The Kathi roll may be the crown jewel of the City of Joy’s street food scene. But can the ‘Calcutta’-style kathi roll win hearts in India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru?
Bengaluru’s Chakum Chukum, Calcutta on a Roll, founded by Arpita and Sujoy Das, has been whipping out delightful combinations of this cherished street food item since 2009.
A few years ago, when Arpita was working as a teacher and Sujoy was in the world of advertisements, the couple hopped from Kolkata to Hyderabad to Chennai, before finally settling in Bengaluru. After welcoming their child in 2007, Arpita wanted to explore a business of her own and the couple’s mutual love for food made Chakum Chukum happen.
“Chakum Chukum is Arpita’s baby. The name came to her suddenly one morning and it was something that was fun and also pointed to something chatpata,” shares Sujoy.
'Chakum Chukum is Arpita’s baby,' says Sujoy
He also explains that the concept of street food hasn’t always been as diverse in Bengaluru as it is in Kolkata. Foodies could either go for fine dining or rely on dingy establishments where grabbing a meal was not always a safe option.
Chakum Chukum filled a gap in the market quite unknowingly, creating a space where delicious, pocket-friendly food was being served fast.
“I grew up eating rolls from Karco in New Market and Golden Spoon. Lunch was always one Thums Up and a chicken roll. I tried to keep the memory of those flavours intact and tried various permutations and combinations till I arrived at the recipe for the roll that we serve,” says Arpita.
When Chakum Chukum opened in 2009, Sujoy and Arpita would man the whole show by themselves, along with some help from the cooking staff. From deliveries to taking orders, they did it all. Chakum Chukum’s Indiranagar outlet started with just one table and four stools, when it first opened. Now their space has grown to 1,000 square feet and can seat 30 people.
A chicken kathi roll from Chakum Chukum
“Eventually we realised that we knew almost every person who came to eat at our restaurant and how they liked their rolls to be made. We knew whether they wanted chillies or not, and even their smallest taste preferences. We realised that this personal element gave us the foundation to build our brand,” notes Sujoy.
“Getting into this business was a leap of faith for us. We had no idea what we were getting into and how difficult it would be to manage the business. We are still standing because our customers have always supported us,” he adds.
While the Calcutta-style rolls are the signatures, their menu is ever-evolving and Chakum Chukum even introduced an array of rolls that are quite revolutionary.
From atta parathas to using egg whites in the rolls, they offer their customers a wide variety of customisations to choose from. They avoid the use of dalda, or vegetarian shortening, in their rolls to make them healthier and also have a variety of vegetarian stuffings to pick from.
The tandoori chaap roll from Chakum Chukum
Their palak paneer roll, aloo palak roll and baby corn chilli paneer roll paved the way for foodies of Bengaluru to enjoy their favourite flavours wrapped up in a crunchy paratha.
“In Kolkata, a roll is always looked upon as a snack, but in Bengaluru, our rolls are being enjoyed as full meals like a lunch or dinner,” says Sujoy.
There’s also a line of kebabs, Warki parathas (crunchy parathas stuffed with a filling of choice) and even Kolkata biryani, which they make in small batches and ends up selling out every day.
The Kolkata biryani at Chakum Chukum is made in small batches
“We are indebted to our customers and the members of our team. One can buy good expensive equipment, but you can never buy the talent and good people that the kitchen needs. We have a small team and we’ve told them that they never need to look for another job because we will always be there to support them as they help Chakum Chukum grow,” shares Sujoy.
Chakum Chukum’s mutton seekh kebabs
Chakum Chukum does not have a social media presence yet, because they believe in building a relationship with their buyers. Having survived in the food business for 13 years and overcoming a recession and a global pandemic, they are still going strong and intend to keep creating wrapped deliciousness for as long as they can.