Over the years there have been certain restrictions for women to work after they get married so that they don’t compromise on their family commitments.
Millions of women have been the victim of these stereotypes, but come 2019, WhatsApp has changed the lives of such home chefs.
Like most, my mother went through the same societal norms after her marriage. Although she was keen to work, she was not allowed to. For years I and my sister kept nagging her to do something of her cooking talent but she was always hesitant.
But now, she is a proud homemaker-turned-business entrepreneur who is reaping the benefits of technology to fulfill their cherished dream of having a productive career by running a small enterprise.
How does this work?
Throughout the day my mother checks her WhatsApp group called Home Chefs that comprise several residents of our society as well as some from the neighboring societies. Sure enough, it was buzzing and that literally happens throughout the day.
A normal message calling out for orders goes like:
Last call for Dinner Options – making Tandoori Chicken wings-Rs 300 (10 pcs) with Mint chutney, Mutton Shammi kebabs-Rs 300 (6 pcs) with Mint chutney, Basil chicken-Rs 350 (serves 2), Paneer tikka-Rs 250 (8 big pcs).
Please request everyone to start placing your orders now as I can prepare accordingly & delivery starts after 6.30 pm onwards.
Once you place the order, it takes a maximum of half-hour until your hot and yummy food reaches your doorstep.
This proves how easily the network works. Residents of a locality collectively connect via a WhatsApp group to buy and sell food be it snacks, lunch, or dinner.
For my mother, it’s a sense of pride to show off her culinary skills and earn some money on the side at the same time. For the customers, it’s a chance to eat home food at a nominal price.
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It’s never too late
My mother and other home cooks are finding this opportunity to not only showcase their skills but to also help the community. An example of this is the fact that my mother is now known as the ‘aunty’ who makes delicious pickles and this has surely created a sense of bonding between other society members which was not possible otherwise.
I got to know that all home chefs in the group are above 40-45 years-old and some are even above 65. This just goes on to show that it’s never too late to do something of your own.
My mother is constantly busy in innovating with different items of food and making new recipes every week to cater to her buyers. She is happy in what she is doing and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Today, the group has over 240 home chefs who are following their passion in doing what they love and at the same time helping youngsters like us who don’t know how to cook in getting tasty homemade food.
A mantra for success
At a time when people are commuting for hours from work to home, it nearly looks impossible to go home and cook food. If you see this industry it is only bound to grow and there looks nothing that can stop it.
People find that sense of reliability in the food that is sold on these platforms. It’s like how the food will taste like if you cook it yourself. You might not trust the likes of Swiggy and Zomato but this is surely reliable.
One lady from our society was telling me about how she ordered a dessert from Swiggy which took more than an hour to deliver while a Gulab Jamun ordered from Home Chef reached her home in 15 minutes. This shows a sense of convenience is also very important.
Convenience, hygiene, reliability and “the taste of home” are some of the factors that have contributed to the growth story of such ventures and will keep doing so.
Image Credits: Google Images
Find the blogger at @AarooshJairath
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