It’s not very often that I come across a homegrown event that so effortlessly combines two of my favourite things. Chef Anurag Arora and designer Jayati Jain’s ‘Fried Chicken and Flowers’ is a culinary pop-up lunch that does just that and more.
I’ve been into a fried chicken since I was just a wee lad and some of my fondest childhood culinary memories are of my parents bringing home a takeaway laden with the crispiest most flavourful pieces of spiced poultry you’ll ever eat in your life. I used to relish every piece from the first tantalising, succulent bite to the last dregs of crispy batter bits at the end of the meal. Fried chicken, while often unfairly derided as basic and even rudimentary, is certainly not child's play. While anyone can make fried chicken in theory, making truly great fried chicken is a delicate art form that requires patience, technique, and an understanding of the specific flavour profiles and textures that make for a transcendental fried chicken experience.
Flowers, similarly, are natural structures that hold a great deal of personal significance for me. My earliest memories as a child are of my mother, a flower enthusiast extraordinaire, pointing out flowers to me on our drives through the metropolis that was early 2000s Dubai, getting as excited and exuberant about a vivid violet haze of bougainvillaea as she would a puppy or a kitten. She treated them like living, breathing entities; beings that could feel pain and even emotion. I could never understand why and how she loved flowers so much but as I’ve gotten older flowers are both a reminder of home and family and a source of peace and grounding for me amidst the chaos of the world around us.
‘Fried Chicken And Flowers’ is a distinct labour of love that represents the individual artistry of both Anurag and Jayati while invoking the cultural and personal narratives that are embedded in the legacy of both florals and fried chicken the world over. It combines Anurag’s delicious signature fried chicken sandwiches with Jayati’s impeccable eye for aesthetic floral design and arrangement to create a multisensorial social and cultural experience unlike any other.
This weekend, they’re celebrating their first anniversary as a pop-up and bringing in what is going to be their 10th episode. This edition is going to be a celebration the 300+ patrons they’ve served across different editions and they’re pulling out all the stops. While the stars of the show are unquestionably going to be the fried chicken sandos and the florals, this edition is also going to feature collectable Mossant kombucha bottle art featuring work by the duos favourite artists and friends along with a cute little bake shop by Ria Belliapa.
While Anurag is excited to try out an all-new dredging for his fried chicken (which he promises will make for the crispiest batter so far) Jayanti’s flower shop is being completely redesigned.
The duo’s preparation for each edition is meticulous, with the photographs, invites, stickers, and merch being completely designed from scratch for every episode. In this way, each new iteration of ‘Fried Chicken and Flowers’ has its own distinct identity.
About Anurag Arora
Anurag is a product designer and a cook. His journey as a professional cook started with a dinner popup in his home back in 2019 and was driven by the desire to share his passion for food beyond just friends and inner circle.
Anurag now runs three popup formats at his home in Bangalore — Fried chicken and flowers, Sunday brunch club, and his new dinner series Apartment. He has also staged in some of the most sought-after restaurants, including Rooh SF, Pidgin London, and Published on Main in Vancouver.
About Jayati Jain
Jayati is an Art Director based out of India. While her day job is styling and capturing imagery for some of the most prominent brands in India and the US, her true love lies in creating art with flowers and everyday objects.
Her work seamlessly blends vibrant colors, organic forms, and unexpected combinations, inviting viewers to see beauty in the ordinary and appreciate the subtleties of the natural world.
‘Fried Chicken and Flowers’ takes place at Anurag’s house in Indranagar, Bengaluru. Tickets for every edition sell out in the blink of an eye so get yours quick. Stay tuned to their Instagram for updates on tickets.
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