WHAT IS ACE?
ACE is a Culinary Experiences, Documentation & Media Initiative built on three interconnected pillars: Hands-on Culinary Experiences, Culinary Knowledge Projects, and Creative Documentation through photography, illustration, film and writing. Rooted in Auroville, we are dedicated to the sensory preservation of Indian heritage through authentic storytelling and rigorous research.
ACE KNOWLEDGE PROJECTS
Our ongoing long-term explorations include: The Biryani Project, The Banana Project, The Coconut Project, The Jackfruit Project, The Mango Project, and The Rice Project.
Three Interconnected Pillars
ACE is built on a foundation that merges action with inquiry. We believe that to truly understand culinary heritage, one must engage with it through three distinct yet overlapping paths: physical experimentation, intellectual research, and creative storytelling.
Hands-on Culinary Experiences
Culinary Knowledge Projects
Creative Documentation
The core of our work lives in the kitchen—a space for direct engagement with ingredients and traditional techniques.
Our research-driven explorations delve into specific botanical and cultural histories. These form the basis of our Knowledge Projects.
We translate culinary logic into lasting media through photography, illustration, film, and writing.
Culinary Knowledge Projects
Our Knowledge Projects are long-term explorations into the cultural and botanical diversity of Indian ingredients. These ongoing studies document the depth and variation of regional staples through rigorous research and creative documentation.
THE BIRYANI PROJECT
A detailed exploration of regional biryani variations, documenting the layered histories and complex spice structures of this iconic dish.
THE JACKFRUIT PROJECT
A deep dive into the resilient jackfruit, documenting its diverse culinary applications and cultural significance in rural landscapes.
THE BANANA PROJECT
Mapping the versatility of the banana plant in Indian heritage, from the architecture of its leaves to its role as a nutrient-dense staple.
THE MANGO PROJECT
Documenting the ephemeral beauty of the mango season, recording regional varieties and the sensory rituals of preservation.
THE COCONUT PROJECT
Tracking the coconut's journey through coastal traditions and its foundational role in the culinary logic of the South.
THE RICE PROJECT
Tracing heritage rice varieties from the red soil of the fields to the hearth, documenting the stories of seed guardians.
The Living Narrative
Media & Storytelling
Through recipe films and editorial documentation, we translate the silent knowledge of the kitchen into a global narrative. Our media initiative is about creating a grounded, authentic record of how people, place, and tradition intersect at the table.
Integrating long term Agricluture Practices evolved at Auroville
Our Knowledge Projects are long-term explorations into the cultural and botanical diversity of Indian ingredients. These ongoing studies document the depth and variation of regional staples through rigorous research and creative documentation.
THE FUTURE OF TRADITION
As we look forward, ACE remains committed to being a living archive—a grounded, authentic space where culinary heritage is not just preserved, but experienced and documented for generations to come. Our journey continues through the landscapes of food, place, and people.