From Kerala to The Mindful Kitchen
A journey to the roots of Ayurveda
At the end of 2024, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Kerala, India – a trip that became both a personal and culinary adventure. Sponsored by Benchmark Travel and Fool’s Paradise Homestay, my mission was to immerse myself in the region’s rich cultural and culinary heritage – especially its deep-rooted Ayurvedic traditions – and to integrate that wisdom into my work at The Mindful Kitchen.
Why Ayurveda?
The Mindful Kitchen is built on a passion for vibrant, plant-based food and cooking as the foundation for personal and planetary wellbeing. Through catering, retreats, and courses, I help people to get cooking with plants, connect with seasonal rhythms, and explore the healing power of food. My own health journey taught me that wellness is never one-size-fits-all and that real nourishment goes far beyond calories or trends. This is what led me to Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is the world’s oldest healing system, originating in India over 5,000 years ago. It offers a deeply personalised and holistic approach to health, using food, lifestyle, and herbal wisdom to balance the body and mind. While not strictly vegetarian, Ayurvedic nutrition naturally emphasises seasonal, whole, plant-focused meals – a philosophy that aligns with my ethos at The Mindful Kitchen.
Living Ayurveda in Kerala
Kerala, as the birthplace of Ayurveda, was the perfect place to immerse myself and dive deeper into this ancient wisdom. I spent four transformative weeks at a school and hospital near Kannur, learning how to cook traditional Ayurvedic food alongside Asha, one of the school’s cooks. It was an absolute joy to spend time with Asha in the kitchen learning about different spices, pulses, vegetables, and cooking methods, and how to use food to balance the body’s three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Every day, I was inspired and nourished with healing meals made from simple, local ingredients. I received traditional treatments like Abhyanga (therapeutic oil massage) and Shirodhara (a calming stream of warm oil poured onto the forehead), which were deeply grounding and restorative.
Through hands-on classes, I learned to prepare dosha-balancing recipes, make traditional spice mixes to support digestion, create home remedies and tonics and balance meals using the Six Tastes (Rasas). It was such a fantastic immersive experience that gave me so many tools to deepen my own wellbeing, as well as plenty of inspiration to evolve The Mindful Kitchen.
A personal journey
Alongside my learnings in the kitchen, my journey to Kerala was a reminder to live with presence and curiosity. The kindness of the people, the spiritual richness of the culture, and the vibrant simplicity of everyday life continues to influence me and my work every day.
Ayurveda at The Mindful Kitchen
Ayurveda is now a fundamental part of what I teach through The Mindful Kitchen - I am keen to share offerings that are grounded in ancient wisdom but adapted to modern life, helping others to feel more balanced, energised, and connected to nature.
You can learn more through my seasonal cleanses and workshops or by having a personalised Ayurveda health consultation. My retreat catering menus are always led by Ayurvedic principles and we also learn how to apply these principles on the Retreat Chef Training Programme. Whether you’re an aspiring chef, want to improve your overall wellbeing, or want to learn how to cook healthy food, I’d love to support your journey.
