Cali Tardka Serves Homemade Punjabi Food on Foodnome
August 13, 2019
Cali Tardka is the first permitted Home Restaurant in the City of Riverside, CA. Owner Kulwant Sanghu started the family business after her son suggested she sell her homemade samosas, and has since served Punjabi cuisine to thousands of Riverside community members.
Kulwant grew up in India watching her grandfather cook in his restaurant. “When I’m cooking, my hand goes like that, same way” she said, fanning her fingers into a spiral before closing them tightly.
She moved from India to the U.S. in 1992, and said gaining her independence as a woman was huge for her. “Since then I’ve been cooking all the time, it’s kind of like my hobby. If I’m not doing it, I feel like I’m in a depression,” Sanghu said.
Over the last year, Kulwant and her family sold homemade food until somebody complained that they were not permitted. The majority of Cali Tardka’s customers still wanted to buy food, but the possibility of legal trouble held the business back. When permits became available through AB626, Kulwant was one of the first to apply.
“It was easy to get the license. We filled out the application, then we gave them the menu, then we had to email them about the ingredients, how we’re going to put it in the refrigerator, how we’re going to deliver, how far we’re going to deliver,” recounted Kulwant regarding her permitting steps with the Health Department.
After processing the application, the Health Department performs a Home Kitchen inspection. Kulwant said the inspection went quickly, “All done in one day, 20 to 30 minutes.”
“Having a Home Restaurant is a big win for us because we don’t have that much in our bank accounts, but we have a lot in our hearts,”
said Priya, Kulwant’s daughter.
“We’ve been through a lot financially. It’s really good right now because Foodnome is helping us, and day by day we’re growing,” Kulwant said. “Whoever wants to cook, get help from Foodnome. They’re perfect, they can help you, they are supportive.”
Kulwant appreciated the organizing and marketing help provided by Foodnome. On her event page, Kulwant posts meals diners can order ahead of time. Diners can keep track of Cali Tardka’s events while discovering new cooks in the area.
Starting a Home Restaurant, Kulwant explained, acts as a sustainable step toward something bigger.
“If you want to open a restaurant you need a lot of money. Middle class like we are right now, you can never think about it,” Kulwant said. “Later on maybe, when we have money, we will make the restaurant, but I want to be the restaurant that is like a home cooking restaurant too.”
Kulwant thinks her new business will provide financial stability for her children to get through college while working from home.
“We want to make this business a family business. My daughter is going to be a doctor, my son wants to be a pharmacist, so they don’t need to look for jobs outside. When they are in college they can study, and when they come home they can help us. So maybe later on we can open our own restaurant,”
Kulwant said.
Her home cooking nourishes the community, the community supports her family business, and the family stays behind Kulwant with every meal.
“My family is my big support, like you can say the pillar. It’s behind my back, my husband and my kids. That’s maybe why I’m standing here now,” Kulwant said.
You can find Cali Tardka’s meals here.
