Culture Curry: Explore the kitchen of a seasoned traveller


So, you’re a globetrotter who loves collecting souvenirs, only to keep them locked up in a glass cabinet or at the back of your wardrobe. To conquer your fear of mixing cultural treasures with your existing decor, look to the kitchen of Christine and Aman Rai’s home in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh – it’s filled with souvenirs paired perfectly with local finds.

Think beyond the box. So what if the sole purpose of a metal bucket you found in South East Asia is to hold water. Throw away the instruction manual and try using it to store kitchen utilities instead. Use hollow containers you picked up at your last flea market run to hold spoons and forks.

Like the Rais, decorate your cookroom with ethnic finds like an antique rack from Jodhpur, brass church candle stands from Kerala, a Kashmir copper teapot and cane baskets from Bali. Mix metals, materials and finishes to achieve an Eastern vintage vibe.