CHENNAI: This time last year, I was waiting impatiently in a lengthy queue to get my hands on a plateful of soft and crunchy Mysore bonda at Sastha Catering Services Porur’s stall, after attending a concert by violin brothers Kumaresh and Ganesh in Brahma Gana Sabha.
A year down, I’m seated at a sparsely populated shamiana set up by the same catering service inside the premises of Mylapore Fine Arts Club. While the pandemic and the resultant lockdowns in the past few months may have pushed the Margazhi music festival to the digital space and brought the sabha-hopping experience to a standstill, there’s no compromising on the food, it seems. Thanks to seasoned caterers like RK Venkatesan who are going the extra mile to keep the traditions alive, their business going and the rasikas happy.
The new normal Margazhi
Inaugurated on the evening of December 15, 2020, by philanthropist Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, Sastha Catering Services Porur is the official catering partner for Yours Truly, Margazhi — a complete programme of online concerts. A cheerful Venkatesan, the proprietor, greets me with folded hands, smiling behind his mask. As we get chatting over a cup of piping hot filter coffee, his phone constantly buzzes with calls from customers eagerly waiting to place their orders.
It doesn’t stop there as he humbly receives each and every person who drops by to enjoy the dine-in experience. “Patrons have been calling for many weeks to inquire if we will be having a canteen this year. The minute we announced the canteen was open, they were in for a pleasant surprise. While I was expecting a 70:30 ratio for delivery and dine-in, it turned out to be the other way round. That said, we’ve received 500 calls today for delivery. We’ve tied up with Dunzo and they have been cooperative to ensure things run smoothly. We cater to people from Parry’s Corner to Thoraipakkam,” elaborates Venkatesan, while discussing the evening menu with his head chef.
What’s on the menu
Even before Venkatesan officially announced the menu, the e-version of it comprising an elaborate range in breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner, started doing the rounds on social media. Apart from the staples, this season’s innovations include seventaste uttapam, pineapple dosa, kalkandu bath, gulkhand kasi halwa and varieties of payasam and bajjis.
“From Karnataka’s neer dosa to Andhra pesarattu, the idea is to offer a south Indian platter. Our paneer dosa is popular. In the case of lunch, the menu for a 20- item meal differs every day. Every item is neatly packed in individual boxes, arranged in a cardboard box and delivered to avoid spillage and to retain the heat. We’ve also stuck a picture on the box displaying the order in which each item in the menu needs to be consumed. We also provide mini-meals for `210 every day,” he explains. The menu can be shared on all days based on request.
Safety comes first
With an in-house kitchen and three live counters doling out coffee, snacks and dosa, Venkatesan and his team ensure patrons and staff are checked for their temperature. Their kitchen is sanitised every two hours and the employees are advised to wash hands every two hours. Staff wear a mask, gloves, and a head gap. The vegetables are washed with turmeric and salt in hot water. The food is served on disposable eco-friendly plates.
“The show is run by my staff of 30, who have been facing a rough time all through the pandemic. They have been asked to take ginger juice, kabasura kudineer and steam inhalation every day after work. What surprised me was that a few elderly patrons asked if they could drop by during less-crowded hours. We want everybody to be safe. All that matters is that my clientele is satisfied with the taste and quality that has earned us a name in the industry,” says Venkatesan, who’s been in this business for the past four years. “We’re doing the best to repay our loyalty to our patrons.
But, only time will tell how sustainable this model is going to be. With Christmas and New Year, I’m expecting more crowd in the days to come. We have all protocols in place and will be opening another space within the same premises to accommodate more people. We will also be partnering with another delivery service to meet the increasing online orders” assures Venkatesan.
The canteen will be open from
December 16- January 3. Timings: 7 30 am to 9 30 pm.
For details, address: Door #45, Musiri Subramaniam Rd, Kattukoil Garden, Mylapore
To pre-book, call: 6369243506 or WhatsApp 6369353037
Meeting demands
Upon rising demand, Venkatesan plans to introduce a range of sweets and savouries along with varieties of hand-pound podis. On January 1, a special Palakkad sadhya will be offered, he reveals.