Food and love come together at these couple-run eateries in Thiruvananthapuram

Couples who successfully run food ventures talk about their journey and the pros and cons of working with your life partner

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, MetroPlus talks to five couples who have set up dine-in places and takeaways in Thiruvananthapuram.

Ambrosia

Ambrosia, run by Cuckoo Vinod and husband Vinod Panicker, has become a household name for gourmands in the last 27 years. “My husband, a commerce postgraduate, comes from a family that was in the bakery business in Punalur [Kollam district], while I am a postgraduate in English literature. But being foodies, we thought of doing something innovative in the food business,” says Cuckoo.

Sans any professional training, they decided to set up a bakery in Thiruvananthapuram. After “a market survey” they brought out freshly baked treats at their first outlet at Bakery Junction. “A lot of thought went into every aspect, right from the name Ambrosia, which means food of the gods, to the theme and the menu. There were many firsts to our credit — different varieties of bread, fresh cream pastries, stuffed bread rolls etc,” Cuckoo says.

While Vinod handles production, Cuckoo is into manpower recruiting and management. “When you run a business with your life partner, the disadvantage is that we have to see each other 24x7! We often have disagreements about the business, some of which we take home. However, there are also advantages to balance it. So even if we argue, the result always turns out to be the best,” Cuckoo says.

[Ambrosia has outlets at Bakery Junction, Kazhakoottam, Kaimanam and Marappalam (Atelier by Ambrosia). Contact: 0471 - 2332211]