Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) partners with Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) to preserve indigenous culinary heritage while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for tribal communities. Anchored in Paathya, IHCL’s ESG+ framework, the collaboration with Samvaad – A Tribal Conclave by TSF focuses on empowering home cooks through structured capacity-building initiatives and curated tribal food pop-ups hosted across IHCL hotels in Mumbai, Goa and Bhubaneswar.
Commenting on the initiative, Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President – Human Resources, IHCL, said, “Central to Paathya is the belief that capability building can unlock sustained livelihood opportunities. Through our partnership with Tata Steel Foundation, we are engaging with tribal communities in a way that values traditional culinary practices while equipping home cooks with skills that expand their economic avenues. The intention is to create an ecosystem where heritage and livelihood reinforce one another.”
The Tribal Cuisines programme integrates traditional culinary knowledge with industry-aligned training. Over the past three years, the initiative has engaged 56 participants from 10 states and 15 tribes through a residential programme covering culinary techniques, food safety, nutrition, hygiene, and foundational business skills.
From 5 to 8 February, guests at Shamiana, Taj The Trees, Mumbai will experience authentic tribal flavours through a special showcase titled Tales From Tribes. The pop-up brings together culinary traditions from four indigenous communities—the Santhal and Asur tribes of Jharkhand, and the Garo and Rabha tribes of Meghalaya. Dishes will be prepared using traditional techniques, indigenous ingredients, and age-old recipes.
In addition to the culinary experience, participating tribes will display local artefacts and handicrafts, offering guests deeper insights into their craftsmanship, culture, and way of life.
