If you’re an avid Instagrammer, you probably follow some of those drool-worthy food accounts. You know, the ones with outrageously pretty food spreads and recipes guaranteed to make your stomach rumble. In recent years, these food accounts have exploded in popularity, leading to the creation of online communities of foodies across India.
Among this growing crowd of Indian ‘foodstagrammers’ is Himanshu Sehgal, the Delhi-based founder of My Yellow Plate, a full-fledged Instagram account dedicated to foodie escapades across the world.
Filled with stunning snapshots of dishes from across India, all served on a yellow plate and juxtaposed against snow-capped mountains, heritage neighbourhoods and even dingy dhabas, this hugely popular Insta-page already has over 33,000 followers.
It all started in December 2016 when Himanshu decided to start a hobby project that would document an assortment of Indian street foods on a yellow plate.
Born and brought up in a typical Punjabi family in Delhi, he grew up with a deep love for food and travel.
It was this love that made the Computer Science engineer quit his full-time job at a Fortune-500 company and start freelancing, so that he could earn and travel side-by-side. It was this period that laid the foundation for My Yellow Plate.
Asked how the project took its name, Himanshu says,
“My Yellow Plate was not intentional. I never planned that I would pick up a yellow plate and go out looking for food.
One fine day in 2015, my mom served me Rajma Chawal on this yellow plate. No one knows where it came from, it was just there in the kitchen. I remember taking a picture of it and sharing it on my personal Instagram profile.
It wasn’t a great shot but it still clicked with the viewers, getting several likes and comments from friends and family. This was probably because most Indian households use either steel thalis or pastel-coloured crockery and a bright yellow plate was conspicuous.
Intrigued, I decided to carry the yellow plate along with me while travelling. Every time I would eat on it, I would share it with people and let them know what’s on my yellow plate.”
Accompanying every photo was Himanshu’s personal take on the dish and interesting anecdotes about the people behind the dish (from the humble owners of nameless joints to famous dhabawalas). Unsurprisingly, My Yellow Plate was quickly gaining a loyal following on both Instagram and Facebook; and what had started as a hobby project soon became a full-time job.
Encouraged by the response, Himanshu stopped accepting freelance assignments (digital marketing for Cafes) and began exploring different destinations in India with nothing but his taste buds, a camera and his faithful yellow plate. While most of these trips were undertaken at his own expense, some were sponsored by brands.
Also Read: This Amazing Insta-Page Will Make You Fall in Love With Train Journeys All Over Again
Today, My Yellow Plate has a full-blown community of gastronomes and travel aficionados who follow it as their guide to the world of Indian street food.
Asked about his all-time favourite photo from this collection, Himanshu says that it would be his first signature shot at India Gate in New Delhi.
Talking about what he loves the best and finds most challenging about running My Yellow Plate, Himanshu says with a grin,
“The most challenging part has to be deciding what to eat! As for the best part, it is getting eat delicious food, meeting some amazing people, travelling to different places, learning about new cultures and most importantly, getting to inspire people to start their own journeys.
On a more personal note, the journey has also changed me as a person and made me grateful for the kind of life I am living, for the work that I get to do. It has also taught me to be patient, persistent and to always do what you love. No money or less money is fine, but no satisfaction is not.”
Picked by Himanshu as his favourite moments, here are some photographs from My Yellow Plate’s insta-page that will inspire you to pack your cameras (and a plate) and take off for parts unknown!
1. Chole Bhature with the Indian Army
2. Meeting Sahil and Rizwan
3. Dussehra Through A Yellow Plate
4. My First Meal in North East India
5. Red Fort; Matar Kulcha and Sneaking Through a Fence
6. A Place Without a Name
Also Read: This Pune Woman Doesn’t Have a Stomach. Yet She Is One of India’s Top ‘Foodgrammers’!
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