Disha Shetty spoke to a very reluctant and publicity shy Devrath Kamath, grandson of founder Gopal Kamath, about that day and how the restaurant has evolved over the years. Devrath’s father Jagdish, uncle Suresh and brothers Jayprakash and Gopal directly oversee the day-to-day running of the place.
When did Café Madras start?
My grandfather Gopal Kamath started the place along with a Tamilian gentleman in 1940.
What are the popular items on your menu?
The recipes served at the restaurant are our own concoction. Even the sambhar that we serve is slightly different from most places. Our food is different and when we introduce a new dish to the menu, we try to bring freshness to it.
Idli butter podi, mini idlis, upma and molgapudi (gun powder) are quite popular. Our molgapudi is very different from what you get in the South. We are very proud of our mysore dosa. The batter we use is unique. Our rasam vada is the same and we don’t see any need for improvement. It is one of the things that should not change, ever. Our set dosa is pretty popular too.
Do you experiment with your menu?
We experiment with the menu. We don’t get stuck with the same recipe, but we will not change something unless we are convinced about it. Most of the suggestions come from family members. We keep trying to improve as we believe in change, that is, change for the better.
There is always a long queue outside your place. What do you think brings people back to the restaurant?
People queue up because it is a small place! We focus on quality which is the reason we have not yet expanded.
What are the changes that you have seen over the years as you try to ensure the business runs successfully?
More women are willing to work in the kitchen now, which is a positive change. There is a lot women can do, but it is only now that they have started to enter the workforce, at least in this part of the country.
It is difficult to get manpower. When new malls and banks open, they need clerical and cleaning staff where the work is not that rigorous. It takes them time to realise that here, the money they earn is purely savings, as food and accommodation are both taken care of. Thankfully, after a point there is an equaliser in the market.
How difficult is it to ensure that prices remain affordable with essential items becoming expensive?
I think most of it is farce as for 2-3 months in a year, prices of different items peak in a cyclical manner. For instance, for two months every year onions touch ` 60/kg, but they remain at ` 10/kg the rest of the time. If prices of one or two key ingredients go up, the situation is manageable, but it becomes difficult otherwise. That said, the prices are bound to rise over a period of time. We too have increased our prices several times in the past three to four years.
Then and now
In 1940, a masala dosa, an idli plate or a plate of upma each cost 20 paise at Café Madras, while filter coffee cost 15 paise. Today, while masala dosa costs ` 50, steamed idli and upma each cost Rs.35 and filter coffee is for Rs.25!
How is the experience of running a food business in Mumbai?
Mumbai is the best market for food business in the world. The sheer number of people here is unbelievable. The challenge however is to retain the staff and ensure there is a balance.
Talk about the special offer you had to mark the restaurant’s 75th anniversary in November.
While I was at the counter, a customer suggested that we must do something to remind people of 1940. That idea stuck, and for five hours we provided food at the prices back then. But it went viral on social media and people thought that it was for the entire day. We never expected the kind of response we got. It was only when customers came to pay the bill did they realise that it was zero or one rupee. One lady whose bill was zero first thought it was a mistake, and was then elated!
But how could someone’s bill be zero?
The computer rounds off the prices automatically. So if someone’s bill is less than 50 paise, it will automatically make it zero. The lady had ordered idli which cost 20 paise and filter coffee that was priced at 15 paise. When she got the bill, she thought it was a mistake, but when she was told about the special offer, she was so happy! That joy was enough for us.