The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Culinary skills transform their lives

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007
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Culinary skills transform their lives

Sib Kumar Das

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

U. Damyanti Patra (left) arranging things for a feast in Berhampur.

BERHAMPUR: U. Damayanti Patro has brought several welcome changes in the lives of around 100 destitute women in the city through her all-women catering service.

It was around 40 years back that Damayanti took up the profession of cooking at feasts to add up to her income for providing a better life to her family. She dared to venture into the profession of cooking when women in those days were not allowed to venture out of their homes on their own. It was Saraswati, a master sweet maker in her locality who encouraged Damayanti to take up cooking as profession.

Later, other women in her neighbourhood followed the footsteps of Damayanti, as she stood as a role model for them. Several destitute women and those who felt that the income earned by their husbands fall short of their needs approached Damayanti for her advice. She opened a catering service ‘Gopala Caterers’ where only women cooks were employed .

Initially they feared whether their cooking would be accepted as male cooks dominates profession. But the quality of their food became their USP.

“We brought in the taste of home-cooked food by using less oil and masalas,” said Damayanti.With time the word about their cooking skills spreads and they started getting contracts from all over the State and neighbouring regions of Andhra Pradesh as well. “Now we are booked months ahead of the marriage season,” said U. Ramesh Patro, son of Damayanti, who manages the catering service. The women who are earning their livelihood through this all women catering service include old women like Oodia Amma. Oodia Amma and her widowed daughter took up cooking as a profession on the advice of Damayanti. At the makeshift large kitchens where the members of her catering service cook, entry of males is strictly restricted.

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