A taste of Punjab

A taste of Punjab

Most of us dream of pursuing our passion but because of family pressure, the need of a stable job and endless excuses, we fail to do so. However, 27-year-old Harsha Gandhi, an IT professional, decided to give up her well-paying job to start her own eatery, Punjabi Bhukkad. It has created a name for itself in Pashan for serving authentic Punjabi food, along with Burgers, Chole Bhature, Chinese dishes, Sandwiches, Rolls, Thali etc. Everything on the menu is pure vegetarian. 

Gandhi, who hails from Anandpur Sahib, near Chandigarh, started Punjabi Bhukkad one-and-a-half years ago. The enterprising entrepreneur says, “I am a big foodie and was always interested in cooking. When I was in college, I would cook for my friends and when I was working I would cook for my colleagues. They raved about my food and asked me to start my own restaurant. I too wanted to get into the food business.” 

Initially, she started cooking at home and had the food delivered. “I wanted to give homemade food to my customers. Also, I did not want to jump straight into the restaurant business so for more than three months, I took orders and prepared at home. I would make authentic Punjabi dishes. As the business grew, I decided to start my own place,” shares Gandhi, who moved to Pune six years ago. 

She says that she tried balancing her job and the food business but it didn’t work out, so she left her  job a few months back. “I wanted to completely focus on the business,” she says. Now, Gandhi has employed cooks because she needs to take care of other aspects of the business. However, she has made sure that the cooks are from Patiala, so that the food remains true to its taste. “I have trained them,” she says adding, “I can no longer cook or be at the kitchen because I have to take care of the management and finances of the restaurant.”   

That said, convincing her family wasn’t easy, considering she was leaving a well-paid job to become an entrepreneur. “When I started cooking from home, I had not informed my family because I knew they wouldn’t welcome it. However, I had to tell them when I started the eatery. My family is still not happy and they keep telling me to shut the place and go back to my job. I had also asked my younger brother to come and help me initially with the business. I am giving my family time to come around,” she says, adding, “They are concerned about how I will run the place on my own (smiles).”   

Because Pashan has several small and big offices and companies, Punjabi Bhukkad’s menu is designed accordingly. “I am focusing on the office-going crowd. We have Thalis, Parathas etc. We have customised the dishes because a lot of people are health conscious so instead of using maida, we prepare the Paratha or Naan with wheat. We do not use butter if requested by the costumer and make many such changes,” she says. 

The dishes have been competitively priced. “I have also changed the menu over time and researched on what kind of dishes customers like,” adds Gandhi. 

Do not miss their Aloo Onion Paratha. Served with an onion and tomato gravy and homemade dahi, it was delectable. The gravy just added to the taste of the Paratha, which was filling and enough for one person. The Honey Chilli Potato, Stuffed Naan, Chole Bhature, Mushroom Duplex, Rabri, Kheer, Veg Bullet, Aloo Tikki Chaat and Paneer Tikka Sandwich are some of the must-try dishes. 

Gandhi is learning something new everyday about the business. “When I started off, I had no idea about running a restaurant. But slowly, I am learning. From getting in touch with local vendors and delivery partners, to doing the marketing to managing manpower, I am gaining experience. We have had several hits and trials. That said,  the graph of the business is growing,” she says.  

Not just the food but a heart-to-heart chat with Gandhi on being fearless and following your dreams makes your visit to Punjabi Bhukkad worth it. 

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