grew to such massive proportions that his apartment in New York was literally overflowing with them!
“There were so many rolling pins, utensils of all shapes and sizes – people didn’t even know what some of these were used for,” he says.
With that came the realisation that these artefacts traced the evolution of the rich culinary traditions of India and must be showcased to its people. And thus was born the Culinary Arts and Culinary Museum – the foundation stone of which was laid in April this year in Manipal.
Putting Together Food Stories From All Our Kitchens
Supporting and collaborating in this gargantuan effort is Khanna’s alma mater, the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA).
This is the first museum of its kind in India. We’re teaching culinary arts to students and this is the most valuable lesson – understand your roots. Usually, people don’t value their traditional pots and pans. They sell it to scrap dealers, who melt them.Chef K Thiru, Vice Principal, WGSHA
In the process, people end up giving away a part of their history, their culture. It is this lost history that Khanna is trying to preserve at his museum, which will be spread across 25,000 sq ft and is being made at an investment of $4 million.
“It will be launched in August 2017,” says Thiru.
You can literally watch the museum come together, piece by piece on Khanna’s Twitter account. From images of ancient blenders to exquisitely painted ice cream makers of yesteryears, he has been putting up anecdotes and small stories attached with each for all to see.
Already, the museum boasts of 1000-plus objects – such as plates made by the Portuguese in India, a 100-year-old ladle used to dole out food at temples, vessels from the Konkan, Udupi, Chettinad regions, an old seed sprinkler, bowls dating back to the Harappan era, an ancient samovar, and more.
What’s interesting is that there are two levels of histories on showcase here: firstly – the rich culinary legacy of India, and secondly – the personal histories and memories of the people to whom these utensils belonged.
Imagine families surrounding this century-old ice cream bucket... Just last month, I got a package at my restaurant. When I opened it, it revealed a beautiful silver seder part, which is such an integral part of Jewish traditions.Vikas Khanna
The letter accompanying the package acknowledged his passion for the project.
Memories From Khanna’s First Chhole Bhature Business
Enmeshed in this web of personal histories are Khanna’s own memories – from the utensils used by his biji (grandmother) to the first tandoor he ever used at his chhole bhature business in Amritsar.
“It was 1989. My father had said that he would support my decision to start a chhole bhature business. I needed a tandoor, which was priced at Rs 350 – a significant amount back then. Then, one morning I woke up – and there it was,” recalls Khanna. “My father had somehow got the tandoor for me. That moment was so precious. He would always buy dishes and bartans for me. This museum is a tribute to him.”
He hopes that the museum will feature more than 10,000 objects in the near future, and that it will be a “living space” – constantly evolving, with newer artefacts and stories being added.
For instance, if visitors wish to donate their old utensils, they will be welcomed. His passion for the museum has rubbed off on to the students of WGSHA as well. “A lot of our students have contributed some of their traditional utensils as well,” says Thiru.
Meanwhile, Khanna is busy salvaging ancient legacies from turning into junk at scrap dealers’ shops.
It’s almost like these utensils have got a second chance.Vikas Khanna
(Avantika Bhuyan is a freelance journalist who loves to uncover the invisible India hiding in nooks and crannies across the country.)
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