Chef Zac On Creating A Food Revolution Through 'The Locavore'

For me, it is through my travels that I discovered the realities of the food system as I witnessed the problems first hand. At the same time, it is also through travelling that I discovered the many possibilities of addressing these challenges. I found out many solutions that were often initiated by grassroots organisations.

Since travelling has been so fundamental, at 'The Locavore,' I fuse the two worlds—of travel and food—by offering collaborative food tours spanning from four days to two weeks. These tours aim to immerse people in the local food culture, offering a unique experience. I conducted one trip last year, with more scheduled in the coming months.

Our core remains storytelling and documenting food markets and lesser-known Indian regional recipes as we try to promote them. Through our producer partnership program, we identify and collaborate with farmers and food producers to offer them visibility. However, we aim to go beyond the commercial aspects usually highlighted by the e-commerce platforms, as our intention is to provide in-depth information through compelling storytelling.

Challenges are consistent across the country—limited funds, market access, and a lack of knowledge in packaging and promotion. Even in terms of perception, tribal culture and tribal food are looked down upon by mainstream society. This complicates things for younger generations hailing from hamlets but have new aspirations influenced by the latest trends. They begin to develop a disinterest (towards the traditional way of being). But from my learnings and interactions, tribal communities are way ahead, and shifting this narrative could level the playing field.

From my observation, there hasn't been a lot of government support. A lot of the small-scale producers require help and support. However, they are not being assisted in a structured way by governments around the country.

There has been a significant shift in the perception of Indian ingredients and local flavours in the past decade. And I will take some credit for it because I've been promoting it for a long time. Successful initiatives, like the Bombay Canteen, have contributed to this change, turning it into a movement rather than a passing trend.

These markets, rooted in community culture, face challenges as people now prefer online grocery or food shopping platforms. Documenting them preserves their heritage and encourages a return to communal market experiences. Many communities are dependent on these markets for their livelihood. Some of the markets we documented are on the verge of getting closed down. So, besides showcasing them, we are also archiving them to encourage people to go back to markets again.

The shift is positive but slow. Despite the rural-urban divide, a growing community has emerged, particularly after the pandemic, prompting people to rethink their food sources. The aim is to build on this community, turning it into a full-fledged movement for positive change.