Chef Madhumita Pyne
PANAJI
The first edition of Thakurbarir Ranna – Tagore Kitchen will be held on August 10 at Silva Heritage, Benaulim at 7 pm. Thakurbarir Ranna is a part of the larger vision to celebrate Rabindranath Tagore’s art, poetry, literature, theatre, music, dance and food with a collaboration of multiple artists and organisations. The first edition will focus on food, bringing the dishes that once came out of the kitchens of the Tagore family, offering a taste of their rich, cultured and ever curious world. The event will be curated by Madhumita Pyne, a filmmaker turned self-taught chef and culinary revivalist who runs Insomniac Cook, a kitchen and catering venture spotlighting the depth of Bengali cuisine – reviving lost recipes, celebrating local produce, and reimagining traditions. Madhumita curates dining experiences, food festivals, workshops and pop-up events in various cities. The initiative by Art Escape will be taken to different heritage and art-cultural properties and spaces in Goa and around the country. Thakurbarir Ranna refers to the authentic, elaborate cuisine of the Thakur Bari — the Tagore family’s famed ancestral home in Jorasanko, Kolkata. The term literally means ‘cooking of the Thakur household,’ and it has come to symbolise the rich culinary heritage cultivated by the Tagores under the influence of Tagore’s family global travels and refined palate. The Tagores were avid travellers and keen observers of cultures around the world. They brought back ideas, flavours, and recipes from their travels, which were then recreated in the Thakurbari kitchens, often with a distinctive Bengali touch. They were experimental, curious, and deeply appreciative of good food, seeing it as an extension of art and culture.
