He ‘Tuk’ small steps to success

When you set sail on a journey, you steer the voyage towards a certain direction and you realise you aren’t getting anywhere! You have only two options, you either drop the anchor in the sea and take a time-out and breathe or you continue and let destiny fend your way. But, Krish Dharmapalan, the owner of a mobile tea truck discovered a third option; he detoured and took destiny in his own hands. Here’s How!

Almost giving in to a burnout while in the hotel industry, Krish decided to go off the grid and start something enterprising and dear to his heart. He says, “I was in the hotel industry for over five years, the work pressure and various other challenges got to me. I decided that I wanted to do something of my own and being raised amidst tea plantations I knew that was my calling.”

This small tea truck nestled in the bustling part of the city, Indiranagar serves the best bread omelette and a variety of chai including Ginger, lemon, the special tuk tuk chai, green tea and a lot more. Apart from this you can also grab a quick bite of delicious banana cake, biscuits and more. Their prices are affordable for instance the special tuk tuk chai is Rs 10, Flavour Tea is Rs 20 and Green tea is Rs 30. Their famous Bread omelette and banana bread is priced at Rs 40 each and the classic, palate quenching Bread Butter and Jam at Rs 30.

When asked about why a mobile food truck and not a stall he says, “This way we can keep moving around and people from all over the city can enjoy what we offer. We ensure the truck is clean and we use serve tea in reusable glasses to avoid the usage of plastic or paper. All of this is easy to maintain on a truck.”  

Krish believes that his parents are his biggest strengths. Talking about the reaction when they heard Krish wanted to give up a nine to five job to do something of his own, his mother and according to Krish ‘the best cook in the world’ Sharmila Dharmapalan says, “We were shocked at first, because every parent wishes their kids to have a secure livelihood and quitting a conventional job was surprising. But, we eventually asked him to give it a shot, as we know that Krish is an individualistic person who works better on his own.”

 Speaking about the biggest challenges that Krish has faced Sharmila adds, “It is a common misconception that any food sold in trucks have hygiene issues and just isn’t accepted among the upper class. However, the challenge is to change this perception and create a neutral approach to customers. The ultimate focus is on quality.”

After a haphazard roller coaster ride for a year Krish now believes that he is in a better place. He has now been part of many food festivals and has gained momentous recognition is various corporate events. Krish intends to expand his ambit of reach and venture into Tamil Nadu.