Out of our love for food, travel, and culture grew Safarnama, a moving table that journeyed across India’s kitchens. Created by The Thali Tradition, it was envisioned as a celebration of regional cuisines, forgotten recipes, and the living traditions that shape the way we eat.
Safarnama evolved into The Thali Tradition’s travel diary, bringing together food, stories, and the people behind them. After its debut in Goa, where sunshine and susegad living set the tone for our first chapter, the journey continued to Chennai.
Chennai felt like the natural next stop. Here, cuisine spoke of legacy, language, and rhythm. From fragrant sambhar bubbling in home kitchens to contemporary reinterpretations by the city’s new wave of chefs, every meal offered a glimpse into its cultural identity.
Building the Chennai itinerary meant diving deep into the city’s textures, rituals, and sounds: the crackle of fresh bhajis, silk weaves catching the sun, conversations over banana-leaf meals, and voices carrying across temple tanks.
We began, as always, by asking a simple question: What and where do locals eat on an ordinary afternoon? That answer shaped the stories we sought.
Our team from The Thali Tradition meticulously delved into every detail, from the brass urulis on the tables to the music playing in the background. We wandered through filter-coffee counters and temple corridors, Chennai’s colourful markets and colonial lanes. With guidance from local experts and culinary voices, we built an experience that bridged timeless South Indian traditions with the city’s evolving contemporary scene.
The result was an immersive journey through Chennai’s culinary heart, an exploration of flavour, design, and storytelling, all in The Thali Tradition’s inimitable style.
Far from typical tourism, this felt more like co-authoring a chapter in the city’s story. Our guests became an integral part of the fabric.
It felt only natural to welcome them at ITC Grand Chola, rising majestically in the heart of Chennai as a tribute to Southern India’s illustrious empire. Set across eight acres of manicured lawns, its white stone façade shimmered in the sunlight, while intricately carved pillars whispered the artistry and grandeur of the Chola dynasty. The corridors caught light, the gardens hushed, and the city outside felt distant.
The first chapter of Safarnama Chennai unfolded in true Thali Tradition style, with an exquisite chef’s tasting at Royal Vega, where South India’s royal kitchens met Ayurvedic philosophy and local memory.
Each of the 18 dishes on the thali paid homage to the six senses, transforming the act of eating into a meditative experience. Guests were encouraged to eat with their hands: to feel the texture, sense the temperature, and connect mind, body, and flavour.
On the thali were Jeeragam Rasam, Ananas Pachadi, Pachhai Kai Kari Korma, Vendakkai Poriyal, Vellarikkai Moru Kulambu, and Mangai Pappu Urulai Kara Kari. The stars of the meal were the melt-in-the-mouth Vazhalpoo Vadai made from banana flower and stuffed with dahi, and the chef’s favourite Mochai Masiyal with lima beans and spinach.
The experience was paired with inventive cocktails such as Sapphire Kesari and Gajar Ka Halwa, along with zero-proof tales like Imli and Shojna.
As evening descended, it was time for Cocktails & Chakhna. Glasses clinked and laughter lingered. Safarnama slipped into its most spirited chapter yet, as four distinct bar programs came together in one seamless showcase.
Imagine cognac washed with creamy, tangy butter from the hills of Tamil Nadu, whiskey smoked with cardamom, a bajji chilli lighting up your picante, and a bottomless flow of cocktails celebrating regional ingredients in unexpected ways.
Dinner unfolded at Manjal, one of the city’s most sought-after tables, where getting a seat felt like earning an invitation into Chennai’s inner circle of flavour. A haven for meat lovers, the evening brimmed with Prawn 65, Brain Fry, and Vade Eda Parotta.
Back at ITC Grand Chola, the night softened into sweetness at Yura, where gelato scoops told stories. Think Idukki Vanilla, fragrant from Kerala’s misty hills, and Miso Caramel, a Japan-inspired creation that surprised with its savoury-sweet finish.
On Day 2, we were ready for a #BreakfastOfChampions. We rolled out, sunnies on, chasing the city’s first stirrings. Mylapore awakened to the hiss of idlis, the hum of grinders, and the mingling aroma of coffee and incense.
At Rayar’s Mess, clouds of steam rose from plates that cradled the city’s simplest joy, idlis so soft they vanished at first touch. The Podi Idli and Pongal were irresistible. At Sri Karpagambal Kapali Sweets Stall, we sampled Onion Bhajji and the popular Madras Mix.
We stopped by the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, where stone corridors echoed with prayers and sunlight slipped across ancient carvings. Just around the corner, Kalathi Rose Milk Shop offered a sweet, cooling respite. Our final stop was Geetha Coffee, a local favourite for its freshly ground filter brew, fragrant enough to draw you in from down the street.
By the time we left, Chennai was fully awake, and so were we. From these quiet morning rituals, the city’s flavours called us onward, guiding our steps back to ITC Grand Chola, where we were to try the Elai Sapad.
Banana leaves became the canvas for a feast that told Chennai’s story in every bite. Elai Sapad (or elai/ilai sappadu) refers to the iconic traditional banana-leaf meals of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Our true-blue zero-proof Sapad experience at ITC Grand Chola featured a selection of South Indian favourites, a medley of traditionally served textures and flavours from Tamil Nadu’s thali. There was Matka Curd, Vadams, Mango Pachadi, Thenga Mango, Banana Blossom Cutlets, Tender Chicken, Pan-Fried Fish, Spiced Vegetables, Rasam, and Sambar. Desserts included Badam Halwa, Kulfi, and Litchi Elaneer Payasam.
As night fell, we revived one of our most cherished traditions — The Secret Supper Series. This comeback edition unfolded at Avartana, ITC Grand Chola’s award-winning restaurant, often described as the temple of modern South Indian cuisine.
Here, ritual met reinvention in a stunning 12-course tasting that danced between memory and imagination. Every plate became a performance where vegetables transcended expectation and meats sang in smoke and spice.
There was Tempered Bottle Gourd and Stir-Fried Chicken with buttermilk mousse and curry-leaf tempura, followed by Madurai Lobster perfumed with marikolunthu and Shrimp Dumplings glazed with chilli-coriander jam. The Quail Bun arrived with a soft appam embrace around spiced quail, before a refreshing Guava Sorbet reset the palate.
Courses that followed traced a new map of the South, and sweet closure came in the form of Raw Mango Pudding lit by a ghee candle and a Fennel Panna Cotta crowned with angel-hair caramel.To sip: a lineup of cocktails that flirted with nostalgia and novelty, Koyya (tequila, guava, Chettinad chilli, salt), Manga Foam (tequila, raw mango), Perfume (gin, marikolunthu, narthangai), and Elaina (rum, nannari, pineapple, coconut flower).
The mocktails, Pickle Jar and Muttukadu, proved that flavour needed no proof; both bright, bold, and distinctly Southern. On Day 3, goodbyes came softly, drawing the curtain on another unforgettable chapter of Safarnama.
