Food Blaster

Our shop, Food Blaster, is at No 425 on Anna Salai in Pondicherry. We are right across the street from the old Rathna Theatre, which is a big landmark around here. When there is a popular movie playing, the whole street gets incredibly crowded with bikes and people, and we definitely feel that energy. Most of our day is spent in the kitchen or behind the counter. Pondicherry can be very hot and sticky, so we’re always making sure the drinks are cold and the fans are running full speed. We do a lot of cleaning because the dust from Anna Salai tends to drift in when the doors are open. It’s a straightforward operation where we focus on getting the food out to the people who are often in a hurry. We have a few small tables, and we spend time making sure they are wiped down between customers. The staff here is local, and we’ve gotten used to the noise of the traffic and the horns outside. It’s a lot of repetitive work, like checking the gas cylinders and making sure we haven't run out of anything important. We don't really have any fancy decorations, just the basics that we need to keep the place running. It’s just us doing our thing on a busy street, day in and day out. We just hope the electricity stays on so the fans keep spinning through the afternoon heat.