CHENNAI: In Kolathur, fluffy idlis for Rs 10 are pure love. The discreet North Chennai suburb primarily catering to the low- and middle-income segments, can’t ignore this small eatery, now teeming with activities. The hot-selling menu has got irresistible dosas too, for Rs 50.
Jeeva and the 10-member team of trans persons, who opened the Chennai outlet of Trans Kitchen a couple of weeks ago, are a happy lot. Compliments for their lip-smacking food galore and customers continue to swarm the eatery. They are also receiving catering orders for festivals and private functions. Sounds like a dream come true. Or, so is a common perception.
But it comes with a price. Although trans people are usually good cooks, the public is yet to develop a palate for what they cook, says Jeeva. After parting with the family as a 13-year-old, Jeeva came under the wings of the founder of the Transgender Rights Association. Five trans men and five trans women were chosen from among 80 trans persons and were trained by the Sai International Institute of Hotel Management in Saidapet.
Acceptance is mostly an elite concept. While HSBC, courtesy NGO United Way of Chennai’s nudge, readily agreed to fund Chennai Trans Kitchen’s launch, “no landlord came forward to rent out their shop to us because of our gender.” After serious scouting for a suitable place at Madhavaram, Perambur and other neighbouring localities, their perseverance led them to the shop at the GKM colony in Kolathur.
It has a noble aim to provide trans persons with a sustainable income. Jeeva set it up in association with Swasti, an NGO working for the well-being of marginalised communities. Priya Babu, who is the regional programme manager of Swasti and a trans woman, says that the state got its first Trans Kitchen in Coimbatore in 2019. While the Covid-19 pandemic dented expansion plans, another such restaurant was set up in Madurai in 2021 before adding a third outlet in Chennai.
Promising to extend their help to any trans person interested in running a business, Priya Babu said, “Trans people are now employed in a host of sectors, including medicine, law enforcement, and politics. We hope the public’s views on trans people change for the better and the conversations among genders go smoothly.”
Jeeva already has plans to open more restaurants in and around the city to provide employment to trans persons and help them get inducted into mainstream society. But for now, if anyone is craving a plate of idlis with fish curry, biriyani, noodles, or fish curry meals at pocket-friendly prices, you got only one destination.