Zayka Ka Tadka

Apeksha Haldia says her mother, Vijay, is the best chef in the world.

So after helping Vijay get her start in a Facebook group, the natural next step was to launch Zayka Ka Tadka, India’s first live cooking video platform, where moms and homemakers demonstrate quick and easy recipes to over 1 million followers on social media from all over the world.

“In two years’ time, my mom transformed from a homemaker into a confident person who could go up on stage and speak in front of over 200 people,” says Apeksha. “This was due to the appreciation she got from 30,000 members in her own group. This is what led us to start Zayka Ka Tadka in 2016.”

The six-member Zayka Ka Tadka team uses the WhatsApp Business app to inform users about live videos and the latest events on the platform.

“We have started the Zayka Premier League for Moms - just like the Indian Premier League (IPL), with eight teams with moms from different cities,” explains Apeksha. She adds that the group admin controls on WhatsApp help keep the chat uncluttered. “We select participants using WhatsApp and get them to compete.”

Apeksha is on a mission to showcase “maa ke haath ka khana” (food like only a mother can make) on a global level, preserve heirloom recipes, and give all mothers a taste of what it is like to bask in the limelight.

And, of course, prove her mother’s food is the best in the world.