Six Senses Vana has announced the launch of Anayu – Recipes and Stories from Vana, a cookbook that brings more than a decade of lived culinary practice from the retreat’s kitchens into homes beyond Vana. More than a collection of recipes, the book captures how food is understood and served at Vana—as nourishment, care, and a part of a wider ecological and human system.
Not a conventional recipe book, but a way of eating
Anayu reflects the Vana cuisine philosophy, envisioned by Veer Singh, Founder of Vana, who imagined food at the retreat as generous and attentive—never restrictive or defined by trends. Grounded in Ayurvedic understanding and shaped through daily practice by Vana’s doctors and chefs, this approach has evolved steadily over time, focusing on long-term wellness without reducing food to “wellness cuisine.”
The meaning behind ‘Anayu’: Food for Life
At the heart of the book is its name—Anayu—drawn from Anna meaning food, and Ayu meaning life or longevity. Together, it expresses the idea of Food for Life: nourishment that supports the body over time. At Vana, this philosophy begins with the belief that food is medicine, where every ingredient is chosen carefully and every recipe is considered for its effect on the body.
The experience extends beyond nutrition—presentation, fragrance, texture, and taste receive equal attention, ensuring food engages all the senses while remaining purposeful and restorative.
Voices behind the book: author, chef, and leadership
Meher Varma, author of Anayu – Recipes and Stories from Vana, shares that her earliest impressions of Vana’s cuisine began with its beauty, and only later revealed its deeper intention. Over time, the book emerged from years of dialogue, testing, and learning around food systems, choices, and impact.
Chef Rajesh Sharma, Six Senses Vana, describes cooking at Vana as an act of listening—to the body, to seasons, and to ingredients. The recipes, he says, are meant to be cooked without hurry, adjusted with intuition, and shared with care.
Jaspreet Singh, General Manager, Six Senses Vana, adds that the food at Vana often stays with people long after they leave—comforting, steadying, and deeply memorable. The book offers a way for that feeling to continue beyond the retreat.
Recipes designed for real kitchens and real life
The recipes in Anayu are those served at the retreat, alongside adaptations for everyday home cooking. Written for non-experts, the book uses accessible techniques, limited ingredients, and fewer steps—while remaining mindful of waste, water use, and excess.
Ayurveda’s emphasis on seasonality and individual constitution runs throughout, encouraging readers to understand their dosha and eat in ways that support personal health while remaining environmentally conscious.
Beyond food: reflections on modern food systems
Anayu also explores the realities of modern food systems—from the impact of monoculture and industrial farming to ethics in sourcing and consumption. It invites readers to view themselves as part of an interconnected web that includes farmers, ecosystems, animals, and communities.
Designed to move between kitchen and bedside, the book blends recipes with short essays, reflective reading, and practical guidance. Its intent is not prescription, but relationship—helping readers build a more attentive, sustainable, and informed way of eating over time.
