Village Cooking Channel

A Family-Driven Culinary Phenomenon

Village Cooking Channel has emerged as one of YouTube's most remarkable success stories, transforming a simple family passion for traditional cooking into a global phenomenon. The channel operates as a collaborative family enterprise led by 75-year-old M. Periyathambi, a seasoned caterer from the village of Chinna Veeramangalam in Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu^[1]. Working alongside him are his grandsons V. Subramanian (who serves as the cameraman), V. Ayyanar, and V. Murugesan, their cousin T. Muthumanickam, and their brother-in-law G. Tamilselvan^[2]. This multigenerational team brings together decades of culinary expertise with modern content creation skills. The channel's authenticity stems from Periyathambi's extensive background in village catering, having worked in the profession for nearly 50 years since the age of 25^[3]. His expertise in traditional Tamil cuisine forms the foundation of their content, while the younger family members handle the technical aspects of video production and channel management. Interestingly, despite their YouTube success, the family members maintain their agricultural roots, working as paddy and coconut farmers on their 10-acre rain-fed field for six months each year^[4].

Unprecedented Growth and Milestone Achievements

Since launching in April 2018, Village Cooking Channel has achieved extraordinary growth metrics that position it among YouTube's most successful cooking channels. As of June 2025, the channel boasts 28.7 million subscribers and has accumulated over 8.6 billion total views across 246 videos^[5]. The channel's growth trajectory has been consistently impressive, with recent analytics showing an average of 4-5 million daily views and approximately 200,000 new subscribers per month⁶. The channel achieved a historic milestone in July 2021 by becoming the first Tamil-language YouTube channel to reach 10 million subscribers, earning them YouTube's coveted Diamond Play Button⁷. Their most popular video, featuring watermelon juice preparation, has garnered over 300 million views as of May 2025⁸. Several other videos have surpassed the 100 million view mark, demonstrating the channel's consistent ability to create viral content. The channel's estimated monthly earnings range from $154,600 to $463,800, with some analytics platforms suggesting even higher figures during peak months⁹. These impressive revenue figures have enabled the family to not only sustain their content creation but also engage in significant philanthropic activities.

Distinctive Content Style and Production Values

Village Cooking Channel has carved out a unique niche in the crowded cooking content space through their distinctive production approach and unwavering commitment to traditional methods. All videos are filmed outdoors in scenic natural settings, including agricultural fields, riverbanks, and rural landscapes around Pudukkottai district¹⁰. This outdoor filming style creates a visually appealing backdrop that contrasts sharply with typical kitchen-based cooking shows. The channel's authenticity is reinforced by their strict adherence to traditional cooking methods. They exclusively use traditional vessels and cauldrons, avoiding all modern kitchen equipment including pressure cookers, electric mixers, and gas stoves¹¹. Instead, they rely on stone grinders for spice preparation and firewood for cooking, maintaining the authentic village cooking experience that has captivated millions of viewers worldwide. Their content typically features large-scale cooking, preparing dishes in quantities sufficient for 100 or more people¹². This approach not only creates visually impressive content but also aligns with their philanthropic mission, as the prepared food is distributed to local orphanages, old-age homes, and community members after filming concludes.

Recognition and Awards

The channel's impact on digital content creation has been recognized through several prestigious awards and accolades. In February 2021, Village Cooking Channel won the Black Sheep Digital Award for Best Food Programme¹³. They subsequently received The Behindwoods Gold Best Digital Content Creator award in 2021¹⁴, cementing their status as leading content creators in the Tamil digital space. Beyond formal awards, the channel has gained recognition from political figures and celebrities. A significant boost to their popularity came in January 2021 when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined them for a mushroom biryani cooking session during his election campaign in Tamil Nadu¹⁵. This collaboration video garnered over 26 million views and dramatically increased their subscriber growth rate from 10,000 to 30,000-40,000 new subscribers per week¹⁶.

Media Appearances and Cultural Impact

The channel's cultural significance extends beyond YouTube, with the team making their film debut through cameo appearances in the 2022 blockbuster movie "Vikram" starring Kamal Haasan¹⁷. The film's director, Lokesh Kanagaraj, included the Village Cooking Channel team in a wedding sequence, marking their transition from digital content creators to mainstream media personalities¹⁸. The team expressed overwhelming joy at witnessing audience reactions to their film appearance, noting it was their first experience seeing people's live reactions to their content¹⁹. Their influence has also extended to international recognition, with invitations to demonstrate their cooking techniques in the United States. The TNF USA Convention has featured Village Cooking Channel as a highlighted attraction, describing them as having "the distinguished honor of being the first Tamil YouTube channel to clinch the coveted Diamond Creator Award"²⁰.

Philanthropic Initiatives

Village Cooking Channel has demonstrated a strong commitment to social responsibility through various philanthropic efforts. Upon receiving their Diamond Play Button in July 2021, the team celebrated by donating ₹10 lakh (approximately $12,000) to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to support COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts²¹. This donation represented a significant portion of their earnings and demonstrated their commitment to giving back to their community. The channel's philanthropic approach extends to their regular content creation process. After each video shoot, the large quantities of food prepared are distributed to local orphanages, old-age homes, and needy community members²². This practice ensures that their content creation directly benefits their local community while maintaining the authentic village cooking traditions that have made them famous. Team member V. Subramanian explained their philosophy: "We feel contented with what we earn and we donate the excess back to the people who make our subscribers"²³. This approach has helped establish Village Cooking Channel not just as entertainers, but as positive community influencers who use their platform for social good.