Join Helly in coversation with Susan Helyar. Photo: Canberra Writers Festival.
A much-loved contestant on MasterChef, and founder of popular Melbourne restaurant Enter Via Laundry, Helly Raichura has written a cookbook like no other.
The Food of Bharat is a deep dive into India’s culinary history, exploring how Indian cuisine has evolved from the earliest times to the modern day.
Startling historical insights combine with delicious recipes from across regional India. Helly once worked as an HR advisor for an IT company, until she quit to pursue her passion for cooking.
She hosted intimate dinners out of her home, where guests had to enter via her laundry. Her true love is creating shared meals that take guests on a culinary journey through time and place.
Join Helly, in conversation with the host of the popular monthly author talks Ginsights, Susan Helyar, for a tantalising, delicious discussion on food, passion, and why multicultural culinary Australia is at a crossroads.
Helly Raichura’s story is just as interesting as her food. In a past life, the chef from Gujarat, India, was an HR advisor for an IT company – until she quit her job to pursue her love of cooking and started offering intimate dinners out of her home.
Guests had to enter via her laundry, and so Enter Via Laundry was born. There, Helly created shared meals that took guests on a culinary journey through regional India.
One of the first chefs to introduce and popularise regional Indian cuisine in Australia, Helly quickly gained a following, and she featured on MasterChef Australia to much acclaim.
Preserving India’s culture through cuisine, and showcasing its regionality on a plate, is Helly’s passion. She now has a permanent venue for Enter via Laundry in the inner city of Melbourne.
Never losing sight of her Indian heritage, she creates menus that educate guests on the history and seasonality of each dish.
The details
What: Passion, Food, Love: Helly Raichura’s Story
When: Saturday 25 October, 10am
Where: National Portrait Gallery
Cost: Adult $28 / Concession $25. Tickets available via Canberra Writers Festival.
