Bright Ideas,
Insightful Angles,
Delicious Storytelling
Smitha Menon is a food and travel journalist in Mumbai and the creator and host of the Big Food Energy podcast. Smitha is South-east Asia’s only 50 Best Taste hunter for the World's 50 Best Restaurants, bars & hotels. Previously, she served as Culinary Editor at Condé Nast Traveller India, where she worked to establish the F&B vertical and launched acclaimed properties like India's Top Restaurant Awards. When she’s not reading and writing, she’s usually trying new restaurants around India and the world.
Have a look around to learn about the ways to work with Smitha.
About
Smitha Menon is a food and travel journalist and the creator and host of Big Food Energy, a podcast highlighting innovative food businesses across India and the world. Smitha is South-east Asia’s only 50 Best Taste hunter for the World's 50 Best Restaurants, bars & hotels and helps shine a light on food and hospitality culture from this part of the globe, to an international audience.
Smitha's work delves into food trends, businesses, and the fascinating connection between what we eat, culture, identity, and history. Her words and work have appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Eater, Vogue, GQ, CNN Travel, National Geographic Traveller UK, Tatler Asia, Forbes, Mint Lounge, NDTV, Bloomberg TV and several other publications.
Previously, she served as Culinary Editor at Condé Nast Traveller India, where she established the F&B vertical and launched acclaimed properties like India's Top Restaurant Awards, the title’s biggest IP, and shaped the publication's food content across print, digital, and social platforms.
Other previous lives? Smitha has anonymously reviewed more than 200 food establishments in Mumbai, and sampled thousands of sugary delights to curate a monthly dessert box during her time as the Mumbai Editor of the hyperlocal website, Brown Paper Bag. As a show producer and director at the lifestyle TV channel NDTV Good Times, she travelled across the globe to create lifestyle and fashion features. She began her career on the news desk at Bloomberg TV, where she learned to track market developments during a recession on live television. These experiences honed her journalistic skills and fuelled her curiosity about food, society and dining culture.
AS FEATURED ON
#BigFoodEnergy Podcast
The #BigFoodEnergy podcast spotlights some of the most exciting food businesses in India and around the world. Starring the best in the business, the podcast champions and channels the success stories of F&B coming out of and inspired by India, to build a larger narrative around India’s vibrant food culture and its evolution.
If you would like to collaborate or have inquiries related to any content or guests, or want to work with Smitha, feel free to reach out!
Get in touch: smitha@smithamenon.co
WORK WITH SMITHA
Need help on a new restaurant venture? Visiting India and need some expertise on a creative project, or want to commission Smitha for an editorial piece? There are many ways to work together.
WRITING & EDITING
Smitha's work delves into food trends, businesses, and the fascinating connection between what we eat, culture, identity, and history. Her words and work have appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Eater, Vogue, GQ, CNN Travel, National Geographic Traveller UK, Tatler Asia, Forbes, Mint Lounge, NDTV, Bloomberg TV and more. Smitha writes a monthly column for Mint Lounge called Word of Mouth that focuses on dining out and dining well. Browse through her portfolio.
Previously, as Culinary Editor at Condé Nast Traveller, she shaped the publication's food content across print, digital, and social platforms, setting the bar high for the depth and range of food journalism in India.
CONSULTING
Smitha develops creative strategy and content for brands, encompassing copywriting, on-camera hosting, newsletters, social media, panel moderation, and more. Past clients include Foodstories, Yauatcha, Pistola Agavepura, Brand USA, Singapore Tourism, Kulfi Collective, Food Matters and others.
The Food & Beverage industry in India is rich in flavor and nuance.
Some ways she can assist:
Digital Strategy & Marketing
Brand Positioning & Identity Development
Restaurant Conceptualisation
Brand Refresh
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Engage with Smitha for public speaking, panel discussions, story quotes, on-camera hosting opportunities and more.
VARIOUS
Want to work with Smitha but in another capacity not listed here? Feel free to reach out!
Portfolio
As a seasoned culinary storyteller with over a decade of exploring India and Asia’s rich and vibrant foodscape, Smitha has carved out her place as a credible voice of reason in the world of food journalism. Her writings, featured in top international and domestic publications, weave together depth and cultural insight, inspiring readers across the globe. Whether she's delving into indigenous food treasures or decoding dining culture, her work is infused with a strong journalistic rigour, genuine intimacy and a deep appreciation for the region’s diverse culinary heritage.
