It happened during the first phase of the lockdown, when A. Muthukumar had a few migrant workers from Odisha knocking on the doors of his house seeking help to meet his daily needs.
An hour and a half later, Muthukumar provided a sumptuous gastronomic fare to all the six migrant workers who were staying next door to Muthukumar’s house on Ponniammanmedu, a hamlet in Kolathur near Anna Nagar.
Not just one meal. The workers were given free meals for more than a week till they boarded the special train to return to their home town.
The news of the delicious meal provided by Muthukumar and his family spread around the neighbourhood, and soon there were requests from many that he provide them with the same delicious food, for a price.
As he did not have a regular income, Muthukumar refreshed his cooking skills that he had learnt from his mother.
“We can’t sit idle hoping some miracle would happen. We have a son who just wrote his Class XII examinations and we need money for him to pursue his higher education,” says 43-year-old Muthukumar.
The team — father, mother and son — divide their responsibilities among themselves. Muthukumar’s wife cleans vegetables, meat, fish and groceries. With two bicycles, one of them borrowed from the neighbour, Muthukumar and his son take orders from neighbours and also place hand-written posters with phone numbers on it, at adjoining streets seeking orders for home-made food.
“We take orders a day before the delivery, but in the event of an emergency, we take orders just a few hours in advance,” says M. Rahul, Muthukumar's 17-year-old-son.
A bowl of plain rice costs ₹25; full meals for two persons without rice, including fish curry, prawn gravy, egg fry, rasam and curd costs ₹199. Delivery charges are ₹25.
The family has delivered food in bicycles to places as far as Chindratripet, Egmore, Purasawalkam, Royapettah, Madhavaram and Anna Nagar.
The other auto drivers at the auto stand that Muthukumar belongs to have helped him get more orders.
On an average, the Muthukumars get at least 12 food delivery orders, mainly lunch, every day.
Muthukumar says, ”With a total lockdown in place, we have to again ride bicycles to deliver home-made food. We will continue the food delivery work, as a family, even after normalcy returns.”