MONTHLY MEETUPS
May 2026: Labour across
Cities and Towns
A snapshot into nine meetups across different cities.
In the second month of our quarterly theme (April to June 2026), “The Labour Behind Your Food,” we followed food as it moved through cities—thinking about markets, transport networks, and delivery workers. To share personal reflections and discuss learnings, Local Food Club (LFC) members came together across nine cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Thiruvananthapuram. Within a two-hour meetup at each venue, we covered a lot of ground!
- We explored how food is made accessible across urban India—through e-commerce platforms, for instance.
- We reflected on how quickly food reaches us, often within 10 to 15 minutes of placing an order, and how invisible the logistics behind that convenience can become.
- We paid attention to the labour that brings us food—not just who grows it, but who carries, packs, sorts, delivers, and keeps it moving through cities every day.
- We had a potluck, many prompts and activities, which sparked introspection and conversation around the theme.
- The potluck was inspired by conversations around heat and the people whose labour keeps food moving through cities daily. We shared several seasonal and regional beverages, and easy-to-eat dishes—associated with working, travelling, or long commutes in the heat.
- A Bingo card, filled by each member, made them examine their own habits, expectations, and relationship with convenience culture.
City-Wise Recap
Browse past gatherings city by city, and see how the LFC came alive in different parts of the country.
Ahmedabad
Where We Met | Popular among the city’s youngsters, House of Hobos is a cafe with cosy indoor and outdoor seating.
“It was really a great meeting. We had discussions on the labour behind our food, and did multiple activities surrounding it. I understood the deep behind-the-scenes and became more conscious of how food reaches our plate. The overall experience was refreshing, filled with learning and deliciousness.”
HENIL
Bengaluru
Where We Met | Pure & Sure Organic Cafe is an eatery and storefront by Phalada, an Indian organic food brand. They aim to build a fair and honest supply chain—one that nurtures small farmers and the environment.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the event. It was an opportunity to meet people with diverse backgrounds and a common interest in food. I tasted some Kerala dishes I didn’t know of. It was a chance to try new dishes across cuisines, which has helped me improve my culinary knowledge. It was a pleasure to be part of it.”
Hema
Hyderabad
Where We Met | The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a specialty Italian restaurant located in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Bengaluru.
“It was my first time [at an LFC meetup], and a very enlightening experience. A lot of things about the work of delivery personnel came up in the Bingo round, and [I got] a lot of clarity. I really enjoyed the food too—so diverse and yummy.”
Akriti
Kochi
Where We Met | A cosy bakery known for its French toasts and indulgent baked goods, French Toast offers a warm, inviting space that is perfect for relaxed meetups.
“We discussed the food ordering and delivery experience in Kochi. The Bingo activity highlighted how all of us might be highly reliant on delivery labour in our day-to-day lives for convenience or quick fixes. Previously, in two ‘Beyond the Plate’ virtual meets, we listened to various lived experiences of the delivery experience. The air [at the LFC meetup] was infectious, leaving us with a sense of wanting to come back.”
Nithin Samuel (Super Locavore)
Kolkata
Where We Met | Uncle Tomz offers a unique menu spotlighting the rich flavours and traditional dishes reminiscent of Kerala's Malabar region.
“The meetup made me introspect about the many aspects of my daily habit of ordering online, coming from a place of privilege and not thinking about the person delivering. I used to think that since the platform is charging me more for wanting something during the rain or during festivals, it’s okay, but I never thought about how the delivery person gets affected by the choices I’m making.”
Promita
New Delhi
Where We Met | A lively, vibrant microbrewery located in Hauz Khas Village, Fort City Brewing is known for its inventive craft beers.
“This was my second LFC meetup and I really enjoyed it.I feel attendance needs to be looked at—very few people showed up despite more signups. The watermelon salad brought by another participant was fabulous. I have also started adding a higher tip for riders who have to deliver food in extremely hot weather.”
Mayank
Lucknow
Where We Met | Serving homestyle Awadhi food, Naimat Khana is perfect for anyone looking to savour tradition in a comfortable, inviting atmosphere.
“The meetup made me realise that local matters. I especially liked the dahi chicken Abhijeet made. He said he usually gets chicken from a local butcher, but this time he got frozen chicken from a food delivery app, and the dish came together in 20 minutes— all thanks to the delivery people.”
Manjari
Thiruvananthapuram
Where We Met | Located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram, Lemon Tree Premier hosts events that bring traditional flavours and curated experiences together.
Mumbai
Where We Met | A multi-purpose cultural space that hosts a library, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops, Khaki Lab aims to conserve, archive, and create awareness about heritage in Mumbai and beyond.
Behind every Local Food Club (LFC) gathering are people quietly making it all happen—our Super Locavores (SLs)! They are our generous stewards behind the LFC community keeping it together with care, intention, and several behind-the-scenes efforts.
We would like to thank the SLs for making the meetups meaningful and memorable for the community. From coordinating the logistics to creating a space where attendees feel at ease, SLs bring every meetup to life.
The Local Food Club (LFC) is a nation-wide, community-led initiative facilitated by The Locavore. Our attempt is to create meaningful change in our local food systems by nurturing connections, sharing learnings, and enabling collective action. Learn more about how it works, here. To be a part of more such events and conversations, sign up to join the Local Food Club!
We would love to hear from you. Share your feedback, leave a testimonial, and tell us what more we could be doing to make the Local Food Club better! Write to us at connect@localfoodclub.in
