Chef blends science, sustainability, and storytelling through food

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Chef Mythrayie Iyer, the visionary behind Farmlore here, shared her culinary journey and unique philosophy of merging science, sustainability, and storytelling with News Trail. Honed through her time at ITC Avartana and globally renowned establishments, Mythrayie’s craft is a fusion of creativity and discipline, deeply rooted in her passion for ingredients and flavours. “My love for science and food sparked my curiosity about flavours, techniques, and cultures,” she explained.

“Cooking became a way to explore this intersection while telling stories through ingredients, naturally leading me to a career as a chef.” Bengaluru’s experimental culinary landscape has significantly shaped her approach. “Bengaluru is a melting pot of global influences,” she said. “This openness inspires me to experiment with flavours and techniques, pushing boundaries while staying grounded in seasonal and regional ingredients.” Mythrayie’s menu often highlights local and seasonal ingredients, including avarabele (hyacinth beans), Bannur lamb, niger seeds, and moth beans. “These ingredients, paired with traditional techniques, expand my approach to creating unique dishes,” she shared. Her extensive training at ITC Avartana and experience at world-class restaurants like Noma, Dewakan, Locavore, and Belcanto have polished her skills.

Leading Farmlore for six years, alongside accolades like the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2022-23 and Young Chef of the Year by Culinary Culture in 2022, has further enriched her craft. Fusion cuisine plays a pivotal role in Mythrayie’s repertoire. “I often combine techniques to reinterpret flavours,” she said, citing her moringa pod garum – a soy sauce-like condiment made by fermenting moringa stock and millets – as an example. For Marriott Bonvoy’s ‘The Power Play’, she showcased culinary diversity with dishes such as lycopene-crusted scallops for non-vegetarians and a seasonal pumpkin variation for vegetarians. “This was an intricate combination of regional ingredients and technique,” she noted. Seasonality is the cornerstone of Farmlore’s menu, with dishes inspired by regional eating habits and personal memories.

One example is her muskmelon, grape, and nannari syrup creation, influenced by her childhood memories of Chennai street food. “We aim to create an immersive and educational experience, connecting guests with the land and seasons through food,” she said. Guest feedback plays a crucial role in refining her offerings and strengthening the connection with diners. Highlighting India’s evolving culinary scene, Mythrayie praised chefs who are creating deeply personal, memory-driven concepts, citing Popos by Doma Wang.