Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has ignited a fierce conversation centred around India’s food consumption patterns with a thought-provoking tweet. Reflecting on his recent visit to Singapore, Kamath, taking to X, observed that many people there either never cook at home or don’t have a kitchen at all. He pointed out the massive potential for India’s restaurant industry if the country were to follow a similar trend.

“I was in Singapore this week; most I met said they never cook at home, and others don't have a kitchen. If India were to follow this trend, investing/opening restaurants would be a massive opportunity, but we don't have restaurant brands that have close to the scale Southeast Asian chains do. What's different in our consumption behaviour? And will this change say when GDP per capita crosses 5k USD, and labour costs increase? To my restaurateur friends, if one thing could change to make this industry in India thrive, what would that be?”

Kamath’s post quickly went viral, sparking a debate on India’s deep-rooted preference for home-cooked meals. According to data he referenced, India averages just five non-home-cooked meals per customer, compared to 19 in Singapore and 14 in South Korea, highlighting a sharp contrast in dining habits.

While some saw Kamath’s tweet as a call for growth in India’s restaurant sector, many users pushed back, defending India’s cooking culture as a strength rather than a limitation.

One user commented that one should account for the different cultures between Singapore and India.

"I live in Singapore - been here for 15 years. You are right, but if I may add, Singapore’s eating out culture is primarily an outcome of the 121 hawker centres promoted by the government. The 6000 stalls under these centres have to adhere to strict quality standards and provide affordable meals. They are also an embodiment of the rational spirit as cater to different cuisines and communities. So focused is the Government on maintaining the hawker centres that they even have a ‘hawker incubation’ program," the user wrote.

Another user remarked, “Why should we even encourage restaurant food over home-cooked meals? India has a great ‘cook at home’ culture, and I hope it stays that way. Every nutritionist and doctor knows that fresh, hygienic, home-cooked meals are best for health.”

Others pointed out the differences in restaurant food quality.

“Restaurant food in India tends to be oilier, spicier, and heavily fried compared to home-cooked meals. It’s not as easy to eat Indian food out every day as it is for cuisines like Vietnamese,” another user commented.