JOIN USAs happiness is made at home
In the busy world of today, it’s not a surprise if your kitchen serves the three most ‘happening’ meals — frozen, microwave and takeout. But it doesn’t have to be all pre-made industrial food as many who love to cook in the City are willing to deliver ‘ghar ka khana’ to your doorstep. Whether they are doing this out of passion or for business, these passionate cooks are giving more choices to Bengalureans to enjoy a delicious homemade meal.
Tresa Francis, the proprietor of ‘Travancore Tasties’ delivers Syrian Christian food all over the City. Her popular items include ‘appam’, ‘stew’, and ‘biryani’.
She says, “I used to work full-time in a company for 11 years. When I took a break from corporate life, my husband and friends suggested I do something I am passionate about. Since cooking is something that I absolutely love, I decided to cook more for others. Although it has been only a couple of months since I started the venture, I get a minimum of five orders a week.” She makes food that she grew up with and played apprentice to her mother and sister as a child. She’s available throughout the week but the food delivery is made only if there’s a two-day prior notice period.
It’s in the kitchen where the warmth of shared memories, laughter and life create a recipe that is passed on for generations. For Aparajita Dasgupta, it was her daughter who gave her the encouragement to pursue her passion for cooking.
“My daughter would often bring her friends home and praise my cooking skills. Whether it was a small cupcake or the cutlet I made, she was very supportive about it and gave me the courage to start ‘Tasty Tinglers’. I make everything from cakes to snacks for birthdays and parties,” she shares. Satisfying one’s sweet and savoury cravings, Aparajita is popular for her ‘chicken cutlet’, ‘whole wheat calzones’, ‘vanilla cookies’, ‘falafel rolls’, and of course, the cakes.
“I started making these goodies at home because I didn’t want to expose my daughter to the artificial products sold everywhere. I took time to make everything from scratch and give her the best of things. It’s only fair that I share my knowledge of the same with the others in the City,” she adds.
But it’s not easy for everyone to make their place in the home catering business. They are some who are still trying to connect the loose ends and deliver the best of food to the food-lovers. Bhandavya Gowda is a full-time employee in a real estate firm. Cooking is one of her many passions and she says it makes her happy when her friends and family enjoy her food. She says, “My friends often tell me that I make great ‘mutton biryani’ and seafood dishes, and whenever I get time, I make it for them. But with a busy schedule like mine, it’s not that easy. I started a Facebook page called ‘Food for functions’ recently hoping to spread that joy to others as well. My friends have been a great support and order my food, but I hope to fill more stomachs in the City!”
The story of sisters Anjali and Ambika Ganapathy, who started ‘Pig Out’, is an interesting one too. “We actually started this off as something to do during the weekends. As we are from Coorg, we decided to make two Coorgi dishes and sell them at a flea market in 2012. We were surprised when the whole thing got sold out in a few hours and kept getting orders from then on. Only after a year did we take it seriously and start charting out a business plan. It was just recently that we moved from our home kitchen to an actual kitchen with a chef and working staff. I’ve even quit my day job to take this up full-time,” sharesAnjali. Many from the City approach them on Facebook and relish the lip-smacking ‘pandi curry’, ‘chicken cutlets’, and ‘seasonal mango curry’ they make.
She adds, “We love what we do and are more than happy to share that joy with others, provided that we get a 24-hour notice before delivery.”
These home-cooks providing their best to the people of the City are surely a blessing. As Sharanya Jayram, an IT professional, says, “It has been a really long time since I’ve had the chance to go to my hometown and I really miss home food. With these range of home cooks who are ready to deliver that similar taste to my doorstep, I am grateful.”