Chef Megha: Food, Healing & Ancestral Wisdom

Chef Megha Jhunjhunwala, a finalist on MasterChef India Season 2 and founder of Hearth & I, views food as a deeply personal experience rooted in trust, where body, mind, and memory converge. Her bespoke dining venture is known for immersive and intentional culinary experiences.

Amid the rapid expansion of India’s gourmet food sector, driven by increasing health consciousness, the rise of boutique bakeries and premium desserts, urbanisation, and a growing desire for luxury, experience-driven dining, Hearth & I aims to deliver high-quality, health-focused, and globally inspired culinary experiences.

For Jhunjhunwala, food extends beyond ingredients. Her approach, rooted in ancestral flavors, traditional techniques, and emotional awareness, considers food a medium for memory, healing, and connection.

In an interview with YourStory, Jhunjhunwala shared her insights on how personal healing, emotional awareness, and a commitment to food integrity have shaped her approach to cooking, food design, and creating meaningful dining experiences.

Jhunjhunwala emphasizes the intimacy of our relationship with food, noting that it’s something we put into our bodies. She became particularly aware of this in 2023 when she developed a skin-related autoimmune disease. Doctors recommended steroid medication, but after meeting someone who suggested resetting her gut through dietary changes and incorporating natural herbs, the disease vanished in three months.

She recalls eating a fried gluten dish and experiencing a sudden emotional low, which highlighted how deeply food can affect the mind. This experience resonates with the concept of Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS), illustrating the close connection between the gut and the mind.

Jhunjhunwala also spoke about periods of emotional distress and how they influenced her cooking and food design. Cooking has always been a way for her to return to a state of balance, acting almost like a meditation. She emphasizes the importance of emotional balance for her kitchen team, ensuring they pause for breaks and breathing exercises if someone is angry while cooking.

When it comes to food design, she draws inspiration from IKEA’s precise and thoughtful product arrangement, aiming to create a sense of joy and symmetry on the plate. The goal is to add small touchpoints, subtle aromas, gentle sensory cues, and tangible and intangible details to celebrate people, emotions, or occasions, whether it’s creating something special or celebrating the everyday.

Jhunjhunwala’s work has evolved from cooking to designing experiences, with sit-down dinners being the ideal format. She often plans seven to 14-course menus, in addition to luxury catering. One memorable experience was a 12-course family dinner organized for a 90-year-old grandmother, incorporating elements reflecting her Japanese upbringing, love for violet and pastel shades, and preference for focused dining.

Drawing from ancestral flavors and traditional techniques is also important to her. While she appreciates innovation in food, she considers herself a purist. Many ancestral dishes are served home-style, humble, and comforting. She has learned old recipes from families worldwide, including India, Italy, and the Middle East, viewing these recipes as treasures that carry stories.

Jhunjhunwala is happy to share her knowledge with younger cooks, aiming to empower people to cook at home. She believes that every person brings a unique energy to the process, resulting in slightly different tastes even with the same ingredients and flavors. Sharing recipes and stories helps ensure they don’t disappear.

Her experiences and philosophies around food led to the creation of Hearth & I, where cooking with integrity is paramount. This means never reusing oil, avoiding cheap ingredients, and treating food with care. She emphasizes that food is intimate, and clients trust them to make the right choices for their health.

At Hearth & I, ingredient quality takes precedence over profit margins. Jhunjhunwala grew up in a family where Ayurveda was frequently discussed, and those values have remained with her. Despite suggestions from investors to increase margins by using cheaper ingredients, she has chosen to stay true to her philosophy.