Over the last few years, the name Chef Thomas Zacharias has become synonymous with local food. Indeed, the acclaimed chef has been at the forefront of a local food movement in India through The Locavore, a project he founded in 2022.
His latest initiative under the platform - The Local Food Club, supported by the Rainmatter Foundation -endeavours to help people rediscover the many joys that food can offer.
"It isn't just about food - it's about remembering how to gather, how to listen, how to build something meaningful together," he says.
Launched in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Goa, Zacharias shares that the idea for the club took shape over the past couple of years. "We'd hosted smaller Locavore gatherings in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, and Delhi since 2022, and each time something sparked - people would linger, share stories, and ask when the next one was
happening," he says.
At the same time, he says, people were asking how they could be part of The Locavore's work, beyond just following online. "That told us there was a real hunger - not just for food, but for connection, community, and meaning," he says. The Local Food Club, he states, brings all of that together through monthly potlucks, led by volunteers, in cities across India.
"Each gathering is simple but full of intention. People come together - often as strangers - and share a dish they've cooked, a story behind it, a memory, or even just a special ingredient they love," he explains.
One of the highlights is The Locavore Shuffle - a playful icebreaker inspired by speed dating, where participants connect over food-themed questions to spark conversation and curiosity.
And while the atmosphere is open and friendly-the team has set clear boundaries. Any form of harassment, discrimination, unsolicited messaging, or disrespectful behaviour is not tolerated. "We're intentional about creating spaces that feel safe and welcoming - especially for people showing up alone," says Zacharias.
While the first round of gatherings across the six cities saw plenty of delicious food, what stood out most, he says, was the energy in the room. "People were laughing, lingering, exchanging numbers, and asking how they could help make the next one happen."
Even between meetups, the momentum hasn't faded. On WhatsApp groups, members are swapping recipes, planning food walks, curating local restaurant lists, and sharing seasonal finds from their neighbourhoods. "You can really feel something coming
alive," he says.
In Goa, the gathering was hosted in collaboration with Alt Food Co, run by Devika Gowri, a former food journalist and anthropologist-turned-chef. The Alt Food Co is a community kitchen space that hosts cooking workshops, supper clubs and events centred on food justice, decolonisation, and anti-caste values.
"At the event, Devika and her team didn't just offer the space - they also suggested ways to make the Local Food Club more public-facing and inclusive for local Goan communities,"
says Zacharias.
In the months ahead, the team plans to expand into cities like Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kochi, Shillong, Pune, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Indore, Hyderabad, and Ranchi. Goa, he says, may even see multiple clubs emerge across the state.
"As we grow, we want to partner with different people, kitchens in each city-especially those already rooted in the local food ecosystem. It keeps the gatherings grounded and ensures that LFC grows in ways that reflects the richness and diversity of each place."
There's also been interest from international cities like London and Berlin, and Zacharias doesn't rule out going global. But he emphasises that The Local Food Club isn't just an urban concept.
"The Local Food Club was designed to be simple, flexible, and deeply local-easy to replicate across geographies, languages, and communities. We're already exploring rural clubs through partner organisations in our network," he says, adding that the format also works in schools, offices, housing societies, etc. This, he adds, is part of the larger vision - to see Local Food Clubs in every neighbourhood across India.
"My hope is that this becomes more than just a monthly meal. That it grows into a space where people not only rediscover what food can do-bring us closer, pass down knowledge, spark joy-but also where they begin to imagine and build projects together," he says. "Whether it's hosting workshops, mapping local food histories, or launching community kitchens, I'd love to see LFC gatherings evolve into hubs of collective action and quiet impact. A slow, steady food movement-rooted in care and community-across India."