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Home style restaurants run by women entrepreneurs is the latest trend

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It’s never late in finding your element. There is abundant evidence that opportunities to discover our Element exist more frequently in our lives than many might believe. It’s just that, we need to grab the opportunity. We just need to listen to our heart and do what we love to do.

People are becoming increasingly passionate about food, and not just about eating it. Cooking is no longer viewed merely as a profession for chefs, but has caught the fancy of many others too. Thus, more and more people are coming forward to brush up their culinary skills. And this time the housewives is what we are talking about.

Home makers have now decided to come out in the open world and live their dreams and what best way to fill those hungry stomachs craving for groovy food.

We got to speak to young women entrepreneurs who have begun just recently as entrepreneurs; Prajakta Shahpurkar of “Queens Kitchen” and Vidya Gurudut Pai of “ Meat and Eat”.

Recently Prajakta Shahpurkar opened “Queens Kitchen” which serves Mutton, Chicken, Egg, Fish and Veg Thalis all Maharashtrain style. We caught up with her and asked her about her restaurant –

Prajakta shahpurkar queens kithcen
Prajakta Shahpurkar cooking at her Dream place Queens Kitchen Belagavi

What made you start the restaurant ?
Prajakta –—->I have participated in cooking competitions in Kolhapur for Mejwani paripoorna kitchen queen 2014 in which I won the title of Kolhapur kitchen queen from among 200 contestants which was a proud moment and it was my first step towards Maharashtra kitchen queen competition and eventually I wont the tittle of Mejwani Maharastra kitchen Queen. This made me realise that I can cook well and hence the idea to open Queens Kitchen, which will also give me more scope to experiment.

Is cooking your passion ?
Prajakta –—->I love cooking and I started cooking from the age of 6 and as any other young kid helped my mother in the kitchen. My parents have restaurant and dairy business in Kolhapur and the first ever Dosa I prepared was in our own restaurant then followed it up with Udin wada, Pav bhaji etc.
Everyone used to praise me at my cooking skills. My family was my guru who taught me each day how to cook.

Reaction from family when you told them you wanted to start a restaurant?
Prajakta –—->My husband and my kids are the main pillar for my achievements. But my guru Vishnu Manohar (Celebrity Chef) is the person who guided me all the way. My Mother, Brother, my in laws gave me lot of confidence. For any women to be successful, family support is a must.

queens-kitchen belagaviWhat is your clientèle?
Prajakta –—->When I started my restaurant Queens kitchen the biggest worry for me was how am I going to get the customers as I haven’t done any advertisements but from day one my family and friends started visiting queens kitchen and they loved the food by mouth publicity I am doing good.

My restaurant has mainly family customers and students both girls and boys. I have a all women staff which makes it easy for the women to come and enjoy the food.

What are you immediate and future plans ?
Prajakta –—->I dream to own a place of my own and start Queens Kitchen there and still in future a chain of hotels.

What is a must eat at your restaurant ?
Black Mutton and tambda, pandhra rassa

You participated in cooking competitions and also worked with celebrity chefs, how was the experience.
Prajakta –—->The lifetime best experience was my queen competition and now my recipes are been telecast on Colors Marathi Mejwani Paripoorna kitchen. This show has given me super confidence.

Dishes Served
Home made food (Gharguthi style food)
Mutton Masala thali with Tambda Pandhra Rassa. Black Mutton thali, Black chicken thali, Chicken masala thali, egg curry thali, Veg curry thali, Keema thali.

Address: Queen’s Kitchen
First floor 119/A2, Shukrawar peth opposite Millennium garden, above Rahul furniture, Tilakwadi Belagavi.


Another home maker Vidya Gurudut Pai started “Meat and Eat” which also serves Non veg Thalis and also Fish Thalis. Vidya participated in cooking contests and she also participated in cooking show ” Khaadya Brahmanti” on Etv Marathi.
We caught up with her and asked her about her restaurant

Vidya Pai Cooking at her restaurant Meat n Eat Tilakwadi Belagavi
Vidya Pai Cooking at her restaurant Meat n Eat Tilakwadi Belagavi

What made you start the restaurant?
Vidya ––> I guess, its easy to say that entrepreneurship runs in the family. Our extended family also are into the same business of hospitality. I always wanted to start working on my own and supplement the income in the family. As both my kids were young, i did not find much time. As they are now old enough, i thought of this venture. My husband was also supportive and agreed to the idea. Then everything soon fell into its place.

Is cooking your passion?
Vidya ––>Yes. Indeed!!. I have always been into the culinary arts field. I come from a joint family where cooking has been always done on a much larger scale. I always enjoyed it and it keeps the mind stress free. It helps me in innovating and to execute multi tasks.

Reaction from family when you told them you wanted to start a restaurant?
Vidya ––>They are very supportive. The hotel is situated just below our house and hence i can always attend to urgent family needs. My mother in law is a house wife and takes care of our kids. I believe that family support is the number 1 requirement when u try to start a new business. I am happy that all my family members have given a big thumbs up to my venture.meat n eat belagavi

What is your clientèle ?
Vidya ––> Families have been our top customers. They have savored the food and have been repeat customers. They are trying out the different thalis and sometimes even take away parcels to enjoy when guests are at home. !

What are you immediate and future plans ?
Vidya ––> Its been just a month since i started the hotel. Immediate plan would be to sustain the quality of food and to advertise the hotel into the market. Its just in its infancy stage and with all this love and support showered i think the future is all set.

Must eat at the hotel
Sea food is a must eat at my hotel as it is authentic Konkan preparation.

Address: Meat n Eat
Behind Kalyani Sweets, First gate, Tilakwadi Belagavi

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