Arul Jyothi Restaurant

If you go to MG Road at Statue Junction in Thiruvananthapuram, you will see us right opposite the Secretariat. This is a very busy part of the city, and being across from the government offices means we have a lot of people coming in for breakfast and lunch. The atmosphere is usually quite loud because of the traffic outside and the constant chatter of customers. We have been here for quite some time, and the interior is simple and functional. The staff is always moving fast to clear tables because there is usually someone waiting to sit down. My day usually involves managing the cash counter and making sure the kitchen is keeping up with the orders. We serve traditional food that the local people like, and we don't try to be anything else. When there are protests or events at the Secretariat, the whole street gets blocked and things get even more chaotic. We just keep serving tea and meals through it all. The fans are always running at full speed to keep the place cool, but the Kerala heat still finds its way in. It’s a lot of work to keep a restaurant running in such a central location, but we are used to the pace. We don’t have a mission statement or anything like that; we just open the shutters every morning and start cooking for the day’s crowd.