Page 30 - CIJ April 2025- Digital Edition

SPECIAL REPORT

Where Tradition Meets Hygiene

Inside a Mumbai Seafood Kitchen

Drawing on 25 years of hands-on experience at a seafood speciality restaurant in Goregaon (suburban
Mumbai), from selecting fresh catch at fish markets to serving regular or innovative dishes for customers
at Matsyagandha, Anirudh Tendulkar stresses upon the value of minimal storage time, use of natural
preservatives, cleaning seafood vigorously, and keeping the kitchen spotless as a daily ritual. Nandakumar
Marar, Consulting Editor, Clean India Journal, gets a hands-on experience right from the catch to the plate.

nspiration and knowhow came children got employed and no one kitchen, at their discretion. These
from his mother Archana Arvind at home during the daytime needed samples are taken to the lab. In case
Tendulkar, a fantastic cook to be looked after. the tests reveal any contamination,
whose guidance developed the Hygiene at each step is a or any seafood is found to be stale
Iawareness to pick out fresh stuff necessity due to regulations. or stinking, the licence can be
from the catch and an interest in “The kitchen has to be as clean as cancelled,” he explained.
cooking for people. He managed possible,” is the instruction to us “I do not store fish for this very
solo from 2001 onwards. His wife, from the authorities, the FSSAI reason. The customer gets menu
Aarti Tendulkar, teamed up 15 in particular, as per rules in force. items made from fresh fish, so I
years ago, as a diversion after the
“Testing is done by FSSAI for do not need to worry about FSSAI
the water and seafood. Officials action.” Mandatory rules state the
from the department land up at the food licence needs to be renewed
restaurant for inspection, to collect each year, via an online procedure.
samples of water, Tendulkar explains the role
fish, and food of Indian Hotels & Restaurant
used in Association (AHAR) in easing
the the path for restaurant owners,
catering to different specialities.
“AHAR conducts training sessions
for restaurants, where cleanliness
in the kitchen and hygiene of staff
is explained. Our staff undergoes
a total check-up once a year.
The association’s lab collects
pathology samples from the
kitchen staff at Matsyagandha
and later forward their reports
to us. This is done at all
restaurants associated with the
association, who help us to
procure the food licence, and
help us in case any restaurant
owner is facing harassment
from any official.
“The legal team engages
in taking up court cases for
member restaurant owners. For
administrative purposes, Mumbai is
divided into 10 zones, each has 10
members chosen as office-bearers
with whom we get in touch.”
30 APRIL 2025•Clean India Journal•www.cleanindiajournal.com