The Indian Food You Know Isn’t The One We Grew Up With
A casual catch-up
We had an interesting interaction recently that really made us reflect on the heart behind Veranda Indian. Tavishi caught up with a childhood friend who now lives in the US. She grew up in India, just like us, but has since married an Indian-American man who was born and raised in the States. It was a casual catch-up, but our conversation about food led to a powerful realisation about how Indian cuisine is seen—and misrepresented—outside of India.
Indian food - It’s just not the same!
As we explained the philosophy behind Veranda Indian—homestyle dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, inspired by regional street foods and the way we actually ate growing up—her response was immediate and heartfelt: "Yes! That's exactly it. I haven't tasted those flavours in restaurants here. It's always just the same curries, heavy and one-dimensional."
That comment struck a chord. Because it's not just her. Almost every Indian who has grown up in India and then moved overseas says the same thing. The food served in most Indian restaurants abroad doesn't taste like home. And for good reason.
The majority of chefs working in Indian restaurants overseas have not trained in India. Many have learnt the cuisine second-hand—from chefs who themselves may have learned in India, but who often adapted recipes to suit a commercial kitchen or unfamiliar palate. Without the grounding of Indian kitchens back home, many haven’t had the chance to truly engage with the depth and diversity of our food. They miss the nuances, the variations across states and seasons, the intuitive balancing of spices passed down through practice, not just recipes.
“Indian food is too oily & rich”
Then came the other comment—from her husband. He said, "I didn’t like Indian food growing up. It felt too rich, too oily. But then I spent some time in India, eating on the streets, travelling across cities and towns, and everything changed. I finally got it. The food was light, fresh, punchy. Completely different from what I thought Indian food was."
That floored us. Because it’s true. Unless you’ve spent time in India, you probably haven’t tasted the real thing. You’ve likely had a version that’s been trimmed, altered, and adjusted until it fits a certain mould—same base, different names. And while there’s nothing wrong with evolution or adaptation, what’s concerning is that this one mould has come to define an entire cuisine, in all its supposed complexity.
The sad result? Indian food has become either intimidating or misunderstood. It’s often seen as rich, spicy, and overwhelming—when in fact, it’s incredibly varied, fresh, and rooted in balance. And for Indian migrants, especially those of us raising children outside India, there’s a sense of loss. How do we pass on the flavours of our childhood when they’re nowhere to be found?
Veranda Indian - bridging the gap
That’s exactly why we created Veranda Indian. To bridge this gap. To offer a taste of the India we remember—not through nostalgia alone, but through seasonal produce, traditional techniques, and dishes that are plated thoughtfully but stay true to their roots. We want to give our guests—whether they grew up in India or have never been—an honest, personal, and joyful experience of Indian food as it exists beyond the curry house stereotype.
Because we believe if you're curious enough to explore, you deserve to experience the real thing. Not just what fits neatly into a menu template.
At Veranda Indian, we’re not just serving food. We’re serving memories, stories, and a path to rediscover what Indian food can truly be.