Is 2020 the year the kheer makes its comeback to dessert culture? We ask Kheer Kulture's Piyush Menon 

Menon tells us how Kheer Kulture is bringing back the kheer into the Instagram-worthy dessert spectrum
Gulkandh Kheer
Gulkandh Kheer

The new ‘20s may be the age of cloud kitchens but it takes something really interesting to qualify as a marketable sales pitch. And since nothing brings people together like the good ol’ kheer, food entrepreneur Piyush Menon decided to make this homely desi number the focus of his new label. Kheer Kulture is Menon’s new delivery service which finally lets a homegrown delicacy pull its weight amidst the predominantly Euro-centric dessert culture. The brand new service is trying to improvise the kheer into the new decade but without compromising on the classic elements. 

Gondhoraj Kheer
Gondhoraj Kheer

You can order from the Kheer Kulture menu at The Coastal Macha, Menon’s popular seafood specialty eatery, or you can have it delivered. The menu features 13 flavours as of now, and balances both traditional and fusion flavours. So, you’ll find a classic Bengali-style ‘payesh’ alongside a Brownie Kheer. We got Menon to explain his new venture to us

Why did you zero in on kheer?

Kheer, of course, has always been here, it’s popular in almost all regions. In Kolkata we call it payesh, it’s a homely affair. We wanted to make things interesting, even with the packaging, so we used glass bottles, hand-written tags and we have used some messages to help people connect with the brand. We have adapted kheer into the modern dessert trends, it’s something that can be versatile and can accommodate so many flavours. We are working with 13 flavours as of now!

Rum kheer with orange zest
Rum kheer with orange zest

How did you come up with the idea?

We wanted a one-product model, and there are so many fusion elements being introduced in the dessert spectrum. We thought this could be really interesting, it’s so Indian and fresh, it’s a different approach. So modernising that and improvising would obviously work really well. There’s a shahi kheer, which leans towards the Mughlai cuisine, there’s a sandesh kheer, there are local flavours like gondhoraj. In fusion, we have rum and orange zest, it’s the same process as a plum cake, you soak in the dry fruits for a long time. We have western flavours like Belgian chocolate, Oreo, Nutella, Salted Caramel too.

Oreo and Nutella Kheer
Oreo and Nutella Kheer

Do you want to expand, if it takes off?

Yes, it’s a very saleable model. We are also planning the growth organically, even the marketing. We have been posting on our social media, and it’s new but we’ve been selling 3-4 kheers every day, and it’s all been organic till now. And that’s how we plan to keep it.

What does Kheer Kulture’s clientele look like?

It’s a mixed crowd actually, there have been some young people, there have been some elderly people who showed a lot of interest. Our kheer is also not overly sweet, it’s very well-balanced in flavour. We don’t use any packaged ingredients, all the core ingredients are fresh and everything is made from scratch.

Prices start from Rs 139

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