Have you ever ever talked to your mom about her desires and aspirations? Whereas many moms have given us the wings to soar, they typically didn’t have the prospect to fulfil their very own desires because of the circumstances and social norms of the time.
Take Nayana Mehta, for instance. Born within the Nineteen Fifties in Mumbai, she had a tutorial inclination and pursued a level in science. Like many ladies of her era, she ultimately obtained married and devoted her life to managing the family and elevating her three youngsters.
All through these years, the one exercise that gave the septuagenarian nice pleasure was cooking. Her culinary ardour was ignited when she was a younger woman of 13. After years of cooking for her family members, she obtained a chance to share it with a wider viewers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As eating places closed and folks hesitated to purchase packaged snacks, house cooks like Nayana stepped in to supply their favorite snacks and sweets. Coincidentally, she was additionally in search of a solution to preserve herself engaged and fulfilled throughout this time.
At 66, she embraced entrepreneurship by launching her enterprise, ‘Maami’s Munchies’ — the place she sells snacks, pickles, sweets, and meals containers. Since 2020, this Mumbai resident has delighted over 2,000 clients together with her culinary creations, all whereas being supported by her youngsters Anjali, Purvi, and Harshal.
Now, as Diwali approaches, Nayana is busy getting ready orders, tackling her duties with the passion of a teen. At 70, she is extra keen than ever to share her ardour for cooking.
From house chef to entrepreneur
Nayana, affectionately generally known as Nayana ben or aunty, cooked for the primary time on the younger age of 13. She discovered the artwork of cooking from her mom and started experimenting with recipes as a teen. Though she had all the time dreamed of beginning her personal enterprise, she had by no means had the chance to pursue it till now.
“We stayed in a joint household and I had my palms full taking good care of everybody. I all the time loved cooking and experimenting with new dishes. I particularly liked making pickles, sweets, and snacks,” Nayana tells The Higher India.
Nayana’s home events grew to become legendary for her scrumptious snacks, as famous by her daughter Purvi. “Ever since I keep in mind, our home was crammed with company. She is a good host and made all kinds of dishes throughout each get together. Her dhoklas, idlis, farsan, ghughra, mohantal, besan ladoos are liked by everybody,” says the proud daughter.
Nonetheless, Nayana’s expertise remained confined throughout the partitions of their house in Matunga, Mumbai, for over three a long time. Her daughter explains that this was largely because of the societal norms of the time.
“We’re a fortunate era as we grew up in liberal, progressive households. For my mom, sadly, issues weren’t as easy. Their function largely remained restricted at house, and regardless that she wished to go outdoors extra ceaselessly, taking good care of the home took precedence,” acknowledges Purvi.
Purvi shares that she liked her mom’s cooking and would typically sneak into the kitchen to observe Nayana create her dishes. At the back of her thoughts, Purvi all the time hoped that her mom’s expertise and intelligence may very well be shared with a wider viewers.
That chance lastly arose when the pandemic struck. With everybody craving for home-cooked meals, Nayana started getting ready and delivering meals to shut family and friends. As demand grew, folks inspired her to start out charging for her culinary creations.
“I used to be in search of a solution to preserve myself occupied after my husband’s demise. The necessity to discover a goal elevated particularly throughout the lockdown once we couldn’t step out. What higher manner than following my ardour for cooking? I began it simply as a solution to go my time, however quickly discovered immense satisfaction,” says Nayana.
The 70-year-old obtained her break throughout an exhibition a number of months later. Assembly her clients head to head and receiving their suggestions on her meals gave her a newfound confidence. “I began having fun with my work. Everybody’s constructive suggestions inspired me and made me realise that I might do one thing,” provides the entrepreneur.
“When the primary order was dispatched and I earned cash, I felt so proud. I realised that I too might do one thing. Whereas I had desires earlier than this, they couldn’t fructify. They grew to become a actuality at 66 and I couldn’t be happier,” gushes the entrepreneur.
Seeing her happiness, her youngsters inspired her and arrange a Fb and Instagram web page for Maami’s Munchies.
Household, flavour, and a dream fulfilled
Maami’s Munchies presents a spread of Gujarati and Indian treats — together with snacks like chorafali, chaklis, banana chips, and chiwda; sweets equivalent to boondi ladoo, churma ladoo, mohanthal, and besan ladoo; and pickles like chunda, katki, and mango murabba. For travellers, they supply theplas, bhakris, and dhebras, together with handy lunch and dinner packs.
Nayana operates the enterprise from her house, together with her son managing delivery and her daughters dealing with social media, orders, and digital advertising and marketing.
They’ve grown organically by means of phrase of mouth and are at the moment totally booked with Diwali orders till 5 November, 2024! Initially, they dealt with three to 4 orders per week, however now they obtain at the very least three orders day by day. They ship all through Mumbai and throughout India, and their snacks even attain clients in Europe, Dubai, Oman, Australia, and New Zealand.
Nayana has two helpers at house however prefers to make the sweets and pickles herself. She works all through the week and says that staying energetic with this work helps preserve her match as nicely. “After we began, we by no means imagined that it might be obtained so nicely. Whereas I began it only for enjoyable, the response has been phenomenal. I’m actually having fun with myself,” says Nayana.
Entrepreneurship additionally provides Nayana the pliability to take breaks and journey at any time when she likes. Having served over 2,000 clients, a lot of whom are repeat purchasers, she is extra motivated than ever.
Pursuing what you like is crucial, irrespective of your age. Her youngsters are immensely pleased with her and totally help her aspirations.
“I really feel that it’s crucial for kids to help their mother and father in no matter they need to do. Simply be there for them and assist them in no matter they want. My mom at present is an inspiration to numerous girls; we’ve quite a bit to study from her. Her humility, smile, and heat helped her,” says Purvi.
Nayana plans to share her cooking with as many individuals as doable within the coming years, proving that age is only a quantity. She has an essential message for each girl studying this:
“It’s crucial to maintain your self joyful. Age doesn’t matter. All that issues is the hearth in your stomach. If I can do it, so are you able to!” she remarks.
Edited by Pranita Bhat; Photos Courtesy Purvi
