Pushpesh Pant's New Book Celebrates Delhi's Food Heritage

IN HIS NEW BOOK, From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi, celebrated food historian and author Pushpesh Pant, traces his journey from a small scientific research station in the Nainital district to the bustling heart of Delhi, where his appreciation for the city’s rich culinary heritage took root. 

Born in Nainital (which he calls ‘an isolated colonial outpost’) Pant spent his early years cut off from the world and homeschooled by his mother—a Santiniketan-educated polyglot. In fact, both his parents shaped his early outlook towards food and all things cuisine.

His mother’s culinary repertoire was expansive, reflecting her upbringing in princely states across India, with delicacies from Mysore, Kathiawar, Orchha, Rampur, and Bengal. “My mother’s cooking was extraordinary,” Pant recalls. “Her father had served as a minister in many princely states and her culinary repertoire was truly amazing.”

His father was a doctor with a keen interest in food. “He had a refined palate valuing Awadhi delicacies above all. I learnt to appreciate the diversity of foods cooked in different kitchens of India bearing the imprint of caste, community and region.” Conversations about recipes, flavours, and the influence of food on the body and mind were common in the household, leaving an indelible impression on the author.

Pant first thought of writing this book three decades ago while researching Delhi’s culinary history for the Hyatt Regency’s iconic restaurant, Delhi Ka Aangan. Although he meticulously gathered material, the demands of other projects delayed his work on the book. Now, his long-held dream has finally materialised.

Tracing history through Delhi’s food

The author’s detailed exploration of Delhi’s culinary past revealed the city's gastronomical journey, from the Turko-Afghan sultans’ kitchens to the advent of Mughal delicacies and the later British influences. “Delhi, seen in the mirror of history, reflects the city’s fortunes across centuries,” he explains. Each epoch has contributed to a unique fusion of flavours that define Delhi’s food scene today.

Delhi’s cuisine, he notes, has been deeply impacted by political shifts. With the Partition, for example, refugees from various regions poured into the city, bringing with them diverse culinary traditions that further enriched the local food culture. "The exodus of skilled bawarchis from the walled city to Pakistan led to the decline of traditional Muslim eateries," Pant says, highlighting a period of loss alongside the influx of new flavours. 

Traditional eateries were transformed, as new food traditions intermingled and evolved, exemplified by the emergence of Punjabi dhaba culture as well as the Bengali and south Indian flavours introduced by migrants who settled in the city.

“Delhi has acted like a confluence of different streams,” Pant reflects. This is where cultural fusion manifested in unique food identities, such as Kayastha cuisine and Rajasthani (Bania) sweets. In modern Delhi, this culinary diversity continues to thrive, making it a true food lover's paradise.

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Food as an anchor

Pant’s fascination with food transcends mere taste, delving into its symbolic and spiritual significance. While curating a Mahabharata-inspired menu at the India International Centre (IIC), he was reminded that the dietary staples in Delhi’s vicinity—grains, chickpeas, and greens—have remained unchanged for centuries. 

"Delhi was the imperial capital when it was called Indraprastha," Pant remarks, “and the choicest produce from distant regions was brought here for the consumption of the Pandava and Kaurav princes.” From Kashmir's saffron to Brij's dairy, ancient Delhi's diet encapsulated the abundance and variety of India’s geography. The city’s culinary influences were both far-reaching and inclusive, integrating tribal foods gathered by the Pandavas during their exile with princely offerings from far-off lands.

Pant believes that spiritual settings in Delhi, such as the langar at Nizamuddin Dargah and the langar served in Gurudwaras is a tradition that can be traced back more than seven centuries, underscoring how food connects people with spirituality. He notes, “Often the people who partook the community meals listen to the Qawwali sung with great fervour. However, it is easy to exaggerate the impact of food served or distributed to indigents regardless of caste and community in places of worship. It fills the belly but doesn’t necessarily encourage tranquil meditation.”

Delhi's culinary landscape, according to the author, is more than a record of recipes; it is living proof of the city’s political and cultural history. The city's food culture has witnessed not only historical transformations but also spiritual and cultural shifts that have left an indelible mark on its identity.

Preserving tradition in a modern city

As the city’s food scene continues to modernise, many traditional eateries face gentrification. Iconic establishments, once known for their authenticity, often give way to franchise-driven transformations, losing much of their original charm. “Almost all the dhabas have fallen prey to gentrification and are suffering from a split personality disorder,” Pant observes with a touch of nostalgia. 

Establishments like Kake Da Dhaba, originally a humble eatery serving hearty Punjabi fare, have now become sanitised replicas of their former selves, catering to modern sensibilities at the expense of authenticity.

Despite these changes, Pant believes efforts to revive “lost” flavours and dishes from Delhi’s past are possible. He emphasises that Delhi is fortunate to have a rich culinary heritage that ranges from royal Mughal feasts to street food traditions. The story of iconic snacks like chaat and legendary halwais such as Ghantewala, he says, represents "priceless heritage that is shared by all Dilliwallahs."

One of his personal favourites, the India Coffee House, stands as a symbol of Delhi’s inclusivity and cultural richness. “It was pocket-friendly and a place where the right to admission was never reserved,” he recalls. Here, conversations flowed as freely as the coffee, with intellectual debates and revolutionary ideas finding a home alongside cups of steaming brew. But over time, establishments such as the United Coffee House have changed beyond recognition while others have disappeared altogether.

In reflecting on Delhi’s culinary evolution, Pant reflects on the truth that while tastes may shift with time, the essence of the city’s food culture remains resilient. His book captures this essence—a tribute to a city that has always used food as a vehicle to express its rich history, spirituality, and cultural diversity.