In May 2016, when I read Ase Amhi Kayastha, a cookbook by Akola-based chef Sushma Deshpande, I wanted to tuck into a wholesome Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) meal.  The CKPs belong to an ethno-religious community, which claims to have ties with Chandrasen, an ancient king of Ayodhya from the Kshatriya dynasty. After spending the last four years hunting for options, I had almost given up, when a friend recently uploaded a social media post about Sizzle Seafoods, a new homefood venture in Mulund.

Sizzle Seafoods was started by husband and wife, Nikhil and Manali Durve, when they were bitten by the startup bug. “This was around last year, at the start of the Coronavirus outbreak. I had quit my job as a fashion designer in January 2020, and wanted to start my own business. Nikhil, who works as an HR recruiter, had more time to spare, thanks to the WFH setup. So, we decided to take this seriously,” Manali, 35, recalls.