LAVANYA VARMA
Food for Thought: The Architecture of Food
Portrait courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Architecture PhD Student (Architecture history, theory and criticism) at University of Cincinnati
Graduate Teaching Assistant at University of Cincinnati
Lavanya Varma is an architect and a certified historic preservationist based at University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). Currently she is a 5th year Architecture PhD student and works as a Graduate Assistant at UC. Her focus is on postcolonial theory, identity theory, architectural history and sustainable historic preservation. Varma is also a part of Modernnati, an initiative to archive and preserve Cincinnati’s Mid-20th Century Modern architecture. She received her M. Arch in Environmental Design from University of Nottingham and has worked on a variety of multidisciplinary projects in London, Dubai, India and the United States.
Modernnati Team with Elizabeth Garber, daughter of Architect Woodie Garber – from left to right: Dr. Partrick Snadon, Elizabeth Meyer, Elizabeth Garber, Lavanya Varma. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Modernnati preservation work-station at University of Cincinnati DAAP library. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Inspiration
What inspired you to pursue cooking? How did you get into it?
Watching my parents cook and enjoying each other’s food is what actually got me into cooking. My mom used to make all kinds of global cuisines and that definitely had an impact on me as a child. There was this innate curiosity ingrained in me that wanted me to taste, smell and feel the textures of different food that I eat. The first dish I ever made was spicy noodles when I was in the fourth grade. Mom was very supportive when I expressed this interest to attempt cooking something by myself and she assisted me when I was trying to recreate what I saw on a tv ad. Elegant plating and colorful presentation fascinated me even as a child; whether it was a Gordon Ramsey dish or a simple ramen bowl from an anime. Once I was old enough to use the kitchen tools and knives, I used to experiment with few pantry staples and snacks. My younger brother is my biggest cheerleader. He used to watch and assist me like a mini sous chef and that really encouraged me to keep going.
I also have a flair for figuring out ingredients when I take a bite or even by looking at a particular dish, which I definitely inherited from my mom. This curiosity is what drove me to recreate some copycat recipes of famous restaurants or cafes. As a PhD student, I don’t have the time to eat out from fancy places whenever I wanted to, so recreating those dishes in a pocket-friendly manner was a huge bonus! I believe that every food related memory you have, has a story to tell and I hope to create new stories every day.
Samosa channa chat: A childhood favorite. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Mango ice cream, inspired by the Kerala monsoon. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
One pot Spaghetii. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
La’s Loaded Avocado Toast. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Time Management
Cook with Foxy Architect is your IG page for “quick-fixes, recipes & colorful home cooked food” - How did you manage to maintain your time especially as a PhD student studying architecture?
For a PhD student who’s working part-time and also involved in several campus affairs, various committees, organizations and student government, cooking is the indeed the ideal stressbuster! Grad life can be very stressful and time management is a skill we have to develop to find the right balance between work, social life and our well-being. Efficiency is crucial, so I think of the best way to reduce the time I spend in the kitchen. The right tool can go a long way and save a lot of time - like one-pot recipes. My friends always ask me how I manage to cook different meals while being in grad school, for which I have the simplest of answer – multitasking! I catch up on my tv shows or documentaries while cooking, which makes any uninteresting aspect of cooking like cutting veggies or cleaning, more colorful.
Meal prepping can be really useful to a graduate student who have a strenuous work schedule. I do some meal prepping on Sundays if I have a hectic week ahead and that way, I can just grab a lunch box from the fridge as I leave for school.
Ideas
Your recipes are so colorful and nutritious! Since architecture at times can be stressful - were you inspired to share dishes that help feed both our body and mind?
When you spend the whole day taking classes, working and research, your brain needs a little time to recharge. For me, cooking is therapeutic. As professionals, we are always going to be busy until we retire and having restaurant/cafe food regularly is going to take a toll on our body over time. The best perk of cooking at home is the ability to customize any recipe as we desire. I love desserts but most of the store brought ones have very high sugar content. When I make them at home, I can substitute sugar with stevia, honey, or even jaggery! Same goes for deep fried food; I use my oven or air-fryer to get similar results without compromising the taste! I have a small collection of colorful superfoods (like Blue Spirulina, Matcha, Pitaya, Butterfly pea etc.) that I try to sneak into my dishes to make them more colorful and nutritious. Garnishing with microgreens is another fine touch for a pop of color. We don’t always have to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy a well-plated meal!
A good healthy homecooked meal doesn’t have to be seen as a time-consuming chore. Most of the dishes I make are done in between 10 - 20 mins. It was my friends and followers who convinced me to start my cooking page. I used to post the quick-fix photos/videos as stories on my Instagram account, which was only visible for 24 hours. Now I’m able to add recipes and engage with them much efficiently. I feel very elated when my friends send me photos of the food they made with my recipes!
Rainbow Summer rolls with Peanut satay sauce. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Mini bread loaf for one, with purple potato powder. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Opera Creme Torte. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Resources
What are resources (tools, influence, mediums) that you use?
I’m a professional photographer and I have done several commissioned works over the years. Hence, I have some good photography gear – a Nikon DSLR camera, tripod, few lenses, diffused flash lighting, DIY background panels, servewares, household fabric and LOTS of houseplants. I incorporate my plants into most of the presentation photos I take. I try to channel natural lighting as much as I can. I do very minimal touchups (mostly light and shadows) on Adobe lightroom and I use Photoshop and Adobe Spark to make the recipe templates. Authenticity is a virtue that I follow, so I don’t go overboard with editing.
Want to #Cook? Follow These Steps!
Can you show us a quick visual guide to one of your recipes?
This is one of my go to recipes! Its healthy, vegan and super easy to make!
How to make a healthy Tofu Bánh mì. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Step by step photos of Tofu Bánh mì. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Instant pot Chole (chickpea curry). Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Healthy Spinach Basil Pesto ravioli. Image courtesy of Lavanya Varma.
Tools
What are the bases to start cooking? How do you get creative? What are your must haves in the kitchen?
Since I experiment with various cuisines, my ‘must-have’ list is quite eclectic!
Some of my favs are:
Spice powders – turmeric, chili, cumin, pepper, coriander, garam masala, cinnamon, garlic & onion powders
Dried leaves – basil, parsley, thyme, bay leaves
Oils – olive, coconut, avocado, vegetable
Noodles (Udon/soba/authentic ramen), Pasta (spaghetti/penne/orzo), Rice (basmati, sushi)
All-purpose flour, whole wheat flour
Canned crushed tomatoes
Broth or stock (powdered/canned)
Fried Chili paste
Soy sauce
Brown sugar, honey
Baking powder, baking soda, yeast
And always have some FRESH garlic! It is a must-have for all cuisines!
I get creative with dishes all the time! I love improvising left-over food, and that way I get to enjoy the meal without feeling of receptiveness. One of the recent dishes I made was Paneer butter masala and incorporated that as a filling for my pot pie!
I use cast iron pans and silicon spatulas, for most of my cooking. I only use ceramic, glass or porcelain dishes as serveware and mason jars and glass boxes to store food. I make my own pasta sauces, jellies, etc. and store them in the fridge as use as needed.
A tip to the busy students and worker bees – invest in an Instant pot! It can save a lot of time & energy, its suitable for all cuisines and there are a ton of quick-fixes you can try out without any hassle.
In terms of rising concerns and problems (in the architectural profession) over the past year, what is one change that you wish would happen and it did not?
The current structure of architecture pedagogy is significantly Eurocentric and it needs to evolve. I wish I get to see more cross-cultural perspectives without naturalizing their differences.
