THE TERM “FUSION,” as it relates to the culinary arts, is often misinterpreted, says Chef Ashok Nageshwaran. For the India-born Nageshwaran, fusion calls for far more than simply throwing together a meal inspired by diverse cultures.
“There has to be a bit of science in there,” he says. “You have to understand the history of [the dishes]. What are the similarities? What flavors go together?”
Through his catering and events company, Food Raconteur, Nageshwaran and his team create one-of-a-kind dining experiences for groups of all sizes. Each dish is a thoughtful marriage of cultural cuisines.
“It’s not one-menu-fits-all. We try to understand the profile of the host and the guests,” says Nageshwaran. “Are they global travelers, or locals who don’t want too much adventure? Will it be too spicy? ”
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Cut from the Same Cloth
“Turkey Tracks” is a 19th-century quiltmaking pattern that has the appearance of little wandering feet. Patterns like the tracks, and their traditions and myths, have been passed down through the generations, from their frontier beginnings to today, where a generation of makers has embraced the material as a means of creating something new. Olivia Jondle is one such designer. Here, she’s taken an early turkey track-pattern quilt, cut it into various shapes, and stitched the pieces together, adding calico and other fabric remnants as needed. The result is a trench coat she calls the Pale Calico Coat. Her designs are for sale at The Rusty Bolt, Jondle’s small-batch fashion company based in St. Louis. —SAMANTHA STEVENSON
Color Block
A background in sculpture trained artist Aly Ytterberg to see objects more fully.
A Modern Story
How a little log cabin went from being a home to a guest house
IN GOOD TIME
With the help of interior designer Robert Idol, a Kirkwood couple creates a home that pays homage to the past, yet feels just right for their modern young family.
Let's Dish
"Food Raconteur” Ashok Nageshwaran wants to tell you a story.
The Right Move
New shops and showrooms bring exciting opportunities for local designers, makers, and arts organizations to sell their wares to home enthusiasts here and everywhere.
Green Dreams
Painter and gardener Lauren Knight branches out.
Cultivating Kokedama
Chris Mower of White Stable Farms discovered the Japanese style of gardening in Italy. Now, he’s bringing it to St. Louis.
Graphic Mood
Letters, icons, and illustrations that speak in a hand-drawn language
AUDRA's New Digs
Audra Noyes, of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund Incubator’s first class, opens an atelier in Ladue.
A Reporter at Large: Second Nature
How rewilders in India are working to reverse environmental destruction.
PATHS HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW
If you've ever seen a makeshift dirt path connecting two sidewalks, that's a \"desire path,\" also known as a desire line or game trail.
After Affirmative Action
The Supreme Court is expected to rule racial preferences in college admissions are unconstitutional. How will that change american schools and society?
INCREDIBLE INDIA
FIRST TRIP TO INDIA NEW DELHI
The Holi Festival
The Holi Festival of Colors in India is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, the destruction of the demoness Holika.
The New Asian America
It wasn't always this way. We were not so often the headline. Our elders' safety was not a cause célèbre. We weren't even sure that we were a "we"-can so many people with so little in common say that? Still, there were a few shared things. Cooking ingredients, tropes we were sick of. And when the attacks first started in early 2020, we found we shared another: a terrible feeling of dread.
Gajan Festival India
This photo project is based on the theme "People & Culture" of India.
India Chops Away At Internet Freedom
Modi’s campaign against fake news and security threats is cutting off political opposition online
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
A chip off the old block
A HIGHER CALIBER
With Over 20 Years as a USMC Sniper and Police Officer in Los Angeles, Victor Lopez is in His Element Educating Others to Be More Effective in Austere Environments