New Delhi, Aug. 23 -- The first breath of Hobart's air felt crisp and alive. As the plane touched down, Tasmania's capital greeted me with its cold wind, clear water, and somewhere beyond the runway, kitchens waited to welcome me.

Coming from Mumbai, a city that thrives on contrast and conversations, Hobart stirred a similar feeling: global flavours rooted in local identity. It's where Ethiopian injera coexists with First Nations' wallaby backstrap, where waterfront cafes layer Italian technique over fresh Tasmanian catch. The food doesn't just fuse but reflects. It made me pause and think of how cities, separated by oceans, can still share a language that's spoken through food.

To understand a city's food culture, I always start at its...