It's the first dinner she is hosting after signing up for MealTango,but Niyati Gurjar handles it like a pro. Within minutes of arrival,the guest is welcomed with a delicious concoction of black currant and lychee with a dash of lime. Masala Puri as an appetiser soon follows. For the main course,in keeping with the Gujarati cuisine theme,she offers pulao with Gujarati kadhi and fresh fruit salad topped with raspberry jelly is served for dessert. What makes the dinner memorable,however,is the way 28-year-old Gurjar swaps stories and engages in conversation,carefully avoiding any possible awkward silences making the guest,otherwise a rank stranger,feel like an old friend. The idea of playing host to strangers looking to experience a multitude of cultures and cuisines is what prompted Gurjar,a media professional,to sign up for MealTango,an online venture started by Saket Khanna (32) and wife Neeta Valecha (30). Its a network that allows people often travellers to get acquainted with regional flavours and cuisines over meals hosted by locals. With a reach in more than 20 cities across the world,the options vary from an American barbecue in Miami to gourmet albeit home-cooked Indian meals. When Neeta joined me in the UK after our marriage in early 2012,friends and acquaintances would make a beeline for a meal at our home. It made us realise that real foodies relish home-cooked food more than the restaurant fare, recounts Saket. The couple quit their corporate jobs and moved to Pune a year ago to set up MealTango. With a team of 13,MealTango has got 70 people to list as hosts in less than two months,with interesting options such as a Maharashtrian Thali meal at a farm in Pune or a speedboat ride to Alibaug for a feast by the pool. The website allows both hosts and guests to create individual profiles that list their food preferences,hobbies and interests. The MealTango team then reviews each hosts profiles and discusses with them their reason for signing up before enlisting. In addition,payments by guests they range from Rs 150 to Rs 3,000 per person are handled through the website in order to eliminate any possibility of awkwardness. Initially,Gurjar was apprehensive about letting strangers into her home,but MealTangos extensive background checks and easy-to-use features put her worries to rest. For instance,if a host is not comfortable with the profile of the guest,he or she has the option to decline. Some people can be judgmental or may not value the effort you put into making a meal, explains Gurjar,who specialises in fusion cuisine. A unifying factor that cuts across cultures and age group,sharing a meal can help mark the beginning of new friendships as well. In the feedback,our customers often say that they felt like not meeting strangers,but old friends. A simple meal turned into a relationship thats lasted, says Saket,an MBA from Oxford University.
