The rise of cloud kitchens is quietly yet decisively reshaping Chennai’s culinary landscape. Once seen merely as delivery-driven alternatives to traditional restaurants, these virtual kitchens have evolved into powerful enablers of culinary experimentation and entrepreneurship.
Backed by food delivery platforms and changing urban lifestyles, cloud kitchens now enable chefs and food entrepreneurs to reach a wider audience without the burden of high rentals or prime locations. The result is a rapidly expanding dining ecosystem offering everything from hyperlocal comfort food to niche global cuisines, delivered straight to the doorstep.
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Started nearly five years ago, The Kitchen by Chef Deepa is filling a long-standing gap for authentic Amritsari cuisine in Chennai. After a brief hiatus, the cloud kitchen has recently been relaunched with a well-curated, entirely vegetarian menu. “My husband, Jugesh Arora, is a renowned chef in India. I was a homemaker, familiar with Punjabi cuisine that I learned from my motherin-law, who was from Amritsar.
During the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, I realised people were looking for home-cooked food with authentic taste. I began cooking at home on a small scale, and gradually expanded,” says chef Deepa Arora, recalling the inception of her venture.
As Chennai’s appetite for cloud kitchens grew, Deepa found the format ideal for launching her brand. In time, The Kitchen by Chef Deepa became a familiar name among customers who valued its authentic Amritsari flavours.
Despite the city’s growing culinary diversity, certain regional cuisines remain underrepresented. Amritsari cuisine, deeply rooted in Punjab’s culinary heritage, is one such rarity in Chennai. Known for its robust flavours, hand-kneaded breads, slow-cooked gravies, and smoky preparations, the cuisine is both hearty and soulful.
Yet, truly authentic Amritsari food finds limited presence in the city’s food delivery space, with only a handful of establishments attempting to recreate its distinctive taste and texture.
“Many residents missed the taste of Amritsar in South India, especially those who prefer vegetarian food. To maintain authenticity, we source our ingredients directly from the Golden City, including ghee and spices,” Deepa explains. Popular dishes on the menu include kadi pakoda, kesar peda wali lassi, Lahori phirnee, and Lawrence Road-style aloo tikki.
“To maintain our goodwill, I personally seek feedback from our guests, as food is subjective. It’s important to cater to their palate,” shares the 53-year-old entrepreneur.
As Chennai’s cloud kitchen ecosystem continues to mature, it presents fertile ground for introducing lesser-seen culinary traditions like Amritsari cuisine to a more mainstream audience, one that is increasingly open to exploring flavours beyond the familiar. “The key is to keep tweaking and elevating the menu,” she adds.
With Chennai’s openness to embracing traditional and distinctive flavours, Deepa remains hopeful that more regional cuisines will find a platform through cloud kitchens in the years to come.
Many residents miss the taste of Amritsar in south India, especially those who prefer vegetarian food. To maintain authenticity, we source our ingredients directly from that city, including ghee and spices — Deepa Arora, chef