“Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food.” ~ Craig Claiborne

No matter how unique and diverse our choice of food is, at the end of the day, we all crave for that familiar aroma and delightful taste of simple, fuss-free home-cooked food. As they say “happiness is homemade”. Recognising the irreplaceable bond that Indians share with home-cooked food, many startups have come up with delivery services that pander to the gastronomic needs of people longing for delicious ghar-ka-khana.

Launched in May 2020, amidst a growing pandemic, Rajni’s Rasoi is an emerging startup that is becoming increasingly popular among Mumbaikars thanks to its founder Rajni Kothari who takes great pleasure in feeding people to their heart’s content.

How it all began

Prior to donning the chef’s hat, Rajni worked as a fashion designer for the past 25 odd years. When the lockdown hit, her career came to a stand-still. This unexpected pause gave her time to reflect and to finally pursue her love for cooking. In her own words “Cooking and feeding people is something I’ve always been extremely fond of. A little nudge from my family made sure I took the leap and gave it a shot.

My family has been my biggest support through the last 7 odd months. My husband has been sourcing all the materials needed to complete my orders. And my son, being from a digital background, has been responsible for my entire digital presence and all design-related requirements I have.”

A Rasoi that serves love

The menu at Rajni’s Rasoi is a blend of authentic Marwari, continental & seasonal food. Rajni treasures the family recipes picked up from her mom and mother-in-law. The popularity of dishes like Baked Potato & Bean Burger is a testimony to the beauty of family recipes. No Sunday order is complete without the irreplaceable Dal Baati!

Rajni’s personal favorites such as assorted tarts, Quesadilla & Paneer Schezwan Cigars have been lapped up by food lovers across the city. About desserts she says “While desserts are not something I focus on too much, the ladoos were a big gifting attraction during Diwali. And my seasonal Sandesh, Strawberry currently & Mango previously, also see a lot of love.” What sets this venture apart is the simplicity and authenticity of its dishes. As Rajni says “Every piece has my soul poured into, and you would feel it with every bite! “

Future plans amidst the pandemic

It’s hard to plan an enterprise’s future amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic. However, with Corona-Virus still looming large, a lot of people are still scared to eat food from outside. That’s where this startup ensures people get to satisfy their craving for “something yummy” while still maintaining the safety of eating home food.

Currently, they’re planning on launching a special Salads menu keeping in mind a lot of people prefer starting the year on a healthier note. Over the next 5 years, the key aim will be to really establish the brand in the catering & gifting market as there’s tremendous potential in both sectors!

To know more visit – https://www.rajnisrasoi.com/

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“A good spice often deceives us into thinking that someone is a good cook.” ~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Spices (masala) are undoubtedly the most indispensable items in every Indian kitchen.  Add a dash of your favourite spice and viola! Witness the magical transformation of a bland dish into a delicious one. Spice marketing in India is largely dominated by 2-3 key players who’ve been in the business for centuries. However, instead of competing with the big established names, the firebrand duo of culinary expert Urmila Sawant and entrepreneur Aarti Vikas Samant launched Masala Tokri to chase customers who are seeking good quality, natural and chemical free products. In fact, the products are 100% Natural and zero added chemicals or preservatives and the shelf-life of the products is one year.

How the journey began

Being a certified expert in spice processing technology and having 20 years of experience in the spices industry, Urmila Sawant started creating her own concoctions of Indian spices inspired by diverse food cultures in India. Soon she began selling her hand-pounded spices which were lapped up by customers from across the globe. In late 2018 digital marketer Aarti Samant noticed that her mother’s homegrown spices were becoming a talking point within the women community. Realizing the immense potential in this sector, in February 2019, Aarti Samant and Urmila Sawant launched Masala Tokri, a premium gourmet spice brand, hand-crafted and inspired by blends from local regions of India.

Unleashing the Magic of Masala Tokri

Describing the brand as “artisanal spice-mix brand, crafting blends from best-in-class natural ingredients from heart-land India”, the founders believe that by purchasing Masala Tokri products, you not only explore authentic regional cuisines but also help preserve traditional secret-recipes, which would otherwise get lost over time.

It’s head office is in Mumbai but the startup is available online also. The brand has captured Mumbai and Pune markets and their next go to market will be Gujarat. Some of the clients include Zida Impex LLP, Shital Innovative Foods, Haiko, Dorabjees, O basket.

Why Masala Tokri is the chosen one

The brand maintains extreme global standards when it comes to sourcing. The ingredients sourced are of A-grade export quality ingredients. Every recipe is curated from one heart-land region of India to give you that authentic local taste which is hard to find otherwise. The products are chemical & preservative free & are freshly pounded in their own Masala Chakkis, thus helping retain flavor better and providing a coarser texture to give you the most authentic regional taste.

Planning the next leg of the journey

Currently the focus is on expansion trajectory in the offline market capturing one city at a time. Exports might be initiated by mid 2021. About their dreams, the duo says “In the next 5 years, our ambition is to create a Pan-India reach and be available in every single gourmet store in India. The intent is to bring diverse flavours of Indian food culture to every nook and corner of our country. “

To know more visit – https://www.masalatokri.com/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/masala_tokri/

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Food in Bhutan is as mystique and varied as the land of Bhutan itself. People here love to eat and feed. Although Bhutanese cuisine remains relatively unexplored in India, few restaurants have begun drawing in crowds by claiming to serve “authentic” Bhutanese fare. However, most of them end up being poor replicas of the original delicacies. Launched on 10th October 2018 by a Bhutan born foodie-lawyer Avinash Singh, Momomia is a food solutions startup that “treats Mumbai with steaming plates of goodness, right from the heart of Nature’s own Bhutan”.

Chasing the Vision

What you envision is what you achieve. Momomia’s vision is to make authentic Bhutanese cuisine accessible to the urban masses. Avinash’s larger goal, however is “to give the cuisine that I have grown up savoring every day, a global identity”

 Journey towards creation of  Momomia 

Living in the fiery city of Mumbai hasn’t quite managed to weaken Avinash’s bond with his roots in Bhutan. He continues to carry the essence of Bhutan wherever he goes. It’s interesting how a practicing lawyer changed his career path and became an entrepreneur. In his own words “A 9-to-12 job at a tier-one law firm warrants that any fresh university graduate eventually molds themselves into that sort of lifestyle. Luckily or otherwise, I wasn’t one to succumb.

With a family history of being your own boss, I’d always wanted to start something where success and failure would be my own to cherish or lament over. That’s how this started. One fine morning, I quit the law firm and got going. And a special mention to my partner from Bangalore who’s come on board and has helped me propel the business forward since the past one year.” 

And so he began by revamping the model, foreseeing opportunities in adversities, innovate and improve during pandemic along with steely determination and Noble intentions was one of the key drivers to our brand “Momomia”.

Momomia’s magical delights

Momomia is an emerging startup that primarily deals in ready-to-eat Bhutanese delicacies. There are multiple franchise owners that source products from here and run successful sit-down restaurants across Mumbai. Momomia has very recently begun distributing to giant grocery chains like Reliance Fresh and Big Basket and thriving too. These sumptuous momos have been savoured in college festivals, flea markets, corporate offices all across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Momo Mia’s products bring to you the kind of taste that absolutely no one in the market offers. If you want to taste “the virgin, gourmet taste of Bhutan”, this is your destination.

Looking into the future

It’s been a dream come true for founder Avinash. Both he and his Partner have toiled hard to create a reliable brand that’s slowly grabbing eyeballs thanks to their uncompromising attitude when it comes to quality of food and service. As he says “Some days it breaks my back, being a one-man-crew is not easy. At the risk of sounding generic, Momo Mia is my baby, my pet project. The thought of that keeps me going.”

Currently the focus is on Ready to Eat Momos that they’ve been manufacturing with a goal to expand across tier 1/2/3 cities. In 5 years, Avinash dreams to see his beloved Momomia delicacies stocked up in the refrigerators of practically every household across the country and abroad.

To know more visit – https://www.instagram.com/momomia_mumbai/

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