Frequently Asked Questions

How does this all work?

  • If you are like me, then it is to serve hot fresh food to your guests, and do something different from the routine party.

  • I am very successful in my current profession. While what I am doing in my profession does not translate to cooking, it however helps me plan and execute the event meticulously.

    If you want to know about my profession - LinkedIn

    If you want to know about my cooking - About Me

  • We do Dosa, Vada, Bajji (pakoras - jalapeno, mixed veg, plantain etc), Idli

  • In short, the kitchen comes to you. For example - live dosa - We bring everything needed to make the dosa on your premise. You will not have to do anything. Typically the live portion runs for 2 hours.

  • Except for Dosa, everything can be ordered by tray. If your budget permits, we strongly recommend trying our Vada and Pakoras live.

  • We ask you to provide:

    • Outdoor space where a propane tank is permitted

    • A rectangular table

    • Water from your tap (approx couple gallons)

    • Electrical outlet - to keep the sambar hot

    • Overhead light source if event is in the evening

    • Heat source if weather is below 50F

  • If you want to provide your own cutlery we can give you recommendations. It is important to get plates and bowls that will be able to hold sambar as some do disintegrate after a few min. Look for ones that say they can hold hot soup.

    If you want to be completely worry free, we also have the option at additional cost to get cutlery from us. We typically give that at cost. This will ensure the quality food goes with quality cutlery. My pet peeve is when I see guests struggle with weak plates and bowls.

  • While typically we stick to a 60 mile radius covering NJ and the surrounding area. Having said that, currently we do go wherever there is someone with passion for South Indian food to host a live dosa party.

  • Same as the previous answer. We evaluate and take up any size depending on how keen a host is to host live dosa.

  • We do per person charge for the live portion depending on what food you would like at your event and by tray for all the other items. If you would like a more accurate price point please fill out our Inquiry Form

  • 8 and under - ½ price.

    8 and over - Full price

  • We can work with you to find the best location for our setup. During colder/rainier conditions we have set up our stations inside garages. As we use propane tanks, we do require that you check if your space allows for this.

  • Start with what you know now. We give you the option to up the count two days before as preparations start then. On the same note, we request you to let us know if count increases as soon as you know without waiting for up to 2 days.

  • Our operation is strictly vegetarian. We do not offer any non-vegetarian requests. Other than that we can make any accommodations as needed on request. Special dietary requirements will be applied to the whole group. In other words, if you would like a Jain Sambar, we will only bring Jain sambar and no non-Jain sambar. Other than our sambar and cauliflower masala, all other items are vegan to begin with. Rest of our items are vegan to begin with. If you still have any other dietary needs, feel free to ask us.

  • We do not guarantee that our product will not contain the allergen you are looking for.

  • For a great party typically you need:

    • Appetizers: up to 3

    • Entree: up to 3 (total of 5 items if you add Appetizer and Entree)

    • Dessert: 1

    • Drinks: 1

    If you are doing live, to get the wow factor, we suggest:

    • Appetizer: Live vada or Pakora

    • Entree: Live Dosa + Tray of idli or Rice or Noodle

    • Dessert: 1

    • Drinks: 1

    You definitely have a choice to get more appetizers or entree but there is only so much one can eat. Based on our experience our above recommended menu will be enough to leave your guests satisfied.

  • Leave the worry to us! We are a team of 4 and have additional help based on the size of the catering. We have successfully executed several events. It’s so meticulous that hosts are in awe when they see how organized we are. And by the end of every event we have hosted so far, we have gotten a big round of applause when we head out. That smiling face on each guest as they eat their dosa is everything for us and why we started this.

  • Legit concern. If I were you, I too would not be convinced as well. . That is why we provide taste tasting. While it makes sense for you to do tasting if you have a larger group, or important event. You are still welcome even for smaller groups. Note that we do charge for tasting. However, we apply that credit towards your event in case you:

    1) Hire us

    2) Provide your honest review on Instagram and Google about your tasting experience.

I have decided to do a live event.

  • Great! You have decided to host a party that has unique food. That was the first step. To make sure we have a smooth process, we request you to spend a bit of time to make sure every part from here on you read and understand. In the event of any issue, this is the section we will refer you to.

  • Your date will be locked in once you agree to terms and a deposit has been paid. Until then we reserve the right to book anyone else who has completed these two steps before you.

  • This is the most tricky and difficult thing for me to discuss. Nonetheless I will do so that you/your guests/our team all have an enjoyable experience.

    If we do not deliver what we promise - will you be hurt? Same way, it hurts when we see the count on the day of the event is more than what’s been agreed. We are a small business starting out and would please request you not to count short on this one as we plan how much to bring based on this count. Also please keep in mind, as this is a live event, it is easy for us to keep track of count. It hurts when we see on the day of the event, and the count is higher.

    Here is what we suggest:

    • At the time of booking, come up with a reasonable number.

    • Two days before let us know of any additions. If any exception happens between two days and before we arrive, we do need to know before we arrive at your place

  • There is a flat fee of 10% off travel. Currently as we are growing, we are waiving that fee.

    Besides that - If you/your guests post a live picture of the party tagging us on Instagram or Instagram stories before we leave we provide a discount. For every posting we give 1% discount. Discount cannot exceed 5% of the total bill. Again - for this discount, posting should be up by the time we leave.

  • There will be an overage charge in 15 minute increments after the agreed time slot.

    If the count is higher after we arrive, charges are 1.5 times of per person charge mentioned in the agreement.

  • We all know that parties (especially desi ones) do not start on time and do not end on time. Our observation is that you book our time 30 to 45 minutes after your intended guest arrival time. Say, you requested a guest to come at 12.30pm, It would be ideal to book our start time at 1.15pm or 1.30pm.

    Note - This is a mere suggestion based on our observation. We would not know the discipline of your group for party time. So the final decision on the time is going to be yours. During our terms and agreements discussion we will provide you with our arrival time and a start time for food.

How does this all work?

  • We provide you with an arrival time during our terms discussion and give you an ETA closer to the event start time.

  • We ask you to provide:

    • Outdoor space where a propane tank is permitted

    • A rectangular table

    • Water from your tap (approx couple gallons)

    • Electrical outlet - to keep the sambar hot

    • Overhead light source if event is in the evening

    • Heat source if weather is below 50F

    Other than that we ask you to relax and enjoy our food!

  • Before we start, we have a brief discussion and reiterate timings, and final count etc. We collect the balance payment before the event starts.

  • 15 minutes before the previously discussed end time we ask the host to let us know if they would like to extend. This will be based on availability as we do back to back events.

  • It is the hosts responsibility at this time to make an announcement to their guests for any last call.