To bring “light and laughter” to homes around the world, Michelle Obama is launching a food show for kids on Netflix on March 16. It’s called Waffles+Mochi because it revolves around two puppet bffs Waffles and Mochi, aspiring chefs who travel across the globe to source ingredients and cook with famous chefs, home chefs, kids and celebrities.

The former First Lady said the show was an extension of her work to support children’s health. It also shows how puppetry can be used as a pedagogical tool. And if you want to learn how, we invited award-winning city-based puppeteer Usha Venkatraman to share tips. “Puppetry is an ancient art form that originated in India, before travelling to many lands. The first thing you have to remember about it is that it calls for a willing suspension of disbelief; there is no limit to creativity and the way stories can be told through puppets,” she says.