As covid-19 rages on, one is seeing heartwarming examples of solidarity and empathy across the country, with strangers coming to the aid of those impacted by the pandemic. While some are compiling contact details of oxygen cylinder suppliers, others are keeping social media informed about availability of beds in hospitals. And some others—home chefs, tiffin services not-for-profit organisations and good Samaritans in their individual capacity—have pivoted to making food deliveries for those affected by covid-19, so that they can have nourishing home-cooked meals and have one less thing to worry about. Here is a verified set of food delivery services in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati, Lucknow, Chennai and Delhi NCR that one can order from. This list will keep getting updated in the coming days with verified numbers from other centres:
Vishnupriya Mishra, Pune: She thought of a food delivery service for those affected by the pandemic while recovering from covid-19 herself. "When I was unwell, I was surviving on instant noodles. And I realised if the food is not wholesome or nutritious, your entire digestive system goes for a toss," she says. At this time of chaos, when most people are searching for medicines and are trying to recover at home, they shouldn't have to scramble for meals as well. So, she decided to cook meals and deliver them on her own. "Then Dunzo stepped in. My focus is on senior citizens and couples, who are suffering from covid-19, or someone who is stranded in Pune and has no help," says Vishnupriya. She continues to cook by herself to maintain the safety of the meals. Contact her at @vpmishra01
Sneha Vachhaney, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai: This Bengaluru-based home chef has created a simple interface to search and reach out to all the cooks, home chefs delivering food across the city. The list has expanded to include home chefs from Delhi and Chennai as well. This comprehensive compilation doesn't just include numbers and neighbourhoods that these home chefs deliver to, but also details of delivery vendors, Instagram handles wherever applicable, prices, and more. There is further detailing in terms of meals that focus on a millet-based diet and others that are made with the help of a nutritionist. Visit https://codifiedself.github.io/homefood/
Covid Meals for India, pan-India: The need for balanced meals for those affected by covid-19 across the country, who can't cook for themselves, prompted celebrity chef Saransh Goila to curate a list of home chefs, tiffin services and dabbawalas, who could whip up simple, nutritious food at this time. The website follows a simple interface. All you need to do is choose your state, and city (optional), click on 'Find Food' and it takes you to a detailed list of delivery services. Each number on the list is verified by Chef Saransh's team. The idea is that not a single family or household in any neighbourhoood, affected by the pandemic, should go hungry at this time. Visit https://covidmealsforindia.com/
Also read: A note from the editor: eating right in the pandemic
Zoya Zaman, Guwahati: She is providing meals at no cost to all those affected by covid-19. However, instead of deliveries, Zoya will be making the food available at a pick-up point near Exotic Bakery, Uzan Bazar. "All we need is two hours notice and the food will be ready in no time to be picked up from the stated point," she says. She has already set a seven-day menu for lunch and dinner. For instance, you can order rajma chawal on Monday, ghee rice and jeera aloo on Friday, and veg stew and bun on Sundays. Contact: 8130063186
We Hope, We Care Foundation, Lucknow: The not-for-profit is getting nearly 500-plus calls everyday, and most are them for food and medicines. With working professionals and students as volunteers, We Hope We Care Foundation is offering meals at no cost across the city for those affected by covid-19 and their attendants. They are now getting queries from hospitals as well. "We were getting food made by a caterer till now. But given the volume of calls, we are thinking of collaborating with home chefs and tiffin services," says Rishabh Shrivastava of the foundation. The meals, made in low oil and spice, contain roti, dal and green vegetables. "A lot of people are requesting for their groceries to be delivered as well. So, we have started doing that," he adds. Contact: 8052999903, 6388562004, 7318188060
Francis Veigas, Mangalore: He delivers tiffins across the city for lunch and dinner. The menu is simple but wholesome, with a curry featuring a protein, brown rice, and more. Contact: 9916224848
Chef's Kitchen Caterers, Gurugram: Helmed by Chef Nitin Sharma, this food and beverage service offers thalis for those in quarantine in New Gurugram. The meals, cooked in low oil and high on nutrition, are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All precautions are being taken to ensure safe deliveries. Contact: 8826430922
Dim & Chow, Gurugram: It offers a contactless food delivery service. With the kitchen based out of Sector 44, Dim & Chow takes orders six hours in advance, and then the food is prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. The meal boxes feature simple, healthy meals such as vermicelli upma, chutney, seasonal cut fruit or shakes as breakfast, and aloo beans, dal palak, steamed rice, roti and salad for lunch. Dim & Chow has its own delivery mechanism in place, with all precautions being taken. Contact: 9811717118
Team Kata Food, Guwahati: Led by chef and culinary researcher Kashmiri Barkakati Nath, the team has been offering meals to anyone in quarantine or self-isolation. They have just started this contactless delivery service for those affected by covid-19 in hospitals as well. Orders are taken a day before, with simple home-cooked meals, featuring immunity boosting ingredients like ginger and turmeric, prepared based on that. The next day, Team Kata Food's staff embarks on deliveries across Guwahati. Contact: 6900266004
Pawan Kumar Kanodia, Kolkata: He has been organising meals for the elderly and those living alone, who have had to self-isolate and don't have anyone to look after their needs. At the moment, he has been making deliveries not just of food but medicines as well within 1-kilometre radius from Baguihati. Contact: 8337063202
Sangeet Kothari, Kolkata: She has been coordinating requests for meals by those in self-isolation in Kolkata. Sangeet is currently working with two home chefs, Shailaja Mundra and Foodrack by Ambrish — the former does only lunch, and the other does three meals. The food is available at no cost to those affected by covid-19. "I have been getting requests from friends and family, and also on Twitter," she says. "From tomorrow onwards, we will also be sending out dry rations to old age homes and orphanages, as some of them are running out of resources." Contact: 9830022695
Rituparna Borah, Delhi: People from any neighbourhood in south Delhi can order nutritious, home-cooked meals from Rituparna, who works on LGBTQI+ rights. Her food service is for those covid-affected persons, who live alone. Contact: 9999977272
JustMyRoots, Delhi NCR: This interstate food delivery company has started a special service for those affected by covid-19 in Delhi and Gurugram. The menu changes everyday but keeps to the thali format of dal, sabzi, roti, and more. Contact 8800581637
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Tasty Tiffin, Delhi: It delivers homely meals to the Janakpuri and Vikaspuri areas of west Delhi. The focus is on seasonal produce available in the market and creating a balanced meal, complete with dal, green veggies and rice. The food is low on oil and spice. Contact: 9311851321
House of Kitchens, Delhi NCR, Ghaziabad and Noida: This is a collective of home chefs, which came together eight to nine months ago. At that time, the idea was to help those, whose restaurants and cafes had shut down, by offering them a platform to continue to engage with the customers. But now the focus has shifted to providing healthy and nutritious meals to those suffering from covid-19 and their families. The network has home chefs in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Gurugram. While some of them have a set menu that one can order from, others can customise the meals according to the needs of the patient. Every day, the list of home chefs joining the network keeps increasing. The delivery takes place either through their own personnel or via Paapos. To get in touch with the zonal coordinators, WhatsApp 7065265000
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Covifeed, Delhi: It offers a wholesome thali, sealed tight to avoid infection. The couple, Chander Shekhar and Simmi Malhotra run this special service as part of their food and beverage outfit called Own Kitchene. As part of the Covifeed thali, they offer a balanced meal, with dal, sabzi, paneer, tawa chapatis, raita and salad. “All meals are made with RO water. My husband delivers the meals on most occasions. If anyone has an allergy or a particular request—for instance, if they don’t like moong dal, we take those into account as well. As it is people are unwell, at least they should get food of their choice,” says Simmi Malhotra. Contact: 9971886733
Twisted Tiffin, Mumbai and Pune: It is a food delivery service operational in Mumbai and Pune. They have been providing meals to those affected by covid-19 in homes and hospitals. It is a cloud kitchen and their weekly menu, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, is fixed. One can pick from a full or mini meal. Their food is packed in microwave-friendly disposable packaging. Contact: 9833686152; @twistedtiffinindia on Instagram
Annu’s Kitchen, Mumbai: It is a home kitchen offering vegetarian tiffins across Mumbai. Their standard menu comprises two sabzis, dal, roti and rice. It can be customised for those with dietary restrictions. They have a zero spice meal as well. Contact: 9920724817; @homekitchenbyannu on Instagram
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Spicey Dicey, Mumbai: Alpa Chheda runs this tiffin service from her home and they deliver across Mumbai. Along with a basic menu of rice, dal, rotis and sabzis, they have snacks that include falafels, nachos and tacos. Theirs is a vegetarian kitchen and the food can be customised for Jain diets. They introduced a covid-special menu which is low on spice and oil. The starting price for their meal is ₹200. But, they do offer food at a nominal price for those who may find the service unaffordable. Contact: 9820093828
Ajicha Dabba, Mumbai: Theirs is a home-run tiffin venture and they have introduced a covid-special meal in Mumbai. It’s low on salt and packed in disposable containers. They also have a detox meal which consists of gluten-free options such as nachni bhakri, jowar bhakri and dalia khichdi. They can customise the meal on request. Contact: 9537882828
SIN :: Sindh, Mumbai: It is a home kitchen run by Vandana Talreja in Mumbai. She offers vegetarian Sindhi lunches. They can be booked on a weekly or monthly basis. Although there is a set menu, she can customise the meal for those affected by covid-19. The portions can range from one to five persons. Contact:9892123032, 7700066169; @Sin.sindh on Instagram
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Mission Chai, Bengaluru: Founded by Rakesh Nayyar and his daughter Prerna Nayyar, Mission Chai started a few years ago as a way to keep cancer patients’ spirits up by serving tea to patients and caregivers at the Kidwai Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bengaluru. Currently run by a dedicated set of volunteers who prepare tea at home and show up at the hospital every day, the community service organisation has volunteered to deliver free meals to covid patients within a 7-8 km radius of their base on Old Airport Road in the heart of the city. They serve simple, home-made vegetarian meals, and are currently accepting requests between 8 am and 10 am for the next day. Contact: Rakesh Nayyar, 9448385243
Recipe of hope, Bengaluru: Started by Miti Desai and Piyush Jain from their home in Bengaluru’s Cooke Town area, Recipe of Hope provides vegetarian meals to covid patients and their families across Bengaluru. The meals are free of cost and the recipients only have to pay for the pickup through doorstep delivery services like Dunzo and Swiggy Genie. “I have taken close to 350 calls in the last couple of days,” says Jain, who says they will start a crowdfunding drive if they need to but are currently financing the initiative themselves. Follow them on Instagram @recipeofhope. Contact: Piyush Jain, 8088407064
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