Tiny Giant: A Culinary Journey of Heritage and Friendship
Photos by Jules Mayes
April 2025
Flavors of Home, Rewritten Abroad
Carl, a Texas native, and Ruchi, raised in India, were both shaped by bold, comforting flavors. After having both recently moved to Amsterdam, Carl and Ruchi found themselves searching for the tastes that carried the warmth of their childhoods.
Rather than settling, they turned to their own kitchen.
Carl craved the crispy, buttery indulgence of fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, a dish that epitomized Southern comfort. Ruchi, on the other hand, was initially appalled—biscuits, after all, meant sweet cookies in her world. She watched with skepticism and amusement as Carl threw himself into perfecting the dish, obsessing over every detail. But with each fried chicken sandwich, skepticism gave way to appreciation.
What began as a personal craving evolved into a shared pursuit—one that blended their backgrounds and redefined the meaning of ‘home’ on their plates. With each experiment, the duo was brought closer to both their roots and each other.
Most importantly, Carl and Ruchi are cooking for those who crave something bold, nostalgic, and delicious. Their culinary inspirations stretch beyond geographical boundaries, drawing from Indian, Moroccan, and Southern American traditions while embracing the seasonal, farm-to-table philosophy of European markets. Their food is a bold intersection of cultures, where spice-laden braised meats meet delicate French techniques, and comforting childhood dishes are reimagined with local ingredients.
Cooking, Chaos, and Friendship
At the heart of Tiny Giant is a dynamic partnership. Carl, the dreamer who constantly pushes creative boundaries, and Ruchi, the precision-driven force who ensures their ambitious visions come to life. Together, they navigate the chaos of pop-ups, the repetitive process of experimental cooking, and the joy of serving dishes that carry pieces of their histories.
Their favorite moments are often the most unexpected. There was a time when Ruchi, running on post-concert adrenaline, made 175 tortillas at 3 AM, tweaking the recipe in a half-dazed state, only to create the best batch they’ve ever made (one they’ve since never been able to replicate). It’s these serendipitous moments that define Tiny Giant.
The Magic of Tiny Giant Pop-Ups
Every Tiny Giant event is a fleeting masterpiece. Months of planning and obsessive recipe testing are distilled into a single night. Their pop-ups are not about serving traditional Indian, Mexican, or French cuisine, but rather about challenging the boundaries between them. Their audience understands this—they don’t come for a particular cuisine, but for the thrill of discovery, the fusion of flavors that defy categorization, and the electric atmosphere that lingers long after the last dish has been cleared.
At Anaïs, their take on French-Mexican fusion resulted in a standout three-day short rib paired with a rich carrot mole, a dish that balanced depth and surprise in every bite. Later, they collaborated with their friend and fellow chef Anurag Arora, pushing the boundaries of Indian flavors in a way that felt both nostalgic and fresh. Their December pop-up at Sauced embraced the cozy indulgence of French classics, wrapping up the year with the perfect winter feast.
Officially, Tiny Giant popups wrap up at 10:30 PM, but in practice, that’s usually just the beginning of the night. As the night stretches on, the energy shifts.
What starts as a carefully curated meal seamlessly evolves into a disco party. Dive bar drinks flow, music pulses, and a room full of strangers becomes a room full of new friends.
It’s a celebration of openness, shared journeys, and the cultural intersections that brought everyone together in the first place.
What’s Next?
On May 18th, Tiny Giant will be at Maracuja, a beloved Williamsburg dive bar, for their next New York pop-up. The theme? Trailer Park Fancy — playful, a little cheeky, and unapologetically fun. The tentative menu: croquettes with spicy vinaigrettes, a charred broccolini queso, and sticky, salty-sweet corn ribs.
But they’re just getting started.
This summer, Carl and Ruchi are taking Tiny Giant on the road for their most ambitious project yet — The Second Homes Tour. Inspired by the Dutch and French culinary traditions they’ve fallen for, they’ll be bringing their ever-evolving flavors to wine bars across Amsterdam, Barcelona, and London.
It’s not about recreating home. It’s about building new ones — dish by dish, city by city.
Tiny Giant has always been less about a fixed cuisine and more about a way of cooking: bold, scrappy, deeply personal. It's about mixing what you know with what you find, staying curious, and never taking food (or yourself) too seriously.
Tiny, but mighty. Nostalgic, but never stuck in the past. This is food made for dancing, for gathering, for late nights and new friends.
You can keep up with Tiny Giant’s upcoming events on their Instagram @tinygiant.nyc. Thank you to Carl and Ruchi for sharing your story with us!
Jules Mayes is an NYC-based photographer drawn to the often overlooked and the in-between — capturing places, people, and plates just as they are.