Through one job Rajula Gupta got a taste of Salmon Arm and now, through another, he is helping to broaden the community鈥檚 taste for the foods of India.
Gupta and spouse Madhu Oza recently opened their new business, Foods of India, at 122 Lakeshore Drive.
鈥淲e opened on Sunday (Nov. 12) 鈥� on Diwali, said Gupta, explaining Diwali is considered to be a very auspicious day to open any new business.
The couple moved from Burnaby to Salmon Arm about a month ago, though Gupta had been coming to the community for his other job, as a licenced recruiter for foreign workers.
鈥淚 have a lot of clients in Salmon Arm who I bring, a lot of hospitality cooks and food service people too,鈥� said Gupta. 鈥淪o my clients are the ones who brought me here, and I fell in love with the place. And I noticed that there is no Indian grocery store here and the locals love Indian food and there鈥檚 a large Indian community growing in Salmon Arm as well. So I thought this would be perfect.鈥�
The shelves and coolers within the business include a wide range of rice and legumes, sauces, snack foods, pre-packaged meals, teas, as well as a wall of numerous spices.
鈥淭his is just the first shipment鈥�,鈥� said Gupta. 鈥淩ight now the shelves are pretty empty but there鈥檚 a lot more coming. The idea is to make it a one-stop shop for all Indian ethnic, ready to eat 鈥� spices, desserts, cookies, whatever you fancy.
鈥淪tage 2 is we want to work with Zest (Commercial Food Hub) for ready-to-eat meals as well. So you come in and you feel like a butter chicken today, you can buy a little take out butter chicken and rice meal.鈥�
Gupta said he and Madhu would prepare the meals, and that in addition to being a qualified tea taster, he has run restaurants in Vancouver and has been in the food business pretty much his whole life.
鈥淎nd my wife is a really good cook,鈥� said Gupta.
The couple鈥檚 shared culinary knowledge is another thing customers can take advantage of when perusing Foods of India looking for the right ingredients. However, Gupta said he鈥檚 been finding locals very knowledgeable and appreciative of regional Indian cuisines.
鈥淪ince I opened my doors, 90 per cent of my customers are local Canadians and they have a great knowledge of Indian spices and Indian foods 鈥� it鈥檚 really wonderful,鈥� said Gupta. 鈥淎 lot of people actually cook Indian food! A lot of people have even taken courses on how to cook Indian food.
鈥淎 steady stream of guests have come in and said we鈥檙e so glad you鈥檙e open. Now we don鈥檛 have to go to Kamloops or 琉璃神社 to hunt for some of the Indian spices or Indian products, so that鈥檚 really good.鈥�
That type of interaction has been steady, further supporting the couple鈥檚 decision to relocate to Salmon Arm.
鈥淭his is what鈥檚 missing in big cities like Vancouver and Burnaby 鈥� it鈥檚 a very community feel,鈥� said Gupta. 鈥淧eople are very supportive. Neighbours come and welcome me to the neighbourhood鈥� It feels very good to be welcome in a new community.鈥�
Foods of India is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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