Monalisa Baruah’s Masor Tenga Anchors a North Eastern Dream in Goa
“Food has always been important in my family”, says Monalisa. Her lineage is steeped in culinary traditions. Her parents ran a restaurant 35 years ago; her grandmother had her own food stall; her aunt ran a cafe long before cafes were fashionable. “My grandma was known for her breads,” she smiles. “I grew up in this background, just like how my daughter is growing up in a restaurant now.” Planning meals was a ritual for the couple. “Saurav and I would plan the menu a month in advance if someone was visiting us,” she laughs. “We both love cooking. We even fight about who gets to cook.” When the couple first moved to Goa over a decade ago, they stumbled upon a space that felt perfect. But at the time, they had no capital. “I told the owner I had no money. He said, ‘I have the money. Let’s be partners.’ And so, the foundation of Soul Chef was laid in 2015.” As they began building Soul Chef, they quickly realised that Goa was not …
