How this British Instagrammer is trying to change Western views about Indian food

His pantry boasts more desi ingredients than ours yes he has four masala dabbas and he can whip up sattu paratha aloo matar and Sindhi curry with a skill that rivals some of the best home cooks In fact it was his engaging video from Bihar Week that piqued our interest in sattu flour Meet Jake Dryan a 32yearold from London who grew up surrounded by South Asian immigrants and blessed with easy access to desi ingredients And nowmdashDryan is on a mission to change the Western perception of Indian cuisine on his Instagram handle plantfutureOn his first trip to India a few weeks ago Dryan was overjoyed to indulge in the iconic vada pav pav bhaji and thalipeethmdashdishes he had previously made in the UK ldquoTherersquos nothing like eating a dish where it had originatedrdquo he shares excitedlySukkha bhelHe was invited to the Two Brothers Farm recently where he connected with local farmers and shared a meal on their land in Aurangabad deepening his understanding of ingredients and culture Together they made thecha thalipeeth and a spread of Maharashtrian food using produce straight off the farm Dryanrsquos approach transcends mere recipes he delves into the rich traditions techniques and regional identities that shape Indian cooking He often shares resources and information he learns during his researchmdashthus offering a fresh perspective on ageold cuisine and a vibrant story told through culinary practices Like when he posted about the lesserknown Maddur vade from Karnatakamdashhe mentioned the back story on how these were made at Maddur station and thatrsquos how it got its name or when he made pannakam on Ram Navami and shared the story of Lord Rama His fascination with Indian cuisine was further nurtured while working as a young chef under the mentorship of a Indian chef at the Hilton in the UK where he worked from 2012 to 2020 ldquoI was driven to understand the how and why behind each dishrdquo Dryan recalls He would quiz his mentor about his motherrsquos aloo gobi eager to learn whether she used white or red onions and how the dish differed between families This insatiable curiosity became his unique learning stylemdashquestioning every detail exploring regional techniques and analysing each step as an art form and a scienceJake DryanDryan has spent countless hours observing the tadka process to master the timing and sequence of each ingredient ldquoMany cooks outside India tend to add everything at once but each component has its moment in the processrdquo The mustard always goes before the cumin and the curry leaves go in the end because each one has different cooking timesHis first videomdashan aloo matarmdashfilmed in February 2018 slowly sparked curiositymdashwhat was a Brit doing making simple homemade khana but one of Dryanrsquos most notable projects is the State Week series launched in 2022 where he dedicates an entire week to the cuisine of a specific Indian stateThis initiative emerged from his recognition that Indian food is oversimplified and misrepresented to the West and reduced to generic categories such as lsquocurryrsquo or lsquospicyrsquo ldquoThe Western view of Indian food is so narrowrdquo he says ldquoPeople think itrsquos just butter chicken and naan but it encompasses so many more layers stories and traditions in every dish Even I thought I knew a lot about Indian foodrdquo he admits ldquobut as I began exploringI realised I had barely scratched the surfacerdquoDryan is not unfamiliar with culinary nuances that change slightly with region but transform a dish completely ldquoMy granddad is from Italy where each region has its own unique cuisine and I even have this book on regional Italian cooking with no photos but packed with recipesrdquo he says ldquoItrsquos got one version of Minestrone soup from Naples and another from Piedmontmdashsame dish but with subtle differences So when I heard India has so many distinct states each with its own culinary identity I thought wow itrsquos just like ItalyThe seriesmdashwhere he has covered 21 states so farmdashinvolves extensive preparation Dryan engages in thorough research often collaborating with his online community and watching cooking videos from home chefs across India His followers might recommend five vegetarian dishes from a state prompting Dryan to delve into mastering their preparation While he has developed an intuitive grasp of Indian cooking every new dish offers a chance for further learning ldquoEven if Irsquove never seen the recipe before my years of cooking have equipped me with a foundational understandingrdquoThis method has garnered Dryan a devoted following among Indian and international audiences For Indians he represents a figure who respects and comprehends their culinary heritage Comments that say how they love watching him make certain dishes that are close to their heart or that they grew up eating and miss it now warms his heart There are fun ones that call him to be more desi than the desis in India or that he cooks better than their spouse Some even fight in the comments on which regionrsquos version of a particular dish is better A defining characteristic is his receptiveness to feedback He invites viewers to point out any mistakes and embraces these comments as opportunities for growth like how he remade bajra khichdi after he was told the previous version wasnrsquot correctFor global viewers he offers an approachable gateway into a cuisine often perceived as intimidating He unpacks techniques and illustrates commonalities across regions like common dishes with subtle variants during Indian festivals like UgadildquoEven if I werenrsquot active on social media I would still be cooking Indian foodrdquo he reflects ldquoItrsquos my means of learning and exploring something I love I donrsquotenvision myself stopping anytime soon There will always be so much left to explorerdquoLooking ahead Dryan has ambitious plans He envisions hosting popups supper clubs and community events inviting people to experience authentic Indian cuisine together and work on accessible resources such as guides workshops and videosldquoCooking isnrsquot just about following a reciperdquo he notes ldquoItrsquos about feeling the rhythm of the ingredients understanding the history behind them and honouring the people who created these dishesrdquo