Women-Led Bengali Kitchen Heshel Brings Homely Flavours and Hope to Kolkata

News Desk, News Nation 360 : In a city that takes great pride in its culinary heritage, Heshel stands out not only for its warm Bengali flavours, but also for the fascinating tale behind its cooks. Heshel, located at No. 3, Pathak Para Road, Behala, serves affordable Bengali cuisine starting at ₹30 and is open daily from noon to 10:00 PM. Heshel, a women-led cloud kitchen program backed by PCI India, is revolutionising food entrepreneurship by empowering underemployed and unemployed urban women to turn their culinary abilities into successful, long-term companies. In essence, Heshel, born of the warmth of a Bengali home, came into being in Kolkata last year with one overriding objective: to create dignified livelihood opportunities for women through professional training, business support, and the confidence to run independent food enterprises. From there on, this initiative has grown steadily, expanding through more kitchens, additional delivery platforms,

and customers who crave authenticity, quality, and social impact. Each meal served at Heshel has two stories to tell: one of the rich food tradition of Bengal and another of women taking on the role of chefs, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers. The menu consists of classic Bengali favourites such as Labda, Aloo Posto, Patla Masur Dal, Murgir Jhol, Katla Kalia; festival items such as Mochar Chop, Bhetki Fish Fry, Channar Dalna, and balanced vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis; and Chinese items such as Chowmein, Fried Rice, Chilli Chicken, and Veg Manchurian, adding versatility to the menu. Trained women from Self Help Groups supported by PCI India operate the kitchens that provide training in culinary skills, safety measures, financial management, enterprise management, and digital capabilities, including inventory, billing, and online order systems. Following the success of its model Didi's Meal Box in Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Hyderabad, PCI India now plans to create a network of financially viable, socially impactful women-led micro-enterprises steeped in community culture.

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