Chandrika Thakkar

I work out of my place in the B Building of Chandrika Thakkar, which is located in Lulla Nagar. It’s a home-style setup where most of the work happens right in the kitchen. Lulla Nagar is a busy residential area, and being based in a building means I’m right in the middle of the community. I don't have a large team or a big commercial storefront. It’s mostly just me and a bit of help when things get really busy. I focus on making food that tastes like it was made at home because it actually is. My days are filled with the sound of the pressure cooker and the smell of fresh spices being ground. People in the building and the surrounding streets know my name and what I do. It’s a lot of work to manage everything from a residential building, but I’ve found a way to make it work over the years. I spend a lot of my time sourcing vegetables from the local markets and making sure everything is prepped just right. There’s no big corporate office here, just a lived-in space where food is the priority. Sometimes the delivery guys have a bit of trouble finding the right wing in the building, but we usually sort it out. It’s a simple life, focused on cooking and making sure the orders are ready on time for the people who rely on me.