Malayali men who keep Onam cooking alive, beyond Kerala | WATCH

When the scent of sambar and coconut oil hits the air, and banana leaves are laid out with love, you know Onam is near. But what happens when you are far away from Kerala, in a bustling city or a foreign land?

For a growing group of passionate Malayali men living away from home, distance is no barrier. They are not just cooking, they are connecting, remembering and inspiring.

From Canada kitchens to Kochi balconies and Gulf bachelor pads to high-rise apartments, these self-taught, homegrown male cooks are stirring more than just curries -- they are stirring nostalgia, friendship and a deep-rooted sense of identity.

Cooking with heart, miles away from home

Take Appu, an IT professional in Vancouver, Canada, well-known as Appus08 on Instagram, who is getting ready to prepare a full-fledged Onam sadya with around 25 of his friends.

"I will be making my favourite aviyal, besides erissery and olan, while my friends will handle the rest,” says Appu, a native of Angamaly.

The vibe? Nothing short of festive.

"Cooking brings everyone together. When I prepare olan or aviyal, I honestly feel like I am back in Kerala," he says.

As for the payasam, the all-important sweet ending, he is torn between palada and paal payasam. But chakkavarattiyathu is already stocked up, so chakkapradhaman is a sure shot.

"Vazhayila (banana leaves) and other essentials are all arranged. We are confident this will be a grand sadya."

Ask him about the secret behind the flavours, and he smiles, "I prepare all the masalas myself using ground turmeric, red chilli and other items that I bring from home every time I visit Kerala. I do not like to compromise on flavours."

Cooking was not always a passion. In fact, it started out of pure boredom.

"It began when I moved to the US. I was tired of outside food. I started watching YouTube videos. One Onam, I made aviyal for the first time for 10 people. A 'chechi' (elder sister) told me it was one of the best aviyals she ever had. I was on cloud nine. That pushed me to start experimenting, sharing recipes and even posting videos."

"Of course, I miss my amma's cooking. But here, cooking is my way of feeling connected. It is how I express myself."

‘Cultures may change, but sadya is sacred'

Over in Dubai, John Tyson, better known as Angry Chef on social media, is a professional chef working at a hotel in the Dubai Airport. But when it comes to Onam, he parks the fusion aside, it is tradition all the way. 

"I never mess with Sadya. I want it exactly like my ammachi made it," says Tyson, who hails from Moolamkuzhy in Fort Kochi.
 

"I have been in the UAE for 16 years now. But I have never had trouble finding authentic ingredients for Sadya. Everything is available here if you know where to look."

Cooking came naturally to Tyson -- thanks to his mother.

"She made sure both me and my brother learned to cook. It was a rule in our house -- boys should know how to cook for themselves."

This Onam, he will be cooking a full sadya for his wife Evelin Maryia Jean and their three-year-old son Izahaaq Jean Thomas.

"This time it is a public holiday, so we are celebrating at a friend's place. I will be making palada payasam for sure, and a proper, authentic sadya."

'Onasadya is not just a meal, it is an emotion'

In Kochi, away from his hometown of Karunagappally, Aromal -- a viral cook on social media known as @a_aromal-- is prepping for a very different kind of Onam this year.
 

"Every Thiruvonam, Achan gifts me and Amma Onakkodi. Then we all sit on the floor and eat together. He feeds us the first few bites. That is tradition."

But this year, his parents are away, and he will be celebrating with a friend's family instead.

"Of course I will cook. I am planning to make two types of payasams -- adapradhaman and either palada or paal payasam."

He is a hardcore non-vegetarian fan otherwise, but for Onam, it is always full vegetarian.

"I learned all the sadya items about 5-6 years ago. My cousins helped me, but it was Amma who really encouraged me. I was interested in cooking from a young age, and she never discouraged me saying 'you will get hurt' or anything like that."

Now, with thousands of followers on Instagram, he uses every Onam as a chance to get creative and share a piece of his roots.

A taste of home, a piece of the heart

For many of these men, cooking started as a necessity. But over time, it turned into something deeper -- a form of love, connection and even leadership. They are showing that Onam cooking is not just 'Amma's territory' anymore. It is anyone's -- anyone who loves their roots enough to recreate them, wherever they are.

Whether it is a family kitchen in Dubai or a cozy apartment in Vancouver, the banana leaf is still sacred and the spirit of Sadya remains untouched. Because at the end of the day, Onam is not just about what is on the leaf. It is about what is in the heart.