Mumbai: Mumbaikars can now savour the rich flavours of homemade delicacies from across the country, all delivered right to their doorstep for a truly convenient and delightful dining experience! And yes, they’re cooked in the most serene environment with bhajans (hymns) playing in the background!
As you place your food order from Eat Fest by Annie, you can be assured that it’s the place where you’ll not only satisfy your taste buds but also enjoy authentic, home-styled food. For many, it evokes emotions as the taste resonates with the flavours of their grandmother’s or mother’s cooking. It’s time to connect with our roots and inner self and rediscover the joy of food overshadowed by fast food and restaurant meals.
Anuradha Gaba, the founder of ‘Eat Fest by Annie’ and having run it for the past one and a half years, says, “It is not a complex recipe; I keep it simple. Also, I firmly believe that food must be prepared with a pure mind and a good heart. Hence, there is always a bhajan in the background when my team and I cook food in my kitchen. We should also know the kind of food we eat determines our thoughts, so my aim is always to prepare food in a good frame of mind that produces good vibes.”
How it all started for the Solopreneur
She shares more input about Annie’s kitchen: “I started with dahi bhalla, which sold fast and was widely appreciated by everyone who ordered. I was prompted to create a WhatsApp group to take orders, and the demand has been overwhelming! It also makes me happy that our expanding kitchen meant I was able to give work to more unemployed women and teach them a new craft that quickly grew. As a result, I had to appoint more women to help in the kitchen.”
Mom-cooked food was always healthy
Gaba’s entrepreneurial skills pushed her to go beyond her kitchen. She decided to tap into the cooking talents of women across the country. She created a system that brought pickles and sweets from different regions in Mumbai. This initiative saw Mumbaikars access and relish authentic food from diverse backgrounds and regions across the region. It also marked a significant step towards empowering women.
Talking about healthy food, she says, “Our mothers never made a fuss about healthy food because whatever they made was healthy. Like Adai, made on different days, is the best source of protein. Home-cooked food is always healthy.”
Gaba attributes her culinary skills to (her) genetics: “My mother was an excellent cook who ran a successful cooking business and was interviewed on several TV shows on Doordarshan. I am just carrying forward an art that has come down generations, which only brings smiles.”
Among many other items, Gaba’s bel sharbat and aam panna are must-tries. The pickles and sweets are made by kitchen veterans. Another highlight of her kitchen is its commitment to a zero-waste policy.
Multi-talented, she has her hands full
From taking orders for all occasions to catering to daily food needs, Gaba has her hands full with numerous orders. For instance, she prepared a diverse array of dishes and sweets for Diwali.
Gaba is a consulting psychologist and also conducts workshops on topics like healing through spirituality and stress management.
