Chandigarh, Jan 22: Samvaad, a tribal conclave enabled by Tata Steel Foundation, in collaboration with Ishaara, Mumbai, will host a Tribal Cuisine Pop-Up from 22nd to 25th January 2026, bringing authentic indigenous cuisines into a mainstream restaurant space. The initiative seeks to celebrate tribal culinary knowledge while ensuring dignity, visibility, and representation for tribal communities through an inclusive and thoughtfully curated dining experience.
The pop-up will feature traditional dishes prepared by six tribal home cooks representing diverse indigenous communities from Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, and Jharkhand. Of the six participating cooks, five are women, underscoring the central role women play in preserving and passing on tribal food traditions across generations. The participating home cooks include Kiran Kranthi from the Koya tribe of Andhra Pradesh; Panma Lamo and Chhewang Dolma from the Negi tribe of Himachal Pradesh; Jorlin Taropi from the Karbi tribe of Assam’s Karbi Anglong region; and Laxmi Hansda of the Santhal tribe and Nilam Minz of the Asur tribe from Jharkhand.
This collaboration builds on Samvaad’s seven-year engagement with tribal communities, particularly its work on tribal cuisine through Aatithya, which highlights community-led hospitality and food practices. Partnering with Ishaara, an inclusive cafe and restaurant known for employing persons with hearing and speech impairments, creates a strong alignment of values centered on empathy, inclusion, respect, and sustainability.
The pop-up will open on January 22, 2026, with a specially curated storytelling table at Ishaara where tribal home cooks will present select dishes alongside personal food narratives. From January 23-25, 2026, the Tribal Cuisine Pop-Up will be open to diners as part of Ishaara’s restaurant offerings, allowing guests to experience authentic tribal dishes accompanied by menu notes that highlight their origins, ingredients, and cultural relevance. All dishes featured during the pop-up will be jointly curated by Ishaara and the home cooks to ensure authenticity and quality, with a strong emphasis on traditional ingredients, seasonal produce, and minimal food waste.
Speaking on the collaboration, Prashant Issar, Founder, Ishaara, said, “At Ishaara, our philosophy of inclusivity has always been about more than just service; it is about embracing the diverse voices and stories that make up the human experience. With Heritage & Roots, we are extending that same fabric of conversation to the very plate. By opening our kitchen to the home chefs of Samvaad, we aren’t just serving regional cuisine; we are honoring its provenance. These are unadulterated flavors where the ingredient-forward traditions of tribal India take center stage, prepared by the very hands that carry this ancestral knowledge. Bringing their home to our table adds a beautiful, authentic layer to our story, proving that the most profound conversations happen when we share the true, raw essence of India’s culinary soul”.
Adding his thoughts, Sourav Roy, CEO, Tata Steel Foundation, said, “At Tata Steel Foundation, we are committed to building an ecosystem where tribal knowledge and skills are recognised as drivers of sustainable livelihoods. Through Samvaad, we create spaces for the exchange and practice of wisdom that exists within and across tribal communities. This collaboration with Ishaara is one of a growing set of purposeful partnerships we are building—aimed at reviving traditional, nutrition-rich culinary heritage, while enhancing visibility, building confidence, and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for tribal home cooks. Looking ahead, we see these partnerships deepening into a wider ecosystem that strengthens livelihoods, honours tribal heritage, and creates shared value at scale.”
The Tribal Cuisine Pop-Up is expected to deepen urban audiences’ appreciation of indigenous food cultures, strengthen the livelihoods and confidence of participating tribal home cooks, and establish a replicable framework for future collaborations. During the pop-up period, the curated tribal menu will also be introduced as an addition to Ishaara’s regular restaurant offerings, inviting diners to engage meaningfully with India’s rich and diverse indigenous food heritage.
