Tamalika Caterer

We operate out of 33/1 Sasthitala Road, right across from where Sir Guru Das Banerjee used to live in Narkeldanga. It’s a busy house. There is always something cooking, and the smell of spices usually drifts out into the street. We do catering for weddings, birthdays, and the occasional office lunch. It’s mostly family and a few neighbors who help out when we have a big order to finish. Our kitchen isn't like those industrial ones you see on TV. It’s more like a regular home kitchen that just got bigger over time. We have huge pots that take two people to lift and stoves that are always running hot. We spend a lot of time peeling potatoes and chopping onions by hand. It’s hard on the back, but we’re used to it. Sometimes the delivery van gets stuck in the narrow lanes around Narkeldanga, and we have to carry the food containers the rest of the way ourselves. We don't have a fancy website or a marketing person to tell our story. Most people find us because they ate our food at a cousin's party and liked it. We just focus on making sure the rice is fluffy and the salt is right. It’s a lot of early mornings and late nights, especially during the wedding season. We just keep our heads down and keep the stoves lit. It’s honest work, really.