For Eeshan Kashyap, his studio is a playground to unlearn

Chef, food stylist, food and beverage curator, product designer, photographer... It’s difficult to find one title to describe all that Eeshan Kashyap does. A multi-hyphenate creative mind, Kashyap is the co-founder of the eponymous Eeshaan Kashyap & Co in Delhi and has earned a reputation for his outré, maximalist work that spans food styling, restaurant consultancy, experience curation and tablescaping. 

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A chef by education—he’s a graduate of the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development—Kashyap and chef Ritu Dalmia did the “buffetscaping” for the Ambani pre-wedding celebrations at Vantara in Jamnagar, and he has created food installations for the Delhi Contemporary Art Week at Bikaner House in Delhi in 2024. “I look at food as a medium for design. My attempt is to make every day more beautiful or unusual, and I work with mixed materials to narrate stories around my table,” he says before citing some of the creations he has conjured up with help from his team: “A sugar chandelier, sculptures made from chocolate, popcorn jewellery, tablecloth made with leftover bread stitched with a rice thread and even making lobsters dance on the table, these are some of the things we have recently tried at the studio.” The table, it appears, is his canvas and food the muse.  

In this interview with Lounge he talks about his studio that serves as his “playground”. Edited excerpts: 

Describe your current workspace to us.

My studio is tucked away in the greenest patch of (Delhi’s) Nizamuddin East, right behind the monument Abdul Rahil Khan-e-Khanan and adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb. It’s an old bungalow surrounded by bougainvillea and trees. As you come inside, you are surprised by the colours, textures and materials at display. I wanted every room of the studio to have a personality. This is my playground where all the magic happens. My little kitchen with glittered green walls and a chandelier is a perfect place to experiment with food, cocktails or even a small party of 40. I feel at home in the studio and it allows me the space to think, unlearn and try new things. 

How would you define your daily relationship with this space?

I start my day at the studio with an espresso. It’s a ritual that I like—I change my cups, vessels, bowls or even “blate” (a portmanteau of bowl and plate) weekly to see how different pieces feel. I keep moving things around, I change them and use them interestingly. This allows me to think or sometimes edit the process of design. I try to cook something weekly where food becomes an ingredient of design and allows me to think of brave flavour profiles. 

What do the walls of your workspace look like?

The studio walls are colourful and act as a canvas for me to style products that we make. I love putting tags, printouts and images around me. It almost feels special to look at design every day and the process of making it better comes naturally. 

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What are some things that will always be found in your workspace?

Sharpened pencils, espresso, chocolates, gin, bitters and fresh flowers.

When stuck for an idea, where do you look for inspiration? 

Books, documentaries, old magazines, photographs, sometimes, even long walks.

Do memories or sights from your travels translate into your work?

A lot. My travels are always around food, architecture, art and museums. Between flavours and serious art—I find a balance and my own point of view. As long as it’s relatable and makes me happy. While working, I always make a note of one thing: is this design amazing? Is this making me happy? If the answer is no, then we keep working on it. This process helps create a unique quality of design and work. Inspiration is layered somewhere in this process also. 

When it comes to doing up your own place, what do you splurge on?

Good ingredients, fresh flowers and textiles. I try to use a lot of old textiles on the table. Why not? I use an old patan patola sari as a tablecloth—not to eat on but as a drape. I use a lot of ceramics. I lay the table and use the pieces based on who is coming and what they like. For a more experimental guest list, I have even used rocks and rice grains on the table to replicate the image of a river flowing through the rocks. To symbolise friendship that has been flowing and rock solid. For a fun party with burgers, fries and cola, I used the most extravagant set up. The idea of eating burgers and fries in candle light is romantic and comforting. 

Your advice to someone who wants to set up a beautiful table for a party...

Keep it personal. It’s your table, own it. Forget the editorial mood boards. Gone are the days of elaborate, fussy tables. Make it stand out with fresh flowers, twigs, rocks. Use mixed materials, it’s a good conversation starter. Use food as elements of décor that can be eaten the next day—like heaps of grapes, carrots or leeks in a vase. Use of edible décor is a trend... and a good one. If you want to stand out use tall dinner candles—they make even breakfast glamorous. Use elevations. It adds movement and visual appeal to the table. Use colour in the form of tablecloths. It’s the easiest and adds instant pop on the table. Personalise the table with name tags, letters, poetry or even photographs for a special occasion. And remember to enjoy. 

Creative Corner is a series about writers, artists, musicians, founders and their relationships with their workspaces.

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