Stirring the old with the new: How Indian cookware is evolving without losing its soul

“I can’t do without either,” says Dalal. “Some of my most-used cookware is inherited — like a small cast iron kadhai with one handle missing, but an interior smooth as silk. My grandmother used it, then my mother. Every time I fry a Bengali luchi, those memories come back.”

She also relies on her mother-in-law’s 30-year-old Futura pressure cooker and a set of traditional copper vessels. “Freshly tinned, they work better than most non-stick cookware today. I use them for milk reductions and biryanis,” she adds. Her only gripe? “They’re just too heavy — but worth the effort.”

Umesh Gupta, MD, Bergner India at the showroom with their cookware range 

The Indian kitchen revolves around the kadhai and the tawa — those round-bottomed, versatile workhorses that change in size, shape, and style as they travel across regions and recipes. In Gujarat, it is called a tasla without any handles and in petite sizes — for dry sabzis, simmering dal and sautéing greens. Up north, it deepens and widens for gravies and large-scale cooking. In UP, the kadhais are shallow. Go south, and its usage fades as the handi makes room for sambhar and stews.

“The kadhai is integral to Indian cooking,” says Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who launched WonderChef 15 years ago. “Its round shape has always been efficient — food doesn’t get stuck in corners, and it could be shaped without machinery, even centuries ago. One vessel lets you fry, simmer gravies, or make khichdi.”

Rhea Dalal with her inherited cookware in her home and cooking in a cast-iron pan at Kharghar

Over time, the kadhai has evolved to suit modern needs. “The base flattened to sit better on gas burners, improving stability. It reflects how we function — we value tradition but crave subtle upgrades. Like life, we look for something new without letting go of the old,” says Kapoor, who believes the next revolution in cookware will come through specialised products, where form, material, and ergonomics are tailored for specific functions. “Convenience is key,” he adds. “Think dishwashing-friendly surfaces and innovations in non-electric cookware. The future lies in merging Indian tradition with smart, sustainable design — not importing trends, but refining our own.”

Aruni Mishra, CEO, Tramontina India, believes that while the Indian kitchen has embraced modernisation, its heart still beats in tradition. “Very few Western shapes have found their way into our homes — maybe the Dutch oven or casserole, which we adapted for biryani and pulao,” he says. “We haven’t taken to Instant Pots or electric pressure cookers. Our traditional pressure cooker reigns.”

Rhea Dalal

Instead of changing forms, brands are innovating within them. “Rather than reinvent the kadhai or pressure cooker, we’ve enhanced them with technology — natural ceramic coatings bonded with silica gel, for instance. These are non-toxic, don’t crack under high heat, and prevent sticking, even with minimal oil,” says Mishra. “It’s about refining what we already trust, not replacing it.”

Urban living, however, is shaping new preferences. “Limited time and space are altering how we cook — and what we cook with,” he adds. There’s also growing awareness around health and sustainability. “People are rethinking materials. We’re seeing a shift away from synthetic non-stick surfaces and a return to stainless steel and cast iron. Today’s home cook is looking for cookware that’s safe, efficient, and built to last.” Tramontina’s bestselling Fusao range an advance step to tri-ply cookware that is coated with ceramic —  it reflects a blend of tradition and modern function.

Aruni Mishra, CEO, Tramontina India 

Bergner, the Indian cookware brand headquartered in Zaragoza, Spain, was among the first to introduce tri-ply cookware to the Indian market in 2007. “European cooking is straightforward — fish in seven minutes, steak in five. There’s no kheer or halwa simmering for hours,” says Umesh Gupta, CEO of Bergner. Their aluminium cookware with non-stick coating works for that lifestyle. 

But in India, it simply doesn’t hold up.” Gupta, a strong advocate for healthier cookware, warns of the risks of aluminium-based utensils. “Oil burns faster on aluminium, releasing harmful compounds that raise cholesterol and fat levels. In India, we end up using more oil, not out of habit, but because our cookware isn’t built for dishes like poha, upma, or rice, which tend to stick. After a dozen uses, most aluminium non-stick loses effectiveness, so we keep adding oil.”

Subodh Gupta’s Rural Urban, 2022 at a France gallery

To address this, Bergner developed cookware explicitly designed for Indian kitchens and regional cuisines. Their lighter pure iron line suits daily use, while the Essentials range and Argent Samsara range caters to local traditions: a tri-ply biryani pot for Hyderabad, paniyaram pans and coffee warmers for Chennai and Bangalore, and taslas and tadka kadhais for Gujarat. “Each size is designed with intent — from small sabzi kadhais to large-base pots for marinating or slow-cooking meats,” Gupta explains. And when the traditional kadhai isn’t enough? “That’s where the casserole comes in,” he adds. “Its wide base prevents food from clumping, encourages even cooking, and, when used open, actually improves flavour.”

When Dhruv Agarwal, Director at Autopress India Pvt Ltd, returned to India from Germany in 2003, he made space in his 20-kg luggage for four pieces of cookware he’d been using as a student, one of which remains in use with a friend to this day. “That’s the kind of loyalty great cookware earns,” he says.

In 2013, Agarwal launched Stahl Kitchens, building on his family’s legacy — his father, Rajiv Agarwal, had been manufacturing cookware for global brands like Tefal, Philips, and Zwilling. With the in-house brand, the focus shifted to quality and process. “We brought in lean manufacturing experts to streamline production and introduce rigorous testing protocols,” says Agarwal. Today, each pressure cooker goes through 18 checks, and cookware is evaluated across 15 parameters. Agarwal views the kitchen as a system with four key phases: prep, cooking, serving, and storage. “Like any efficient workflow, the right tools at each stage make a huge difference.”

Their biggest innovation? 

Tri-ply construction: an inner layer of food-grade stainless steel (SS304), an aluminium core for even heat distribution, and a magnetic stainless-steel exterior (SS430) that’s compatible with both induction and gas. When Stahl launched its tri-ply line in 2015, the segment was barely established, with sales of just 800 units per month. Most stainless steel kadhais cost Rs 800–900; Stahl priced theirs at Rs 3,000.

Dhruv Agarwal, Director, Autopress India Pvt. Ltd (Stahl Kitchens)

“Today, the tri-ply market is upwards of 11–12 lakh pieces a month. That’s a dramatic shift,” says Agarwal. While non-stick ruled Indian kitchens in the ’90s, tri-ply is steadily gaining ground for its durability, heat efficiency, and clean-cooking surface. “It doesn’t replace non-stick entirely — especially for eggs, fish, or dosa — but it’s become a staple of the modern Indian kitchen.”

An artist reflects on the everyday

For contemporary artist Subodh Gupta, utensils are more than functional objects — they are vessels of memory and meaning. “They remind me of home, of stories at the table, of taste and time,” he says. “Every scratch holds a moment. Everyone sees them differently based on their own journey.”

Subodh Gupta

To Gupta, utensils are a shared language across cultures, classes, and continents. “They come in every form: metal, ceramic, leaf, plastic — each shaped by its users and their times. They reflect life itself: sometimes abundant, sometimes harsh.”

Reimagining these objects in his art invites a range of reactions — nostalgia, humour, even discomfort. “When you take a common object and place it on a pedestal, it becomes something else. It forces people to look again — to question memory, function, and familiarity.”

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