Outsourcing comes home

I was at a senior colleague’s place today for lunch.

The spread was a sumptuous south Indian fare, ranging from rasam vadai to bisibella bath, various kinds of dosa made to order. So while I helped myself to repeat helpings of sambar and bisi bella bath, I wondered how this North Indian friend of mine could manage such lovely fare, his wife too is from the North.

A polite enquiry disguised in the form of a compliment let Anna out of the bag. Apparently the whole lunch was outsourced. So there u had this team of Tamils led by Anna who had made his kitchen theirs for the last three hours or so. They had come prepared, with the large tava which could do multiple dosas at any time, the atta, all the condiments to sprinkle and the works. My friend and his wife could rest and chat with everyone who’d come, with attention to the kitchen being required off and on.

Which brings me to the whole thought that’s been haunting me ever since. Whenever we had guests over mom was in the kitchen doing things herself, adding the Amma touch to everything. She had to make things herself and there was no way that she’d let anything come in her way. At the end she would have put together a spread that was yummy, varied and got everyone talking. My fear is, will we ever see those times again? Earlier weekends were about special cooking; nowadays they’re about special outings. Earlier women discussed recipes; nowadays women discuss cooks who can create magic, elite women discussing chefs. Earlier women seemed to enjoy feeding others, nowadays they seem to enjoy others being fed (if u see what I mean).

This was not about whether the woman’s place is in the kitchen or the boardroom nor was it an MCP attempt to put a woman in place. This was more about seeing the lady of the house create magic with food and do it with consummate ease. Something that will surely be a rare sight in future.