As Hansal Mehta brings food, storytelling and AI together, AI-led cooking videos have taken over algorithms. From slick hacks and recipes to hyperreal culinary micro-dramas, here’s a look at what’s cooking and how.
Khana Dil Se
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has collaborated with Chef Shamsher Ahmed, with episodes streaming on Terribly Tiny Tales’ YouTube and Instagram. The show leans into hyperrealism with close-up hand movements, tactile B-roll, and a deliberate absence of faces to focus on the act of cooking itself. The numbers speak to its pull: a veg dhansak video crossed 1.3M views. Other viral recipes include nihari and undhiyu, all anchored in cultural storytelling rather than just instruction.
“32 years ago, I created Khana Khazana and the nation cooked with Sanjeev Kapoor. Today, I return with Khana Dil Se — recipes from the heart of India. And this time, I have a new creative partner. AI," wrote Mehta on Instagram.
Pookie Kitchen Animation
{{/usCountry}}“32 years ago, I created Khana Khazana and the nation cooked with Sanjeev Kapoor. Today, I return with Khana Dil Se — recipes from the heart of India. And this time, I have a new creative partner. AI," wrote Mehta on Instagram.
Pookie Kitchen Animation
{{/usCountry}}With over 65K followers, @toon_with_fitness turns making food into full-blown drama, with AI characters. A video on Maharashtrian kothimbir vadi clocked 11.7M views, showing how a woman ended up with spoiled coriander leaves but, rather than throwing it away, turned it into a delicacy.
Nausheen Hashim
With under 10K followers, the page @littleworldcooking_living uses AI animation to bring regional grandmas to life. The characters focus on rustic dishes cooked in the traditional village style, such as gajar ka halwa, patishapta, and even dal chawal. Each recipe represents a different part of India and its culinary traditions.
Toon Toon Mami
Building on the most culturally resonant format, @tinyspicestories leans into a chatty neighbourhood aunty. With 13.4K followers, the appeal lies in simplifying recipes, from high-protein idlis and aloo parantha to filmmaker Farah Khan’s roast chicken. The storytelling extends beyond the kitchen, as the character steps out to buy the ingredients. The Chettinad tangdi masala video crossed 1.4M views.
Everyday FoodLife
Apart from sharing recipes, some accounts also share cooking hacks. With 361K followers, @everydayfoodlife leans into AI-led animation to simplify everyday cooking. The videos focus on practical kitchen hacks and common mistakes to avoid, turning basic recipes into quick, visually engaging explainers, such as how to make poha, mango smoothie, omelette, etc.