Patel Snacks

Being inside the Unique Industrial Estate in Chembur East means we get a lot of people coming in from the factories and offices nearby. We are right off NG Acharya Marg, not far from the station road at all. Most of our work happens in the early hours before the sun is even up properly. That’s when we get the frying started and the smell of the snacks begins to fill up our small corner. We don't have much of a seating area, just a counter where people stand and eat or grab a packet to take back to their desks. The industrial estate is always noisy with trucks and people moving boxes, so we fit right in. We’ve been at this spot for a while now. The walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but we spend most of our time focusing on the kitchen instead. Our staff is mostly local guys who live within walking distance. We don't use any fancy machines, just the same pots and pans we’ve always had. When the trains arrive at the station, we get a big rush of commuters looking for something quick. It gets pretty frantic for about an hour, then it settles down again. We keep everything in simple plastic bags or newspaper wraps. It’s nothing special to look at, but it’s honest work and it keeps us busy from Monday to Saturday. We like it that way.