Edible insects are part of the traditional foods of South-East Asia (image used for representational purposes) | Photo Credit: Getty Images
The Science Gallery in Bengaluru unveiled its year-long exhibition, Calorie, earlier this year. Through art installations, workshops and interactive games, the exhibition explores our relationship with food, nutrition and agriculture. Now as part of Calories, the gallery is hosting a food festival called Namma Oota. The festival features food stalls from various brands as well as talks, masterclasses and a quiz.
An installation from the exhibition Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Food stalls at the event include brands such as Wallflower Patisserie and Kitchen, which will allow you to create your own sweets. City-based Cubbon Table creates small-batch products rooted in regional preserving and fermentation traditions, so visitors can taste fermented raw foods and preserves. Aruvu Collaboratory is bringing fresh produce and millet dishes from Channapatna and Bidar regions. The non-profit ATREE focuses on environmental protection and sustainable development. His stall will have edible insects obtained from his research on this topic. Expect silkworm manchurian and chilli garlic cricket.
Jhanvi Phalki, founding director of the gallery, says, “Namma Oota Our current exhibition expands the questions we ask at Calories. We want visitors to think about how we understand nutrition, what shapes our food systems and how our choices impact the world around us. Through workshops and interactive stalls, we explore topics such as alternative foods, fermentation, preservation traditions and the stories behind everyday ingredients. It gives visitors a chance to engage with the science of food in a relaxed and accessible way.”
There are also talks by experts in the festival. Kurush Firoz Dalal, a culinary anthropologist, is hosting a public lecture titled Food: The Greatest Mnemonic as part of the food festival. “The session is about food and memories. Food is the greatest memory known to mankind. Food is all about the memories you have made or are making, these are not always good, some may even be sad and bitter. This conversation discusses food and memory and what they mean to us.”
Founder Director of the Gallery, Jhanvi Phalki. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Namma Oota is intentionally small and curated. Jhanvi concludes, “We want visitors to learn something new after their visit. The stalls bring together a range of ideas from moringa-based products and fermented spices to edible insects, each offering a different perspective on how food might evolve in the future. We are also delighted to welcome musicians Bluesghat to the festival.”
Entry fee. 6-7 December. Science Gallery, on Bellary Road. For more information and full programme, visit bengaluru.sciencegallery.com
published – December 03, 2025 04:58 PM IST