In March 2024, Ladoo Fusion Kitchen took its first steps into York’s vibrant food scene with a menu that would set the tone for everything we do today. Our journey from home cooks to establishing a homemade food business in York began with six carefully crafted dishes that blended Indian heritage with global influences. That first menu wasn’t just food—it was our manifesto, showcasing what makes homemade fusion cuisine so special. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and revisit the menu that started it all.
The Birth of Our First Menu
The Vision Behind Our Launch Selection
When planning our inaugural menu, we faced a delicious dilemma: how to introduce York to Indian fusion cuisine that was both familiar and extraordinary. We wanted dishes that would comfort and surprise, food that told the story of our Indian-British household where culinary traditions merge organically.
Each dish needed to represent what Ladoo Fusion Kitchen stands for: homemade quality, unexpected flavor combinations, and respect for both Indian and global culinary traditions.
Our First Six Dishes: A Dish-by-Dish Walkthrough
First Week Challenges
The Kitchen Marathon
Our first week felt like running a culinary marathon. Our preparation began Wednesday evening and continued through Thursday night. Our small kitchen transformed into a production line as we prepared each component, testing and tasting continuously to ensure every dish met our standards.
Delivery Logistics
Having never managed food deliveries before, planning efficient routes through York was a steep learning curve. We loaded our car with insulated bags, carefully mapped our journey, and set out with excitement and trepidation. That first delivery day taught us more about York’s side streets than we’d learned in years of living here!
Packaging Dilemmas
Finding packaging that kept food at the right temperature, prevented leakage, was environmentally responsible, AND showcased our food beautifully was no small task. We went through several options before finding our current solution, and those first customers patiently accepted our early packaging experiments.
What We Learned
Recipe Refinement
Our first menu taught us valuable lessons about scaling recipes. What works perfectly for four portions doesn’t always translate smoothly to twenty! We learned to adjust spice levels, cooking times, and component ratios to maintain quality at a larger scale.
Time Management
That first week revealed how critical preparation schedules would be to our operation. We now have detailed timelines for every dish, ensuring nothing is rushed and every component gets the attention it deserves.
Customer Communication
We discovered the importance of clear ordering instructions and delivery window communications. Many of our current systems were born from the lessons of that inaugural week.
Most importantly, the principles that guided our first menu remain unchanged: respect for ingredients, thoughtful fusion of culinary traditions, and everything made by hand with care.
Conclusion
That first menu in March 2024 was more than just our business launch; it was the beginning of a culinary conversation with York. Each dish was a statement about the possibilities when traditions meet and boundaries blur. From those six initial offerings, we’ve expanded our repertoire while staying true to our founding vision: homemade food that brings together the best of Indian flavours and global cuisine.
As we continue to evolve, we remain grateful to those first customers who took a chance on our butter chicken arancini and masala lamb lasagna. You helped make Ladoo Fusion Kitchen the York favorite it is today.
Ready to experience this week’s Ladoo Fusion Kitchen menu? Order by Wednesday for Friday delivery or by Saturday for Monday delivery through our Square page or Instagram!
