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An Economist in the Kitchen

Abhijit Banerjee’s Chhaunk Brings Spice, Story, and Social Science to SALA 2025.

Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee. / Bulbul Mankani-Dasanjh

At the South Asian Literature & Art Festival (SALA) in Atherton, California, Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee served up a keynote that tasted exactly like the title of his new book: Chhaunk—that final, sizzling tempering that transforms a dish from good to unforgettable. Over a brisk, engaging hour at Menlo College along with his illustrator Cheyenne Olivier, sketched the book’s central promise: that food is not a detour from economics and society, but a direct route into them.

The SALA audience—gathered for a two-day celebration of South Asian letters, arts, and ideas on September 13–14, 2025—got a generous helping of both the spice and the substance.

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