Can you imagine an Indian home without a functional kitchen? It’s unlikely, as home-cooked food remains at the heart of Indian life. Ghar ka khaana isn’t just food; it’s comfort, hygiene, and love. The concern about food hygiene and the fact that mothers infuse meals with care makes home cooking irreplaceable for many.
Recently, Nikhil Kamath tweeted about Singapore’s eating habits, observing how most people there don’t cook at home. This sparked a debate on the future of the restaurant industry in India. Kamath’s observations also highlighted how, for many Indians, eating out is a rare treat. According to a 2024 Swiggy report, Indians have only five non-home-cooked meals a month, in stark contrast to other countries like China and the USA.
Food anthropologists argue that this deep-rooted obsession with home-cooked food isn’t just due to hygiene or cost but also cultural influences such as patriarchy and the caste system. Historically, eating out was seen as taboo for upper-caste Hindus, while the notion of ‘home-cooked meals’ often reinforces gender roles, with women bearing the responsibility of cooking.
Despite the growing trend of shared household chores, many women still feel the weight of cooking duties. While home-cooked food is often cherished, it can sometimes be unhealthy, as excess oil and spices take a toll on health. On the other hand, eating out can be healthy, as seen in Singapore’s accessible and clean hawker centers.
The emotional bond with home-cooked food, especially for those living away from home, highlights the warmth and love tied to family meals. However, the increasing convenience of tiffin services and online food delivery shows that it’s possible to live without a kitchen – as long as healthy choices are made.
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