07 April,2014 09:04 AM IST | | Dhara Vora
Enjoy certified delicious home-cooked fare across 11 countries and many Indian cities on your travels, or simply savour new experiences with foodie enterprise, MealTango
Meal Tango
Several food lovers would agree that there is nothing like a home-cooked meal. It's this thought that lead husband-wife duo, Saket Khanna and Neeta Valecha to start a unique food enterprise that opens homes of several great home cooks so you get to savour a warm, tasty meal.
The Afsharian family hosting a Navroze meal for MealTango guests in New Jersey
"While studying in the UK, though Indian food was available in restaurants, my friends always wanted to sample Indian food at someone's home. Later, while travelling across the UK, we stayed at the home of this very warm British family and got a taste of authentic British food, and hospitality. This is when we felt that the best way to get up close and experience the culture of a community is to connect through food with the local residents," reveals 33-year-old Khanna of MealTango's origins. The project was launched in summer last year. To try the home-cooking experience, simply log on to their website, check the profile of the host family and pick one according to the cuisine of your choice.
The payment can be made online. MealTango also arranges occasional food workshops. In India, they are present in Kodaikanal, Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Jabalpur and Chennai, where one can indulge in Punjabi, Bengali, Sindhi, Gujarati, and Coorgi fare. Internationally, they are present in Italy, France, Japan, Australia and several US cities. Whether in India or abroad, each host family has been paid a visit by the MealTango team and selected after a trial to ensure all hosts are certified by the company.
Neeta Valecha and Saket Khanna, founders of the MealTango service
They also arrange for festival-based experiences, "Recently, we invited a Parsi family in Mumbai to cook a great Navroze feast, and had a family in New Jersey do the same too. We have also organised Onam meals before," adds Khanna. They also organise cooking workshops, occasionally. The rates per head begin at '200 and can go up to '1,500. The cost of each meal depends on the category you have selected and the kind of service you opt for, which may include a stay at the home or even a boat ride to Alibaug for a poolside dinner.
log on to mealtango.in
