What Would Your Last Meal on Earth be?
In 2019, I had curated a dinner theme based on this question in collaboration with Savor Experiences in Mumbai when I was the Director of Death Over Dinner, India. While the focus of the conversation was about loss, love, and life, the subject of one’s last meal invited delight, warmth, nostalgia, and laughter.
Since then, I often ask people this question to engage with that sense of delight and surprise again, which tends to open the conversation of loss in a less invasive way.
It allows us to see that loss has multiple dimensions, and some of them can put a smile on our faces. (Atleast the ones that I have spoken with so far!)
Here are some of those responses:
“Indian Chinese.”
“A single malt by the fireplace, and my daughter’s homemade tiramisu.”
“Mum's sambar and cabbage thoran with rice and ghee.”
“3 good beers (so I’ll leave high) and a large peanut bowl.”
“A meal from my favorite restaurant in Paris called "Le' Entrecote. They don't have a menu. Just serve one dish- steak and fries.”
“Wine.”
“Rajma chawal. It's like childhood and comfort.”
“A giant bowl of ramen or steak or bar Pitti pappardelle pasta which I can swim in.”
“A homecooked meal by mom and dad.”
“7 different cheese on a platter and fondue. Sharing a bellini with our great-grandkids.”
“Potato chips from hot chips with mango salsa dip.”
“Bagel, cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, rocket by taste is my heaven.”
“The biscuit pudding my mum makes.”
“Wagyu beef, hamachi carpaccio and classic California roll.”
“Aloo paratha.”
“Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“Parota and beef.”
“American chopsuey from KimLee.”
“A sip of water.”
“It would be anything my mum would make but then I wouldn't want mum to go through the pain of losing me so I guess the best pad thai in the world that's available!”
“Punjabi food!”
“Khichdi with ghee.”
“Fries.”
“Kodi pusulu, Mutton iguru, Chicken 65.”
“A well-made pizza, Mom's mallu food - rice and curry, a well-made besan or rice ka ladoo or payasam, English tea sandwiches and scones with clotted cream, french pastry, a Japanese meal of rice, greens and miso soup.”
“Biryani (not the vegetarian kind).”
“Simple dosa, chutney, sambar, or maybe a nice Kerala meal.”
“Bread and Butter.”
“Ghee rice and chicken stew.”
“BB Pork ribs with beefsteak salad, and crab and lobster sandwich.”
“Shawarma.”
“Mangalorean mutton stew! Red Rice! Beef chili dry! Dried shrimp sambal! And a cauliflower stir fry!”
“Torn between thali and a meal that Daniels in NYC.”
“Chole bhature.”
“My mother’s food… her dahi kadhi, potato sabzi, and maybe her spicy prawns.”
“My last meal will have the following on the menu:
- Dearest friends and loved ones
- 3 long tables in a forest or lush garden
- Conversations in abundance.
- Table 1: French rose wine and cheese as starters
- Table 2: South Indian Kerala main course - like a thaali
- Table 3: Chocolate orange dessert, with excellent cognac
- All with my husband by my side.
- Moving into one big dance
- some more chocolate dessert
- And retiring with my husband into our beautiful room
This whole thing is on the menu of my last meal.”
The question is often posed back to me and while my mind races through food options, I realize that it can only be my mother’s exceptional lemon tart, accompanied with a glass of mimosa.