KARAIKUDI CHETTINAD RESTAURANT

Our place is on Civil Lane Road in Palarivattom. It's right opposite the BSNL Telephone Exchange, so we get a lot of their staff coming in for lunch. It’s a very busy part of Ernakulam. The traffic outside never really stops. We focus on Chettinad dishes because that's what we know best. It takes a lot of effort to get the spice blends right every single morning. I usually get here before the sun is up to start the prep work. The kitchen is loud with the sound of knives hitting boards and the exhaust fan humming. We don't have a lot of space, so things can get a bit tight during the lunch rush. We use stainless steel plates because they're easy to clean and they last forever. My youngest brother helps out with the serving. He’s faster than I am now. We don't bother with fancy lighting or decorations. People come here to eat, not to look at the walls. Sometimes the monsoon makes everything damp, and we have to keep mopping the floor so nobody slips. It’s a straightforward business. We buy our groceries from the local market and we cook until it’s all gone. There are no secrets to it, just keeping the stove hot and the customers fed. We’ve been here for years and we’ve seen the neighborhood change a lot. It is just our way of making a living in this city.