In Delhi, this weekend? Attend the first Indian Culinary Agenda Weekend on Indian food discourse

Highlights of the event include a day on rice: production, nutrition, and sustainability. (Photo: X)

In the bustling landscape of Indian gastronomy, a crucial void has long existed — a dedicated platform for authors, writers, and content creators passionate about Indian food. Recognising this gap, a group of visionary Indian food writers took matters into their own hands, birthing the Indian Culinary Agenda (ICA). Founded by writers for writers, ICA seeks to infuse academic rigour into its mission while amplifying the voices of both seasoned experts and emerging talents.

At the heart of ICA’s ethos lies a commitment to fostering a robust community of food writers by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and recognition. Towards that end, ICA is poised to unveil a novel event this weekend in Delhi. Scheduled for April 6 and 7, the ICA Weekend promises to be an unprecedented gathering of over 150 influential figures from diverse spheres of the Indian food knowledge ecosystem. From print to digital, social media to visual media, the event will serve as a melting pot of ideas, igniting conversations around research, documentation, content creation, and the dissemination of culinary wisdom.

“India lacks a serious platform dedicated to authors, writers and content creators of Indian food. Food discussions, for long, have been a sideshow at litfests,” says Tanushree Bhowmik, author and co-founder of ICA. “ICA Weekend aims to change that by becoming the platform for food, agriculture, culture and culinary literature, all under the same banner.” What sets the ICA Weekend apart thus, is its holistic approach to the discourse surrounding Indian food.

Highlights of the event include ‘The Day of Rice’ — a journey through the intricate realm of rice production, nutrition, and sustainability, with a diverse panel of experts offering multifaceted perspectives on this staple crop. The ‘ICA Food Writing Prize 2024’ will mark India’s inaugural food-focused writing prize, with the winner taking home a prize money of Rs 50,000, heralding a new era of culinary storytelling. At the ‘ICA Spotlight’, select writers, documenters and chefs will share their unique narratives and innovative experiments. The ICA Weekend offers a golden opportunity to shine a light on groundbreaking ideas and catalyse transformative change within the culinary landscape, with its unwavering commitment to knowledge dissemination, innovation and inclusivity.