Coimbatore is now home to India’s first kitchen run by transgenders

If you are lucky to visit the beautiful city of Coimbatore or Covai, make sure to factor in some food at India’s first kitchen that is solely managed by a group of transgenders.

The first transgender kitchen
Ten people from the transgender community have turned adversity into a promising opportunity by starting their own restaurant known as the Covai Trans-Kitchen in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was their determination to be financially independent without compromising their self-esteem during the pandemic, which led to the start of their 32-seater kitchen, famous for sumptuous dum biryani.

How it started?

It was when these transgender women lost their catering business due to the lockdown in India, that they decided to improve their cooking skills at a free training programme run by local college. They sought help from NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), and started their own venture in the RS Puram area of Covai.
They do it all

Sangeetha, Chief of Coimbatore Transgenders Association, told a news agency that another eatery is in the pipeline and also wants the members of her community to be independent. The kitchen operations right from taking orders, cooking, packaging, billing and delivery of food is completely in the hands of these transgender women.

Overcoming the stigma and odds
The toughest part behind starting the kitchen business was finding a place. Sadly, due to the orthodox views of the society, no one agreed to rent out their space for the trans-kitchen. But somehow, these trans-women managed to secure the help of a lawyer and find a place for the restaurant.