Foodology, Chennai

The bright orange shelves, black plates and bowl, colourful knives and cutlery is what caught my eye as I pushed open the glass doors. And then a sudden wave of chill air welcomed us followed the lady herself- Shree Periakaruppan.. 

Tucked away in the 2nd floor, Foodology is the terrace of an old house converted into a beautiful kitchen and dining area. With long counters lined with induction stoves, pans and pots in the shelf below I felt like I had been transported to one of the TV kitchens I have envied. 

A few months old, this is a space that welcomes people/groups who wish to learn to cook [certain cuisines/dishes] and then who sit together with Shree and enjoy the meal they had just prepared. I for one hadnt heard of this concept in Chennai and so was quite intrigued. Shree has lived in the US for more than a decade and is a IT gal, if you will call it that! Infact she continues to work and manage Foodology workshops over the weekend. There is a certain sense of calm about her, maybe that is why she is so good at dealing with people and getting them to work in sync. We were the brady bunch, yakking away, distracted and sometimes even cracking up. But she stood ground, stayed patient and took us through the various processes with finesse.

The evening began with a drink- the Tropical Green Colada, a drink made with mint ginger lemon juice cucumber juice and soda. Quite a refresher in a glass~! We were quite eager to move ahead to the other main dishes, the Thai soup and Green curry and ofcoruse the interesting dessert that was mentioned in the menu. For the soup, the ingredients were all laid out neatly, for the veggies [2 of us] and the non veggies] 4 of them]. Shree took us through the process, step by step, making sure we were all working in tandem, and on the same page. It was fun!! 

When it came time to move over to the stove to saute the tofu, I pulled out the pan from beneath and man, was it heavy~ Loved it. We made the Tom Kha Soup [ Thai soup with tofu, mushrooms, baby corn along with thai spices and coconut milk]. The soup was heaven, we began slurping away before moving on to the next - Thai Green Curry. 

Again, for the curry too we were given ingredients, we were introduced to all the spices being used in the Thai Curry paste- I was seeing Bamboo shoots and Galangal for the 1st time. Also got insights on where these are available in Chennai.. I have so long been buying the paste from the store, mixing it with sauteed veggies and coconut milk. But now that I know where I can source the ingredients from, I just might start making my own curry paste. More than the dish, it was fun cooking with friends,watching how each one progressed, some forgot to add ingredients while some jumped the gun.. ha ha..we had a blast. 

And finally, before we sat down for dinner, it was time to whip up the Thai Fried Pineapple dessert. It took all of 5 mins to make, but 2 mins to gobble up. Yes, it was divine... Sauteed pineapple with sprinkle of brown sugar served with cinnamon sugar and some thick yoghurt...What a delightful evening that was. 

The 2 hours we spent cooking flew away, and through dinner we yapped away some more- asking questions, clarifying doubts, learning more about Foodology and ofcourse enjoying all that we had made. 

Foodology is a place that makes Cooking FUN, and gets people excited to want to cook... The kitchen is very welcoming and her staff are always ready to help. 

Next time you are planning a small gathering or party [upto 20 kids or 15 adults] you should consider doing it in Foodology...She has even done a workshop for couples..  You never know, your little one or your "I shall never enter the kitchen" spouse might just enjoy themselves here..  

Oh and did I mention- all her cutlery, pots and pans are from Ikea... No wonder they were so good..

Foodology

Website- http://foodology.in/

Address:

3A, Second Main Road,

Kasturibai Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600020 

E-mail: shreepemail@gmail.com

Disclaimer:

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)