This Chef Combines Zero-waste Cooking With Indigenous Flavours To Honour Meghalaya's Forgotten Foods

“I knew in that moment this was more than cooking—it was storytelling.” Those were Ahmedaki Laloo’s words as she recalled watching guests at her first sit-down experience close their eyes and smile in quiet wonder. More than just a chef, Laloo founded A’Origins to share the soul of Meghalayan cuisine with every plate.A’Origins is culinary venture devoted to elevating the heritage of Meghalayan cuisine. Formally trained at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, she combines four years of the city-slick restaurant experience with the agrarian wisdom of her indigenous roots in Meghalaya. It was a “gradual realisation,” she says, that food—not literature, her undergraduate pursuit—would become her lifelong calling.Moment of Truth for Chef Ahmedaki LalooIt wasn’t in a five-star banquet hall, but right here in her own kitchen that Laloo understood the true power of her vision.“As guests tasted our dishes,” she remembers, “some closed their eyes, others let out those involuntary, joyful noises we all make when something truly hits the soul.”The flavours weren’t exotic or ostentatious; they were the simple gifts of her childhood fields—smoked meat, foraged mushrooms, heirloom rice—reimagined with care and story. That day, A’Origins ceased to be just a food brand and became a vessel for memories, a reconnection to home.“What we created that day was more than just food. It was a reconnection to childhood, a blast of flavour that unlocked nostalgia. That moment made us realise that what we serve isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience in every mouthful,” she adds.A’Origins: Balancing Tradition and CreativityAt the heart of A’Origins lies a delicate blend between heritage and reinvention. Laloo sources Lakadong turmeric, Bayleaf, and giant cardamom straight from Ri Bhoi’s mist-clad farms; and forages wild mushrooms deep in the Jaintia foothills. Then, with precision, she weaves them into plates like Sung Layers—a towering celebration of Sung Rice Valley’s heirloom rice, layered with hand-picked mushrooms to evoke both the earth’s bounty and its fragility.Signature dishes like Smoked Dumplings—wrapped in mustard leaves rather than dough and filled with locally smoked meat—and Ga’Shews, a cashew-butter creation inspired by the Garo Hills, pay tribute to ancestral techniques while surprising the palate.“Each plate is intentional,” Laloo explains. “We’re not conforming to gourmet norms. Every plate is a bridge between where we come from and where we can go," she explains.The result is food that feels both timeless and startlingly new—a tribute to ancestors and an invitation to future generations.Partnerships in the WildBehind every A’Origins sit-down are the unsung heroes of Meghalaya’s grassroots: farmers who rise with dawn to gather turmeric so golden it seems to hum, and foragers who brave monsoon-slick trails in search of fragrant leaves and mushrooms.Laloo recounts entering the forest alongside these partners, their stories tangled with vines and roots. “They’re pillars of every special menu,” she says. “On busy days, they’ll even help with logistics—such is the trust and respect we’ve built.”This network extends beyond ingredients to techniques. Recipes like Dkha Rang and the Pnar community’s smoked-bamboo fish, have been resurrected under A’Origins’ banner, paying homage to indigenous cuisines while reinterpreting time-honoured practices for modern palates.Sustainability as Second Nature“By Mother Earth, for Mother Earth,” reads the A’Origins ethos etched in Laloo's mind. Here, sustainability isn’t a buzzword—it’s woven into every decision. From zero-waste events to menus that are planned to precise guest counts, everything gives back to the nature.At A’Origins, organic waste becomes compost for kitchen gardens; black clay crockery, bamboo utensils, and leaf plates replace disposables; greywater irrigates herb beds; and energy-efficient stoves replace charcoal hearths. The venture embodies the idea that sustainability is not just about giving back to the nature, it’s also about preserving the food. Here many ingredients are preserved naturally, reducing the need for refrigeration. “Every dish, every setting carries a message,” Laloo says. “We want guests to leave not just full, but inspired to protect and celebrate the land.”Signature Stories on a PlateSome offerings stand out as emblematic of A’Origins’ spirit: Smoked Dumplings wrapped in fresh mustard leaves instead of gluten-heavy dough, a nod to the chow of local kitchens; and doh thad (smoked meat) fused with fiery Tyrso leaf. Ga’Shews, a tribute to the Garo Hills’ famed cashew, combines housemade cashew butter with dustings of sundried foraged greens.It’s a bridge between the region’s wild abundance and refined technique. Each bite is a chapter in Meghalaya’s larger culinary narrative—one that Laloo is determined to share far beyond her kitchen walls.In 2024 alone, A’Origins has done pop-ups from Masque in Mumbai (ranked India’s best restaurant) to private dinners for visiting dignitaries. Each event reinforces the universal appeal of her ingredient-driven storytelling.In the next five years, Laloo envisions A’Origins as more than a series of sit-downs—they’ll be immersive “experience clusters” across Meghalaya’s varied landscapes, each highlighting a unique terroir.She dreams of retail products—sun-dried preserves, spice blends, pressed oils—that carry the soul of Shillong to kitchens worldwide. But even as the brand grows, the mission remains steadfast: food as emotion, memory, and responsibility.“When someone tastes A’Origins for the first time,” Laloo reflects, “I want them to feel that food is more than just nourishment—it’s a thread that connects us to the land, to each other, and to those who came before.”Cultural And Immersive Travel In India Is Booming—And This Man Is Leading The Way