We’ve got a huge food wastage problem in India, and it’s really not helped by the sizes of portions in restaurants here. It’s not their fault per se, I mean any less and it’d seem miserly, but it’s an all-encompassing issue that really could be solved with a few good ideas. That’s how Roma Malhotra got the idea to do start The South Delhi kitchen.
Now before the cliches start pouring in, know that this isn’t just another haughty South Delhi restaurant, this one’s actually looking to do a whole lot of good. That’s because The South Delhi Kitchen aims to be India’s first community eating cafe. Roma, along with a few others, set the cafe up with tables donated by people who had them lying around. You might now be getting an idea about the aesthetic of the place – simplicity, practicality, and a sensible usage of food.
The cafe encourages people to eat as a community at these tables, sharing meals, networking, meeting new people, maybe even splitting bills. One of the main aspects is that food shouldn’t go to waste. You see that happening at pretty much every major restaurant, where there’ll always be someone who’s left a half eaten but perfectly edible pizza behind because they misjudged their appetite. The government is also after restaurants to reduce their portions, and Roma feels that this is a better solution to curb food wastage than governmental rules.
“I felt guilty when I couldn’t finish my food at a restaurant, but people had inhibitions when I put forth the idea of sharing food. I felt like I had to do something, so I decided to start a cafe based around the idea of community eating. Apart from curbing food wastage, it’ll also help people network and break down barriers between people,” said Roma while speaking to ScoopWhoop.
The South Delhi Kitchen will start serving on the 16th of June at Shahpur Jat, New Delhi, and I, for one, can’t wait to go check it out.
All images courtesy of The South Delhi Kitchen.