Salsa is an amalgamation of SAL-oni + SA-gar. If I am the soul, she is the heart of the brand.” While explaining the thought behind naming his food delivery service, Salsa Kitchen, Sagar Bajaj, 33, also sums up his relationship with wife Saloni Vaid, 31.
Vaid works with a media house and looks after their visual content, and Bajaj is the Culinary Head of First Fiddle Chain of Restaurants. They started Salsa Kitchen in June 2020 from their residence in New Friends Colony. Salsa Kitchen, a baby venture, is a boutique kitchen that gives a wholesome culinary experience to the client.
“Apart from the regular menu, there’s a section opened for customisation, where the client can speak with the Chef to curate a specific dish. Our private catering is a hit, as clients like our personal touch,” adds Vaid.
The venture has successfully organised over 50 private events, and regularly updates the menu as per market demands, along with their weekly specials.
The journey
The two first met via an online matrimonial site in 2018, when Bajaj used to work in Mumbai. “The moment we spoke on the phone, I got attracted to her voice. And when we met, I was bedazzled by the sparkle in her eyes, and I still am. It started with an arranged meeting, but then we fell in love,” adds Bajaj.He proposed to her after dating for a few months. “My mom was ecstatic when I finally said yes, and Sagar’s parents were happy as well,” remembers Vaid. Bajaj took a transfer to Delhi and they got married on October 14, 2019. And they got busy with their respective jobs and setting up their new home.
And then the first lockdown was enforced, which led to restaurants and eateries being completely shut. “Sagar, who has never spent more than eight hours at home, was caged at home with absolutely nothing to do. Unlike my profession, for him WFH was not possible. To keep his passion of feeding people alive, I randomly suggested starting a take-away brand, which offers customised gourmet food. Niche dishes, selective delivery zones, home-cooked food by the chef himself.” adds Vaid, saying Sagar was apprehensive at first. “But the response we received in the initial days of soft launch made our commitment even stronger,” she adds.
As the second wave of Covid has made people more sceptical, Salsa Kitchen only works with a limited staff, and small menus’ consisting of signature dishes. “We spend a lot on health checks of our team and food hygiene. Our topmost priority is ensuring the safety of our clients and our team,” says Bajaj.
While Bajaj is the visionary and culinary head, Vaid handles brand building, creative development, and overall look and feel. “She has a creative bent of mind and her eye for detail is absolutely great. I am the people’s person; I know what my clients need. And cooking is my absolute expertise,” shares Bajaj.
For Vaid, working on Salsa Kitchen has been quite eventful. “Pre-pandemic, we hardly got time to spend with each other. Now, we have learned so much about each other, including our temperaments,” she adds. Vaid is the punctual and sceptical, Bajaj is the one who keeps it calm. She likes to plan things and he just lives in the moment. In such an equation, disagreements are inevitable.
“But we always respect each other’s thinking. We work on both of our ideas and come up with a balanced plan, so luckily no ego clashes,” adds Bajaj. The best thing about their work is food, which they never get bored of, shares the duo that loves to spoil each other with good food and watching a movie a day together is their deal. The couple plans to design more crafted gourmet brands, and have multiple outlets of Salsa Kitchen.
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