What does Mumbai taste like? The answer lies in Mumbai, a coffee-table book that has now earned one of the highest honours in the culinary world.
The book, published by Sri Bodanapu’s Heirloom Cities and edited by Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal, has won the James Beard Award 2026. The award is often described as the Oscars of the food world.
The book explores Mumbai's history and food culture through six defining eras, from its emergence as India's first city and its relationship with the East India Company to colonial expansion, the Great Depression and the post-Independence boom.
From seafood traditions of its coastal communities, the city's beloved chai culture and Ramzan food trails to Udupi eateries, Indian Continental cuisine and the enduring spirit of its neighbourhood restaurants — there are thematic chapters that also explore the varied flavours of Mumbai.
Sri Bodanapu, founder, Heirloom Cities
There are also curated collections of recipes that showcase the culinary traditions of communities such as the Pathare Prabhus, Sindhis, Bohris and East Indians.
The contributors to the book are a diverse group of writers, researchers and food historians, including Smitha Menon, Dr Mohsina Mukadam, Nikhil Merchant, Roshni Bajaj-Sanghvi, Antoine Lewis and Sayoni Bhaduri.
For Munshaw-Ghildiyal, the award is a recognition of Mumbai itself.
"Winning the James Beard Award still feels surreal. When the nomination came in May, I was already overwhelmed because I never imagined a book edited from India could find itself in contention for one of the world's most respected culinary honours," she said.
Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal, title editor of 'Mumbai'
She said the award was not just a recognition of Mumbai, but of the many voices, stories and food traditions that shape the city.
“What makes this especially meaningful is that the book set out to move beyond stereotypes and celebrate the layered culinary culture of Mumbai. It is a win for collaborative storytelling, thoughtful publishing and Indian food narratives,” she said.
Heirloom Cities is a design-led publishing initiative founded by Sri Bodanapu in San Francisco. According to Bodanapu, the project was conceived as a way of looking beyond conventional narratives around food.
“I started Heirloom Cities to move beyond the familiar narratives around food, and to explore its depth and diversity. Our first two books reflect Mumbai and Kolkata as they are today, vibrant and evolving, shaped both by legacy and a dynamic, contemporary culinary culture,” she said.
The second volume, Kolkata, was launched in April 2026. Edited by Pikturenama’s Madhushree Basu Roy and Anindya Basu, the book explores the city's culinary identity through the lenses of colonial history, migration and local traditions. Sharing about their next project, Bodanapu said, “Up next is a book on Dubai. It will explore the culinary landscape of the city beyond luxury dining.”