“Food and festivals go hand in hand,” says Sathish Kumar, head chef at Indienne in Chicago. Diwali, the festival of lights, takes him back to the meals his family shared in Chennai, starting with breakfast from his mother’s kitchen.
“There are certain dishes you grow up eating on special occasions, and over time, those flavors become part of how you remember and celebrate them,” Kumar says. As a child, he’d set off firecrackers, wear new clothes, and play with friends. “I remember coming home to the smell of Amma’s (my mom’s) freshly fried medu vadas, sambar, and idlis for breakfast.”
“For lunch, we’d have a big, comforting pot of Bisi Bele Bath, followed by coconut payasam to end on a sweet note,” Kumar recalls. Just thinking about those dishes brings back the excitement he felt as Diwali approached.
Diwali traditions vary by region and faith. One story Kumar remembers hearing as a child in Chennai tells of the people of Ayodhya lighting lamps to welcome Lord Rama home after 14 years in exile. The festival took on more meaning for Kumar as he grew older. “It’s a celebration of light over darkness and good over evil,” he says. For him, “Diwali is really about family, spirituality, and keeping those stories and traditions alive.”
Kumar brings his childhood Diwali meals together in a three-course menu. He starts with medu vada, serves bisi bele bath as the main course, and finishes with coconut payasam.
Kumar suggests serving the medu vada with strong South Indian filter coffee, a pairing he calls “a match made in heaven.” With the bisi bele bath, he recommends tempered buttermilk. Its “cooling, tangy flavors,” he says, “complement the richness and warmth of the dish beautifully.”
