Auckland played host to a celebration of culinary heritage and healthy eating last weekend, as 18 women came together to showcase the power of millet — India’s super grain.
Anjali Behera was crowned Madam Shef 2025, with Shweta Jaisawal finishing as runner-up and Diksha Arora securing third place in the cooking competition.
Organised by the Wahine Charitable Trust and hosted by the Consulate General of India, the event — Culinary Chronicles: Madam Shef’s Millet Magic — highlighted millet’s nutritional value while promoting women’s wellness.
Guests at India House enjoyed innovative recipes, live demonstrations, and a cultural exchange through food.
“At the heart of the celebration was the table of unity, featuring dishes from seven Indian states,” Mallika Janakiraman, founder of the Wahine Charitable Trust, told RNZ.
“It represented 25 per cent of India’s regional diversity and celebrated the glory of its culinary heritage.”
The spread included cuisines from Bihar, Karnataka, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Janakiraman said the event was designed to weave together tradition, wellness, and women’s wisdom passed through generations. She also emphasised millet’s potential for New Zealand households:
“Millets are wholesome foods, nutritionally superb, and not only nutrient-rich but also nutrient-dense. They are gluten-free, diabetic-friendly and, most importantly, affordable.”
Buoyed by the success of this inaugural competition, Janakiraman confirmed that organisers are already planning to make it an annual fixture.
“We wanted to bring everyone together and showcase India’s rich culinary traditions — the whole tapestry.”
Known in India as Shree Anna, millet has been making a comeback globally. India declared 2018 the National Year of Millet, and the United Nations followed with the International Year of Millet in 2023. With production hitting 18 million tonnes in the year to July 2025, India remains the world’s largest producer.
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