Through one job Rajula Gupta got a taste of Salmon Arm and now, through another, he is helping to broaden the community乌鸦传媒檚 taste for the foods of India.

Gupta and spouse Madhu Oza recently opened their new business, Foods of India, at 122 Lakeshore Drive.

乌鸦传媒淲e opened on Sunday (Nov. 12) 乌鸦传媒� on Diwali, said Gupta, explaining Diwali is considered to be a very auspicious day to open any new business.

The couple moved from Burnaby to Salmon Arm about a month ago, though Gupta had been coming to the community for his other job, as a licenced recruiter for foreign workers.

乌鸦传媒淚 have a lot of clients in Salmon Arm who I bring, a lot of hospitality cooks and food service people too,乌鸦传媒� said Gupta. 乌鸦传媒淪o my clients are the ones who brought me here, and I fell in love with the place. And I noticed that there is no Indian grocery store here and the locals love Indian food and there乌鸦传媒檚 a large Indian community growing in Salmon Arm as well. So I thought this would be perfect.乌鸦传媒�

The shelves and coolers within the business include a wide range of rice and legumes, sauces, snack foods, pre-packaged meals, teas, as well as a wall of numerous spices.

乌鸦传媒淭his is just the first shipment乌鸦传媒�,乌鸦传媒� said Gupta. 乌鸦传媒淩ight now the shelves are pretty empty but there乌鸦传媒檚 a lot more coming. The idea is to make it a one-stop shop for all Indian ethnic, ready to eat 乌鸦传媒� spices, desserts, cookies, whatever you fancy.

乌鸦传媒淪tage 2 is we want to work with Zest (Commercial Food Hub) for ready-to-eat meals as well. So you come in and you feel like a butter chicken today, you can buy a little take out butter chicken and rice meal.乌鸦传媒�

Gupta said he and Madhu would prepare the meals, and that in addition to being a qualified tea taster, he has run restaurants in Vancouver and has been in the food business pretty much his whole life.

乌鸦传媒淎nd my wife is a really good cook,乌鸦传媒� said Gupta.

The couple乌鸦传媒檚 shared culinary knowledge is another thing customers can take advantage of when perusing Foods of India looking for the right ingredients. However, Gupta said he乌鸦传媒檚 been finding locals very knowledgeable and appreciative of regional Indian cuisines.

乌鸦传媒淪ince I opened my doors, 90 per cent of my customers are local Canadians and they have a great knowledge of Indian spices and Indian foods 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 really wonderful,乌鸦传媒� said Gupta. 乌鸦传媒淎 lot of people actually cook Indian food! A lot of people have even taken courses on how to cook Indian food.

乌鸦传媒淎 steady stream of guests have come in and said we乌鸦传媒檙e so glad you乌鸦传媒檙e open. Now we don乌鸦传媒檛 have to go to Kamloops or Kelowna to hunt for some of the Indian spices or Indian products, so that乌鸦传媒檚 really good.乌鸦传媒�

That type of interaction has been steady, further supporting the couple乌鸦传媒檚 decision to relocate to Salmon Arm.

乌鸦传媒淭his is what乌鸦传媒檚 missing in big cities like Vancouver and Burnaby 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 a very community feel,乌鸦传媒� said Gupta. 乌鸦传媒淧eople are very supportive. Neighbours come and welcome me to the neighbourhood乌鸦传媒� It feels very good to be welcome in a new community.乌鸦传媒�

Foods of India is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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