Dal chawal palida, mutton kheema kebab ni tarkari, nargis kebab, dabba gosht, kaari chawal, chicken angaara and raan: these exotic sounding dishes are just a sample of what Munaf Kapadia has been eating his entire life, thanks to his mother Nafisa. “Every day, before leaving for work, I’d ask her what she would be making for dinner. It gave me something to look forward to, and I’d also prepare my stomach,” says the CEO — that’s Chief Eating Officer — of The Bohri Kitchen (TBK), a Mumbai-based lunch concept quite unlike anything seen before.
The Kapadias are a typical Bohri family who love their food, and with Nafisa being a great cook, Munaf had been toying with the idea of showcasing her talent and his community’s food for a few years. One morning, while he asked her his ritual question, it struck him that what sounded so normal to him might sound exotic to anyone who doesn’t know about their food.
“That evening, my mother and I put together a menu and I sent it off to 50 of my friends, telling them that if they are interested, they could have lunch at my home that weekend. But this time, it would have to be paid for. They loved the idea, passed it on and everyone who turned up that day loved the food and the concept,” says Munaf. Mother and son also roped in the father, Turab Kapadia, and TBK was born.
This was 10 months ago, and in the short period since, their popularity has soared. Bringing their food and concept outside Mumbai for the first time, TBK has collaborated with Ashvita Bistro to bring the same experience to Chennai this weekend, with lunch and dinner menus. “We have never marketed ourselves beyond creating a presence on social media. It has all been organic and through word-of-mouth. This works, because we are inviting people into our personal space, and we want to make sure their credentials are right. I call it the no-serial-killer policy,” says Munaf, explaining their selection process. “You don’t book a seat for one of our lunches, you apply for it. So I’ve had people sending me long Facebook messages about themselves and their background and about mutual acquaintances. It really helps to know that people really like what we have to offer,” he adds.
Even coming to Chennai was not something TBK was actively looking to do. Ashvin Rajagopalan, owner of Ashvita, visited Munaf and Nafisa, and discussed the possibility of having their exact same concept here. “It just happened. I also wanted to see how people here react to mom’s food,” says Munaf.
Nafisa, however, still can’t understand what all the fuss is about. “I cook normal food only. It’s everyday food in the sense that we have these dishes regularly, but probably wouldn’t have all of them on the same day. It involves a lot of slow cooking; the meat flavours really influence the taste of the dishes, so a mutton dish and a prawn dish cooked in the exact same gravy will come out tasting completely different,” she says.
Some of the specialities Nafisa makes, and which will be served in Chennai, are the smoked mutton kheema samosas, raan (leg or shoulder of lamb marinated for two days and served in red curry) and Bohri fried chicken (coated in breadcrumbs and egg, and pan-fried). Reminiscing, she says, “When I was young, the entire chicken used to be fried. Now it’s just the drumsticks. Even Bohris want new items on the menu, and so our caterers offer souffles and chicken manchurians.”
Munaf adds that the reason Bohri food has not been commercialised is because the caterers get enough business from within the community. But he intends to change this. He recently quit his job to dedicate his attention to TBK. “I’ve decided to make it bigger. And it’s all because of how good a cook my mother is,” he says.
How The Kitchen works: Apply via their Facebook page (advisable to apply two weeks in advance). If you pass their “no serial killer policy”, you will receive a confirmation call. You will then be added to a WhatsApp group, with all the other approved diners for that day; you’ll be given the menu, and advised on best practices (like not wearing tight clothes because it might get uncomfortable after the big meal). Arrive at 12.30 p.m. to the Kapadias house; lunch begins at 1 p.m. TBK has a ‘scam thaal’: food is served on a thaal, from which guests can help themselves.
Date and Time: October 9 to 11, 1 p.m. (lunch) and 8 p.m. (dinner)
Special menus for Saturday’s dinner and Sunday’s lunch at Rs. 2,500 per head, other menus at Rs. 1,999
Venue: Ashvita Bistro, 11, Bawa Road, Alwarpet
Tel: 97910 88189 for bookings
