Potlucks, conversations, and community: Inside the Madras Cookbook Club where every meal has a story

CHENNAI: Before she started bringing strangers together over shared meals, Akshitha Praveen had a dream of her own. One day, she hopes to recreate recipes from her great-grandmother's cookbook, documenting the journey much like the film 'Julie & Julia'.

Written decades ago in Telugu and later translated into English, the cookbook has been a constant source of inspiration, shaping not only the way she cooks but also the community she has built around food.

"My great-grandmother wrote a cookbook many years ago. It was originally in Telugu and was later translated into English. That book is like my holy grail. I grew up in a Telugu family in Tamil Nadu, so our meals were always a mix of Telugu and Tamil food. So many of the recipes I grew up eating came from that book. Cookbooks have always fascinated me and cooking my way through her recipes is still my dream project," says Akshitha Praveen, founder and curator of the Madras Cookbook Club.

That love for cookbooks eventually found another outlet. Two years ago, Akshitha came across a cookbook club in Bengaluru where members met every month to cook from a single cookbook. The idea stayed with her.

"I had moved to Chennai in 2021 and was working from home. I didn't know many people here and cooking has always been my passion. When I saw the cookbook club, I thought it was such an interesting idea. It felt like a wonderful way to meet people through a common passion."

She started the Madras Cookbook Club with just eight members. Today, the club has 30 active members and a waiting list of nearly 600 people, with enquiries continuing to pour in through Instagram. Unlike a regular potluck, every gathering begins with a cookbook. Planning for the next potluck starts even before the current one ends.

"After we've finished eating, we start discussing what we would like to cook next. Sometimes we've just explored Indian food, so someone suggests European or Asian cuisine. Members keep sharing cookbook recommendations in our WhatsApp group and once we have enough suggestions, we conduct a poll. The book that gets the majority of votes becomes our cookbook for the month," she explains.

The club has cooked its way through Indian, Italian, Korean and other cuisines, while festive gatherings have centred around books by Nigella Lawson. One of the most memorable choices was 'Chilli Crisp', a cookbook where every recipe revolved around chilli oil. "Even the desserts had chilli oil. We enjoy picking books that are a little unusual because they push us to cook things we wouldn't normally try," Akshitha laughs.

Once the cookbook is finalised, members choose the dishes they want to prepare so there are no repeats at the potluck. "We keep discussing ingredient sourcing, substitutions and even restaurants that serve similar dishes. The conversations go far beyond the cookbook. Some members also cook additional recipes from the book at home and share photographs, notes and tips in the group."

Every month, one of the members volunteers to host the potluck. "We take turns hosting and because it's held in someone's home, it feels very warm and comfortable. Once everyone arrives with their dishes, we don't immediately start eating. Each person talks about the recipe they chose, how they approached it and whether they made any changes. The conversations around the table are just as important as the meal itself. We talk about whether the recipe was easy to follow, which steps were challenging and what we'd do differently the next time. We're all home cooks, so there's absolutely no pressure for every dish to turn out perfectly," adds the curator.

In fact, failed dishes are also welcomed. "We always tell members to bring the dish even if it hasn't turned out the way they expected. Some of the best discussions come from talking about what went wrong. Everyone learns from each other's mistakes and that's what makes the club so enjoyable."

Interest in the club has grown steadily, with food lovers frequently messaging the club on Instagram asking where members buy their cookbooks or how they can be a part of the community.

"We're full at the moment, but the enquiries keep coming. I think more people are looking for experiences that bring them together over a shared interest," concludes Akshitha. The club is already looking ahead to its next gathering. Towards the end of August, members will meet once again, this time for an Onam sadya.