Kay Jessani of Khushbu (Photo by Marcus Ingram)
Kajal “Kay” Jessani didn’t start cooking as a career until a few years ago, but the India native’s reconnection with food seems serendipitous. For the past two years, she has been popping up at farmers markets and events with her family-run catering business, Khushbu. Taking cues from her grandmother, she makes everything from snacky samosas and enormous dosas to traditional Indian desserts. Her next move: opening a brick-and-mortar.
Richmond magazine: Where are you from originally, and when did you move to the area?
Kajal Jessani: Southern India, in Bengaluru. I grew up in a very conservative family, and I got married at 18, right out of high school. I was very close to my grandmother until she passed; she was my buddy, my guide, my chandra, which means “moon.” Never giving up is one thing we took from her; it is my second nature.
I started off with her as a teenager in the kitchen. I used to hate going, but then it started one dish at a time. When my husband and I moved abroad, the resources were limited, and we did not have access to much Indian stuff, especially when we lived in Latin America. That’s when I started looking at the local people and improvising with the food and started teaching myself through neighbors, books, shows. We’ve been in Richmond since 2007.
RM: How did you start the catering business?
Jessani: Whenever I had a chance, I was cooking for friends. We used to own a suit shop at Southpark Mall, but when the mall shut down during COVID, we were closed for three to four months. One of my friends suggested, “Why don’t you get money for cooking?” so I started doing door-to-door deliveries and online commissions through WhatsApp. Through word of mouth, it just picked up — I was lucky. When everything went back to normal, my son Pi was the one who insisted and kept pushing me to venture out to the American community. We started at the farmers market to just give it a try for a few weeks, and it clicked.
This was an accidental business for us. It was the need of the hour, but now it feels like it was always meant to be.
—Kay Jessani, Khushbu
RM: What is your goal for Khushbu?
Jessani: From the feedback we’ve been given, we feel we are ready for a storefront. We started working on the business proposal and reached out to a lot of people, including the Metropolitan Business League, and they are guiding us as well. We are hoping to have a place soon enough, a cafe with coffee from the family, plus my food. My plan is to have a small, casual sit-down place where people can chill but get good food. They don’t have to come in dressed up, can have a good meal, and we’ll serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
RM: Did you ever think you’d own a restaurant, and will it have the same name?
Jessani: This was an accidental business for us. It was the need of the hour, but now it feels like it was always meant to be. People always loved our food, and even my worst dish was appreciated. I think now I’m stuck to cooking; this has become my thing.
My grandfather was in business, his dad was in business. It’s like business has been in our blood. I’ve always been in business for us, and this is the first time I’m actually doing something for me and loving it. My goal is to make you feel warm, remind you of home.
Khushbu is getting attention, and in fact, the name itself was given to the business by the kids. Every time they entered the house; they said the house smelled good all the time — “What is that called in Hindi?” And I said, “Khushbu,” which means “pleasant aroma.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
