Masala: A Culinary Exploration

The cuisine of India is a sensory experience—the smell of aromatic spices, the sight of colorful ingredients, the sound of satisfaction after every bite. Each region of India offers distinct flavors and textures that result in food which is not only delicious but filled with vitality. Join us at Pondicheri’s Bake Lab as award-winning chef and owner Anita Jaisinghani introduces us to the cuisine of her native India and her approach to cooking—simple, seasonal, sustainable, and most importantly, a celebration of the senses. Our visit will include a family-style lunch, a talk with chef Anita, and an introduction to the basic spices used in Indian cooking. Chef Anita’s new book, Masala, will be available for purchase, and she will gladly sign your copy.

Anita Jaisinghani was born and raised in India and is of Sindhi descent. Trained as a microbiologist, she developed her love of food into a career, beginning with a catering business and selling chutneys through Whole Foods Market. Her first restaurant job was at Café Annie where she worked in the pastry department. Ms. Jaisinghani opened Indika in 2001, serving deeply personal dishes that illustrated her desire to portray Indian food in a new light. Pondicheri followed in 2011, expanding with the 2014 opening of the Bake Lab + Shop. With all of her kaleidoscopic menus, chef Anita combines the complexities of Indian cuisine with leanings toward the ancient body of wisdom of Ayurveda, the magic of spices, and the goodness of fresh, local ingredients.