The name Kalpathy is synonymous with the agraharams or Tamil Brahmin homes in Palakkad. With an eye on promoting authentic Brahmin food, three men have started a social enterprise by converting one of the agraharams of New Kalpathy into a unique restaurant.
The restaurant named ‘Taste of Kalpathy’ not only offers a wide variety of traditional Brahmin food, but also satiates dozens of hungry stomachs every day as part of a social experiment. “It is a social enterprise, and we are making headway,” said Ramesh Iyer, one of the promoters of the venture.
Along with Venkitesh and Hariharan, Mr. Ramesh started the venture a few months ago. Within weeks, people started pouring in with the hope of tasting Kalpathy. And hardly anyone has left the place in disappointment.
From filter coffee to seva and ada, the ‘Taste of Kalpathy’ offers a wide variety of Brahmin food from 5.30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. “What makes it different is the food’s authenticity. We ensure that everything we serve is 100% traditional and authentic. We don’t compromise on any aspect of the food,” said Mr. Ramesh.
The names of dishes that go with a mid-day meal reveal that there is more to sambhar on an agraharam menu. “We serve different curries like moru koottan, rasa kaalan, and mulaku koottan on different days. Kalpathy has a different taste. It is a huge brand, and a huge responsibility too. That’s exactly why we named it ‘Taste of Kalpathy’,” said Mr. Ramesh.
According to K.S. Krishna, president of the New Kalpathy Gramajana Samooham, ‘Taste of Kalpathy’ is symbolic of the hospitality of the agraharams in Palakkad.
“One can feel that hospitality in this restaurant,” said Mr. Krishna. “It is a great social enterprise, as it employs over a dozen people even when reaching out to dozens of others with free food,” he said.
Interestingly, majority of the people reaching Taste of Kalpathy are non-Brahmins. “It is my third visit here. And I just love the taste of their food,” said Manoj Kumar, a trader from Kuzhalmannam.
It was COVID-19 that prompted Mr. Ramesh and team to start the venture. “There was a time when caterers refused to serve food to COVID-19-affected people. That crisis was the inspiration for us. We reached out to thousands of people with food. And still we continue to give free food to 40-50 people a day,” he said.
Although ‘Taste of Kalpathy’ charges nominal rates for its dishes, no hungry stomach will be denied food there because of lack of money. “We don’t discriminate. We treat everyone alike,” said Mr. Ramesh.
According to Karimpuzha Raman, president of the Kerala Brahmana Sabha, the name itself is a commitment. “It is a great branding for Kalpathy and its heritage,” he said.
