COVID-19 has affected our industry like no other. Restaurant business works with the presence of people around. Dining out, partying with friends, music live gigs are the things on which our industry survives. But as social distancing is the need of the hour, we, as responsible restaurateurs, suspended our operations even before the government declared lockdown.
With no source of revenue, our industry is at its worst phase now. So much so that even after things settle down, people will take time to get back to the old normal.I am living with my partner Natasha Jain, and we have a help to take care of the house chores. We are maintaining personal and home hygiene to the best of our ability. To start with, we have nobody coming to our home. Staff members such as drivers, cleaners, and guards, etc., have been instructed to be at home. We just go out once a week to get groceries and other basic essentials. While stepping out, it’s mandatory for the help to use disposable gloves and face masks. Fruits and vegetables are cleaned before being brought to the kitchen.
In this quarantine, the hidden chef in me has got wings. I am cooking a lot. I tried my hands at different dishes. Thai Krapow, Kaali Mirch Chicken, Shrimp and Egg Fried Rice, Keema and Kulcha, and many more. Other than this, I am spending a lot of time playing video games and watching Netflix series. In a way, I have got this leisure break for the first time in my life. In all this, I am also thinking about my next restaurant concept.
This phase is surely not good when it comes to restaurants being closed and absolutely no work. I had to visit Goa early March, new menus were to be launch at eateries, and a vacation abroad, all of which got cancelled.But on personal front I am enjoying the ‘me-time’ as well as ‘we-time’ with my partner. I am living in the moment.
Meanwhile, I don’t see the situation settling down anytime soon, but if social distancing and lockdown are curbing the spread and slowing it down, we are in support of the decision.
First Fiddle Restaurants CEO Priyank Sukhija, 40, spoke to Nikita Sharma