Tea with Tooting Mama discovering heritage and culture through Sri Lankan food
Join Ranji Thangiah, also known as Tooting Mama, as she sits down with chefs, cookbook authors, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and food entrepreneurs to explore Sri Lankan cuisine. In each episode, guests share personal stories, food memories, and their favorite Sri Lankan dishes. Expect laughter, life lessons, and even heartbreak, as they reflect on identity, family, and rediscovering their roots. Whether you’re after insights into authentic Sri Lankan recipes, connecting with the vibrant Sri Lankan food culture, or hunting for the best Sri Lankan food spots, Tea with Tooting Mama is your perfect podcast companion. tootingmama.substack.com
Heritage On A Plate: Jack Lury, On Reimagining Sri Lankan Cuisine
Finding Authenticity: Jack Lury’s Culinary Journey from Pop-Ups to Lury, Hastings
In this episode, Tea with Tooting Mama, I’m sitting down with Jack Lury, founder and chef of Lury in Hastings, to explore the intersections of Sri Lankan, Dutch, Portuguese, and British culinary heritage.
Jack shares his journey from pop-ups in London to opening his own restaurant on the South Coast, and how his unique background shapes his approach to food.
I had spotted Jack on Instagram and I was curious about his food. I had been meaning to go to one o...
Baobab: How Jollof Rice and Biryani are building a new Sri Lankan-West African fusion lifestyle brand
Baobab: How Jollof Rice and Biryani are building a new Sri Lankan-West African fusion lifestyle brand
Zaynab Zubair, or Zee, grew up in the foothills of Kandy in Sri Lanka, which prepared her for life in Devon, by way of Bahrain and Australia.
This global childhood has left its mark on Zee's life and its found its way into her relationship, her family, the book she's writing, and Baobab, the brand she's launching with her Gambian husband.
I talked to Zee about her soon-to-be-published novel, Finding Serendipity, which was started during lockdown. The n...
From cancer survivor to MasterChef (and more!)
In this episode of Tea with Tooting Mama, I’m talking to Laura Hicks about her remarkable life story, starting at age 17 with her battle against a rare form of bone cancer. She discusses how her illness led to a deep passion for cooking, taking part in MasterChef.
Laura is a dual heritage British Sri Lankan. We talk about how this affected her growing up, how she brought Sri Lankan food to Masterchef, and how this experience led her to a career in food and reconnecting with her Sri Lankan Dutch Burgher heritage. Laura has done a lot...
The Friday Sari Project: Mehala Ford on Fashion, Heritage & the Future of Ethical Style
In this episode of Tea with Tooting Mama, I welcome Mehala Ford, the founder of the Friday Sari Project.
We talk about how we first met at Mehala's unique concept store in Dulwich, which showcased innovative clothing and jewellery from contemporary designers in India and Sri Lanka.
Mehala shares her journey of rediscovering her Sri Lankan heritage, which inspired her to create the Friday Sari Project, a platform dedicated to promoting contemporary South Asian fashion and culture.
We dive into topics such as the significance of Tropical Modernism in Sri Lankan...
From Refugee to Socially Conscious Entrepreneur
Our family gatherings with the small clutch of relatives we had in the U.K. would always happen on a Sunday.
That gave my parents enough time for a round trip to the Sri Lankan grocery store to stock up on curry leaves, and a big bunch of fresh coriander, a bundle of garlic and ginger, Maldive fish, and cheaper-than-the-supermarket vegetables.
And enough time for my mum to make the chicken curry, pork curry, aubergine curry, green beans, cabbage mallung, dhal, white rice, and yellow rice. And probably devilled potatoes.
Standard fare for a Sund...
A Decision That Changed Her Life Forever: Mahesha Rice's Incredible Story
In this episode, I talk to Mahesha Rice, a Reiki master and EFT practitioner, to unravel her incredible journey from a happy childhood in Sri Lanka to a new life in France.
At the age of six, Mahesha made a life-changing decision that led to her adoption by an aunt in France. She faced many challenges, including language barriers, cultural differences. Mahesha's story is a profound testament to resilience and determination.
Mahesa was incredibly brave opening up to me about her life story, and I really wanted to hold space for Mahesha as we talked abo...
Jayaflava: The cookbook with the rockstar recipes of Sri Lankan cuisine
In this podcast episode, I interview Tasha Marikkar about her new cookbook, Jayaflava, which dives into the rich and diverse world of Sri Lankan cuisine.
I loved talking to Tasha who shares her passion for Sri Lanka food, our legendary aunties of Sri Lankan cooking and the unique blend of heritage, ethnicity, and religion that is reflected in Sri Lankan food.
Tasha tells me how she selected 80 recipes out of 200, shares her favorite places to eat in Sri Lanka and the UK, discusses the cultural significance of dishes like ribbon cake and how F...
From Global Childhood to Sri Lankan Artisan Brands: Sarah Baldwin talks Travel, Culture, Food
Sarah Baldwin is the founder of Serendip
It’s a business inspired by Sarah’s love of travel, and a childhood spent living in several different countries including Sri Lanka.
The ethos of Sarah's business is to source artisan products that are handmade in Sri Lanka - and you’ll hear about the efforts Sarah goes to, to track down true artisan makers.
In our conversation we talk about the brands Sarah has sourced and how as a child she became accustomed to living in different cultures and getting used to different foods.
Sa...
Curry, Culture, and Connection: Krisha Puwanarajah’s story about MUVs ALL Day
In this South Asian Heritage Month edition of Tea with Tooting Mama, I’m talking to Krisha Puwanarajah, the co-founder of MUVs ALL DAY. Originally MUVs started out as curries delivered to customers in jars, then became a cult supper club. Krish is now on her journey to transform MUVs.
We discuss why Krish started a food business, how she used food and stories to connect people to her Sri Lankan culture and her heritage recipe.
We talk about how working in Sri Lankan food has freed her to be herself.
Grab...
Chutney, pickles and sambols: Tasting your way through Sri Lankan Culture
In this South Asian Heritage Month edition of Tea with Tooting Mama, I’m talking to Thana Sivasambu, the founder of Ruci Foods. You may remember Thana from a previous episode of Tea with Tooting Mama.
We discuss Thana's motivation for starting a food business, how she uses food to connect people to Sri Lankan culture and her heritage recipe. A recipe she loves and one she would want to pass on.
Free to be me is the theme for this year’s South Asian Heritage Month. We talk about how working in Sri Lankan food...
Sri Lankan hopper making kits and culinary mastery: Rosh Olivelle's Sri Lankan success story
South Asian Heritage Month seeks to raise the profile and help people understand the richness and diversity of South Asian culture in Britain today.
The 2024 celebrations focus on the theme, free to be me.
For this special edition of Tea with Tooting Mama I’m talking to the women behind the Sri Lankan Culture Collective: Rosh Olivelle, Thana Samasambu and Krish Puwanarajah.
It’s a platform to showcase modern Sri Lankan culture and identity in the UK.
You’re going to hear from Rosh Olivelle, the founder of Hop and Roll.
Ros...
Rebuilding Sri Lanka with chutneys, pickles and sambols
Shownotes
Ruci Foods
Paradise Soho
Rambutan
MUVS ALLDAY
Larry Jeyasekara
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You just got to start!
In this episode of Tea with Tooting Mama, I am joined by Dee Gibson, a highly sought-after British Sri Lankan interior designer.
We talked about a pivotal holiday in Sri Lanka that changed her life resulting in Dee becoming a hotelier through the creation of her boutique hotel, Kalukanda House, which has been featured in HIP Hotels and Conde Nast Traveller.
Kalulanda House is more than just a hotel. It has become the foundation to start a new conversation to shift the narrative of Sri Lanka.
Her new initiative, HERA Project X...
