Tired of thinking about where to go for lunch or dinner? Pretty soon you’re going to be thinking about just one place. Centralised air conditioning, spacious interiors, a variety of options to choose from and most important, healthy and hygienic food, all under one roof.

The food court at Kamath Circle (KC) is one step away from becoming the most sought after place in Manipal. Designed to attract, it looks great from the outside but is even better inside. Budgeted at Rs 1.6 crores, it has two levels. On level 1, is the mess which can seat up to 1,200 people. Run by Chef on Wheels, it boasts of the best of chefs. Mr. Edwin Castelino, is the general manager of Chef on Wheels. The head chef is Mr. Dinesh Pilliyil and prior to coming to Manipal he was head chef of Taj Group of Hotels, Bangalore. Chef Ravi George, also in charge of the kitchens, was earlier a chef at The Oberoi as well as the ITC group of Hotels.

Presently, the mess has 840 members and on an average, food for a day costs around Rs 75 for a member. Hygiene is the top most priority in every section of the kitchen. There are separate areas for washing, cutting, storing and cooking and this ensures smooth running of all individual procedures. The kitchen boasts of the most high-tech equipment, most of which are in par with well established restaurants. There are specialised machines for chopping and grinding and also a roti maker which can make approximately 2,500 rotis per hour. A walk-in cooler has all the vegetables dated and stored. Meat is stored separately at a temperature of -100C. On the shelves are the best brands of ingredients. There is no compensation on the quality of food that is served.

Chef on Wheels also plans to expand the menu from the present one. Currently, each day of the week has a different menu but future plans call for a different meal for every day of the month. Takeaways are also high on the list. Quick eats like sandwiches and croissants may be made available in the mornings to make it convenient for students running late. Their topmost priority at the moment is to cater to the preferences of the students keeping in mind the nutrition value of food.

Level 2 will be functional by September. It will house five counters. One of these counters will be run by Chef on Wheels. Plans for the other four counters are not concrete but will surely consist of a variety of cuisines, ranging from chats and ice cream to kebabs and Chinese Food. Come September, food habits in Manipal may certainly see some changes.