Ideas Of India 2025: Ranveer Brar Calls Himself 'Privileged' To Belong To A Small Town, 'My Reference Points Are Real In Life'
Chef Ranveer Brar, speaking at the Ideas of India Summit 2025, shared his profound love for food and its deeper purpose.
Ideas of India 2025: Chef Ranveer Brar, speaking at the Ideas of India Summit 2025, shared his profound love for food and its deeper purpose. Known widely as a chef, restaurateur, and judge on MasterChef India, Brar also revealed lesser-known facets of his artistic journey, including acting and poetry. He emphasised his quest for expression and meaning through various mediums, with food being a particularly powerful one.
How Ranveer Brar views food as a two-way lens
Brar discussed how his culinary journey is not just about cooking but about storytelling and sharing perspectives. He views food as a "two-way lens" that allows him to absorb and express life experiences. His deep sense of purpose lies in sharing what he learns, whether it’s a simple recipe or a profound life philosophy.
"I have found a medium—food—which is such a powerful medium through which I can not only understand life and things but also express them. This two-way lens that I have discovered through food is something I am thoroughly enjoying. You absorb through food, and you express through food. That's something I am truly enjoying in this journey."
For Brar, the joy comes from seeing his experiences resonate with others, akin to offering a jacket to someone—if they like it, they wear it; if not, they move on.
Ranveer on the positive side of being from a small town
Reflecting on his roots in Lucknow, Brar shared how growing up in a relatively smaller city gave him an advantage. The "stubbornness" of small-town life, he believes, becomes a powerful tool in navigating the larger world. He cherishes this grounding influence and feels fortunate to carry it forward in his journey.
"Lucknow is not a small city, but relatively, if you compare it to Delhi or Mumbai, I think it has an advantage. For those of us who grew up in small towns in the 80s and 90s, there's a quality that we often call "hustle" in English. That deep, inherited grit—this stubbornness of small-town life—is actually an advantage."
He continued, "For me, being from a small town is a huge advantage because I feel my reference points are real in life. The determination within me, the drive to prove myself, is deep-seated—it's not superficial."
"I believe being from a small town is a significant advantage because, when these cities were finding themselves, they created a very quiet and subtle language. The stubbornness of Lucknow doesn't show on the surface; it shows in its mushairas (poetry gatherings), it shows in Kathak (classical dance)," he added.
Feeling lucky on being from small town
Talking about small town grit, Ranveer said, "This small-town grit becomes apparent when you truly understand it. It's not in your face, and that's a very powerful tool."
"I consider myself very, very fortunate to have grown up in a small town and to be carrying that grit forward. And I think a lot of people who have grown up in small towns will relate to this—the fact that proving yourself becomes second nature. You don't even ask the question; you just get used to proving yourself and moving on. And I think that helps—a lot."
"So, for me, coming from a city that loves its food and food conversations, as Lucknow does, I feel it was more of a positive than anything else."
Brar also spoke about the layered relationship with food, which begins within the family and extends to the community and the city. From family recipes to conversations at the local grocery store, each stage of life added depth to his culinary passion. His experiences highlight how food transcends being just nourishment—it becomes a bridge to culture, memory, and connection.
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