Serving Smiles, One Plate At A Time

Every meal starts long before it reaches a plate, yet we hardly realise what goes into it. Behind the scenes, countless small efforts come together to create something that students look forward to every day.

“Sometimes the girls don’t like the food, but they always appreciate our work," says an aunty.

Oberoi, the hostel canteen building, is where the heart of hostel life- the food is prepared everyday. Every dish on the plate is made with care and warmth, ensuring students get food on time.

For students, who stay far from home, these meals feel really comforting. From chopping and cooking to plating the food, you can see how much effort the kitchen staff puts in. Thanks to them, every meal is not just food—it’s warm, filling, and always leaves them smiling.

Chef Surendra, who has been part of the kitchen since the very beginning, loves seeing the student’s smiling faces as they enjoy the meals his team prepares.	Mr.Surendra fries vegetables with skill and care, making sure every meal is perfect for the students.

With steady hands, Chef Dada fills the bowl, preparing yet another meal among the hundreds he has made in this kitchen.	Mr. Vinayak, the administrator, quietly keeps the kitchen running smoothly

While rolling balls of dough and chatting, aunties set the foundation for dozens of fresh parathas that will fill plates across the canteen.

With a large plate of freshly cooked sabzi in hand, Kavita Aunty laughs her way through the rush of the day at Oberoi kitchen.	All the behind-the-scenes effort leads to this moment - an aunty serving a fresh, delicious meal to the students.

Since it was our Grade 7 Retreat - a special Avasara tradition for all grade-level students — the meal was extra special. Along with the paneer, pulao, and paratha, the retreat-day pudding was the highlight, which all hostel students always look forward to.

Smiles, conversations, and good food - as students and teachers eat together, the story of the kitchen finds its perfect ending.

The kitchen didn’t reach this rhythm overnight. Slowly, with teamwork, patience, and care, it became a system that just works. At first, students might not notice every meal, but over time the food becomes part of their Avasara life - so much that even as alumni, they remember it with smiles, laughter, and a feeling of connection that stays long even after the plates are empty.

Written by Aditi Gupta, Grade 10, Avasara Academy, Pune

Aditi wrote this photo-story as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's Nov'25 cohort.