SOUTH WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WLVT) - The tables and chairs at Cumin N Eat still wait for customers. The Indian restaurant on Hamilton Boulevard has been open for more than month, overcoming obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first day of business was March 23. Two days later, Governor Tom Wolf issued a stay-at-home order for Lehigh and Northampton counties. The restaurant's three owners -- husband and wife Bharath Sundararaman and Aparna Bharath, as well as Agil Palani -- said they had already delayed opening for week and collectively decided not to wait any longer.
"Let's take a gamble. Let's see what happens," Sundararaman said. "We have the team. We have all the materials procured and sitting, so we might as well just make use of it and see how far we go."
"It could be a calculated risk, and why not?" Palani said. "If you want to experiment an idea, this is the right time, so let's move forward."
Sundararaman and Bharath used to run Biryani City, another Indian restaurant in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, before selling it three years ago. This time around, the biggest challenge was starting out solely on take-out and delivery.
"Everything is brand new for us. When we ran the other restaurants, we didn’t have Uber Eats. We didn’t have DoorDash. We hadn’t signed up with anybody, because back then, they were in their early stages as well," Sundararaman said. "So, it was never a requirement. You would have people waiting outside for like an hour to get seating."
The new approach included offering a wide variety of Indian fusion cuisine, while recognizing the presentation may look a little different.
"Let's come up with a menu where it could be something made pretty quickly, and it could be delivered," Palani said, "and if people want to come and have a full dining experience, it would still offer the perfect cuisine kind of experience."
The owners said the first week was "rocky," and there were times when they questioned whether or not they should’ve opened when they did. Despite the rough start, the restaurant found a way to keep going by making food for first responders and healthcare workers as a way to say thank you.
"Let's make something out of it. Let's give it up. Give it to somebody who's deserving," Sundararaman said. "So, we started doing that, and once we started posting on Facebook all of this stuff, the community just came back so hard with so much love that it was worth keeping it open."
"The minute we started doing the donations for all the people, I feel the complete outlook of the people around us changed," Bharath said. "They started coming out. I have people even ordering food, and they've never had Indian food before."
The owners also opened a location in Secaucus, New Jersey on Valentine’s Day, so they’ve been juggling two restaurants as a family-owned business. Relatives have pitched in to cook and manage social media.
"We're not the kind of people that just gonna throw your hats down or throw the towel in and say, 'Hey, I'm calling it quits,'" Sundararaman said. "We were here because we were sure of what we serve. We were certain that when people did try, they would love the food because we know the team that's back there -- the way they do it and what passion they have."
The business has not had to lay off anyone. The owners credit the community for saving the restaurant.
"Everybody who made this possible for us, thank you from the bottom of our heart," Bharath said.
"With all of this happening, this gives us even more confidence to know that we'll be here for a long, long time to come," Sundararaman said.
The restaurant’s grand opening will have to wait, but the owners say they look forward to the day when customers can finally "come in and eat."