CHENNAI: Although food trucks on beaches are often popular, the queue I was in at Besant Nagar left me with a severe leg ache. The two-month-old Kuchice is one for ice-cream lovers but an extensive line had formed just for their gourmet popsicles. A Vespa pulls this vintage cart, giving Kuchice owned by Ramya Unnikrishnan, Vicky, and Rizwan a contemporary flavour.
“We’ve seen videos and reels of popsicle carts with extravagant flavours abroad. So we thought of giving it a try here in Chennai. We knew as long as we were able to give people good quality and tasty products, it would work. And it is coming up well,” says Ramya.
Kuchice recently gained popularity online, thanks to influencers. “Two hundred of our popsicles were gone in less than two hours, showing how busy we’ve been recently. All credit goes to the Instagram influencers. Ever since, we’ve been seeing long lines and selling out soon,” she shares.
A blowtorch is used to melt the popsicle that is stored inside the cart at a -16oC. The bizarre concept allows the customer to relish the treat right from the first bite. The gourmet flavours are prpared fresh daily in their kitchen in Adyar. “Once we are sold out for the day, we go back to our kitchen. Throughout the night, we work on the popsicles as it takes almost 6-8 hours to set in the freezer,” Ramya explains, to which Vicky adds,
“We did a lot of research on flavour combinations and watched a lot of dessert-making shows, like MasterChef, just to get an idea of flavours and combinations. Previously, we had a dessert cloud kitchen and that has been our only experience. We prepare the ice-creams ourselves. We’ve just recently added two more staff members.”
Flavour palate
Flavours at Kuchice constantly change to keep customers interested. Vicky says, “We started this business not just for profit, but also because we are passionate about desserts. We experiment with new flavours. Every month, we try to introduce four or five new ones. Eventually, we will remove some old flavours and retain customer favourites.” The most popular flavours are Theobroma’s Five Layers of Chocolate, Callebaut Chocolate, S’mores, Chocolate and Rum, Hershey’s Cookies and Cream, Mango Cheesecake and Banganapali Mango. There are a few vegan sorbet bites on their menu and they intend to introduce more in the future.
Theobroma is made of chocolate ganache, white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and cookie crumbs. The first bite is a welcoming combination of ganache and crumbs but the smooth flavours are soon replaced with an explosion of chocolate overdose. For those in search of a less chocolately option, S’mores reigns supreme. It is made with milk chocolate and is served with toasted marshmallows and biscuit powder. The marshmallow melts on your tongue, enveloping your palate in a heavy cream of sorts. The flavour has a texture that is influenced by hot chocolate. The biscuit powder brings more piquancy and sweetness.
At Kuchice, you can find a unique take on whiskey and choclolate in the Chocolate and Rum flavour. The goodness of the familiar chocolate ice-cream is spiced with rum oil. Although it is alcohol-free, it nevertheless has a strong rum flavour that leaves you with a tingle down your throat. This is best eaten as a dessert after a three-course meal.
Spreading its wings
“We haven’t started taking party orders but with a notice in advance. We are eagerly waiting for our first event order. Team Kuchice is all ready to relish the guests at parties soon,” Ramya shares, adding, “Our growth has not been an easy journey. It’s months of hardwork and sleepless nights for us to prove we are capable of handling our business.
It was tough for all three of us to sit in an office and work, so we chose this. But this is more adventurous than a 9-5 job.” Taking this passion far and wide, Kuchice is soon to establish more outlets in and around the neighbourhood and add flavour to their customers’ lives.
The popsicles range from Rs 80 to Rs 180. Kuchice opens at Besant Nagar Beach from 6 pm onwards.
For details, call: 9150152058