After a day of labour and studies, families get together, rewind old memories, share stories, and eat a meal. In a similar setting at a Chennai home, twice a month friends and strangers gather and become a chosen family for the evening.
As you step inside, it is not the aesthetics of the space that first captures attention but the details that make it a home — the scent of jasmine flowers, the lingering aroma of incense sticks, and soft Carnatic instrumental music playing in the background. Together, these familiar comforts awaken the senses and set the stage for an evening of food, conversation, and connection.
A fruity aroma leads guests to the dining area. Here, glasses of panakam — an heirloom recipe — await them, offering a respite from the heat. Within minutes, plates are passed around, stories are exchanged, and laughter follows.
The walls bear witness to these meet-ups. Organising these are S Narayanan, a retiree, and Saroja Narayanan, a homemaker-turned-businesswoman, aided by their granddaughter, Shriya Srivatsan.
What began as a shared dream to open a “cute café” has now materialised into ‘Paati’s Veedu’, a supper club hosted at their home. “Recently, she (Shriya) saw the growing culture of supper clubs in the city and thought why not paati-thatha’s recipes! I was very confused at first, I still am a little scared about how to be when everyone comes and if people will like it or if it’s even fine to be doing it at this age, but seeing the response makes me feel very happy and excited,” shares Saroja, the chef. The food she cooks is served by Narayanan.
The couple open up their home bi-monthly between 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm, serve a vegetarian nine- or 10-course meal priced at `2,500 per person, and pepper it with interesting anecdotes of their travels and games. “Paati has lived in Abu Dhabi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kumbakonam. In all these places, our house has always been open to everyone. People have come and always eaten, never gone back with empty stomachs. So starting a supper club seemed normal,” explains Shriya, adding, “She always loved doing things for others and making people smile, which translates through her cooking now.”
Saroja started learning cooking when she turned 13. But has been actively working her magic in the kitchen since her early 20s, after marriage. “She’s constantly thinking about ‘how can I develop?’ ‘How can I make it better?’ ‘How can I improve?’ And that’s so amazing for someone her age,” notes Shriya.
Home is her haven, and Saroja prefers a meal within these four walls. On rare occasions when they step out, Narayanan ensures she eats well. “Granddad, personally, will go inside the kitchen and request the chef to cook food according to grandma’s liking. He would say, “She won’t eat onions, so avoid adding them. She won’t have too spicy food,” and details like that,” she adds.
On the contrary, just like most Indian moms, Saroja brings restaurant-like taste to home. “We keep telling her to follow her recipe and cook because we like what she cooks. Her recipes taste the best,” beams Shriya.
These experiments and her travel taught her to cook most regional cuisines. Like the dhokla on the menu, that is served after the panakam. “It’s a recipe she learnt in Bangalore from her neighbour. Then she started experimenting with it up till now on her own,” shares Shriya.
After dhokla comes Narayanan’s “contribution”. An unnamed sweet made of banana and walnut. “Back when we were living in Abu Dhabi, I used to host a lot of friends. While my wife prepared dishes, I made this sweet before everyone came,” shares Narayanan, who does not actively cook anymore but has taken on chopping duties.
The menu is typically fixed and curated by the trio. It is customised only in two circumstances — to accommodate guests with allergies or dietary restrictions, and for larger groups of more than eight people, such as family gatherings or corporate dinners.
After the upcoming edition in June, they are planning for a traditional South Indian lunch, where the guests can also indulge in games like aadu puli attam and pallankuzhi. There are also plans to do a modern take on paati’s dishes, and serve specialised menus during different times of the year. “The club is just for people to experience them and also for me to give back to them. But for however long they do, I know they’ll do it with love. We aim for people to come in as strangers and leave as a family,” concludes Shriya.
The next meet up at ‘Paati‘s Veedu’ is on June 27. For details, follow @paatithatha_diaries on Instagram.