it began during lockdown…
my name is amie - my grandad’s side of the family were born and raised in northern India and ever since I can remember being able to eat, the distinct memories that I have are the flavours of dahl & rice..
Indian food is where I feel at home – my feet are firmly under the table and I am comfortable. that’s how I want you to feel when you eat my food…. like you’ve been transported somewhere else, to someone else’s dinner table - it’s unfamiliar but it’s incredible and you want more of it. It makes you feel comforted, like a big hug. It also works wonders for hangovers.
I work in the music industry and I was put on furlough for almost two years, my mental health took a huge dive and I wanted to change something in my life, and so… parlour was born. I made a logo and started putting up menus of traditional Indian dishes available for takeaway in my local area of chelmsford, essex via Instagram in October 2020.
the concept was based on a mini-thali - 3 dishes per box, meat or vegan, and bread. these boxes were sold to customers as cooled, refridgerated dishes with full heating instructions.
people seemed to go mad for it, a burst of new flavour to experience while on lockdown with all restaurants being closed - I was cooking a new menu every week with a sell-out of slots most weekends.
since starting up the takeaway service I was getting requests for private events and have catered bespoke feasting menus, hosted pop-ups in local pubs and breweries, thali supper clubs in local venues, wedding catering and private chef hosting at award winning luxury adults-only retreat ‘bethnal & bec’ in hertfordshire.
with a determination for people to try a taste of “real” Indian food, I decided to start my own spice kits ‘parlour’s kitchen party’ – sending postal boxes with my recipes and the dry spices to make the dish at home in the comfort of your own kitchen whilst raising money for various charities and causes with every purchase.
fast forward to 2023 and parlour is set to find a permanent residence and expand to be able to provide you with delicious foods from all over the world.