From Viral Flash to Kitchen Staple
A food trend is born in a flash. Thanks to social media, a visually appealing dish can achieve global recognition almost overnight. We saw this with Dalgona coffee, a photogenic beverage that became a worldwide quarantine hobby. For a few months, it seemed
like the entire world was whisking instant coffee into a fluffy peak. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving behind little more than a memory and a half-used jar of instant coffee in the back of the pantry. The Dalgona phenomenon was a perfect storm of simplicity, visual appeal, and a captive audience. Yet, it lacked the depth to become a permanent fixture. Many found it a hassle to make and, ultimately, just a sweet coffee. This is the crucial filter for any trend: once the novelty fades, does it offer genuine value and pleasure? For a trend to have a real shelf life, it needs to move beyond the screen and embed itself into our actual eating habits.
The Indian Palate: A Powerful Filter
When global trends arrive in India, they face a discerning audience with a deeply rooted culinary identity. The Indian palate is complex, shaped by a rich history of regional diversity, spice layering, and a cultural emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. There is a strong preference for authentic flavours, but also an openness to fusion and innovation. Indian chefs and home cooks have become adept at acting as cultural translators. They don't just adopt trends; they adapt them, infusing them with local sensibilities. This might mean adjusting spice levels, incorporating regional ingredients, or reimagining a dish to fit into a vegetarian or plant-based diet, which is a significant aspect of Indian food culture. This process of localisation is essential. A trend that fails to respect or integrate with these powerful preferences is unlikely to survive beyond the initial hype.
Case Study: The Sourdough Saga
The artisanal sourdough movement is a prime example of a global trend that found fertile ground in India by embracing local context. While sourdough has ancient roots, its recent boom as a home-baking obsession was global. In India, it didn't just stay a European-style loaf. Bakers and home cooks began experimenting, connecting the concept of fermentation to familiar Indian staples like idli and dosa. Soon, we saw the emergence of sourdough kulchas, appams, and loaves infused with Indian spices like ajwain and turmeric. A particularly successful adaptation has been the use of local flours, with bakers incorporating ragi, jowar, and whole wheat atta into their loaves, creating breads with unique flavours and textures that feel both new and nostalgic. This has turned sourdough from a niche, imported idea into a dynamic part of the modern Indian kitchen, with a market projected to grow significantly.
Why Context Is the Secret Ingredient
The story of Dalgona coffee is revealing because its core concept—beaten coffee—was already a household technique in India, known as 'phenti hui coffee'. The viral trend gave it a fancy Korean name but didn't add much to a practice many already knew. It highlighted that without a meaningful local connection, a trend is just a temporary performance. In contrast, the adaptation of global cuisines and trends succeeds when it feels like a natural extension of our own food culture. Chefs are now confidently presenting regional Indian food on a global stage, not by simplifying it, but by celebrating its authenticity and complexity. This confidence also applies to interpreting outside trends. A trend succeeds when it doesn't feel like an alien imposition but like a new conversation with familiar ingredients and flavours. It's about making it our own.
