I’m in Fort Kochi for four days. I promise myself I won’t turn this into a work trip. I am not going to go looking for stories. Absolutely none. 

But the thing with stories is, if they’ve got your name on it, they’ll find you. And that’s how I met Armaan Essa (21). Suddenly, on a swelteringly hot March afternoon, I find myself sitting by the sea (on a table intended for 12 people) eating a pudding that Armaan has made using cacao husk served in a bowl made out of coconut shell. 

And as I eat (read: feast), Armaan tells me about the thought that inspired the dessert. 

Coffee and cacao do not begin as commodities, he reasons. “They become valuable through repeated removal of pulp, fat, labour, and time. Long before they reach the table, both pass through systems that prioritise efficiency and yield, often stripping away context and visibility of work.” 

By using cacao husk in the dessert, Armaan wants to draw guests’ attention back to the labour that’s gone into the ingredients. 

When Armaan finishes his tale, many things strike me at once. One, it’s refreshing to hear someone fresh out of college think with such depth. Two, I have just had the best dessert ever. Three, I know I said I won’t go looking for stories, but this is one I can’t resist. And so, I get my recorder out and ask Armaan to tell me more.  

‘Khojj’: Shaped by the tideline of Kochi 

One of Armaan’s guests, Johann Binny Kuruvilla, a storyteller and the founder of The Kochi Heritage Project, a cultural initiative dedicated to documenting and celebrating Kochi’s rich history, is all praises for this young chef. He says the beautiful part about Armaan’s food is that the experience transcends gastronomy and integrates storytelling into the food. 

Known as ‘Tideline’, the feast that Armaan serves comprises eight dishes. 

As Armaan........

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