How Monika Sharma Turned a Crisis-Era Kitchen Into Dehradun’s Most Trusted Biryani Brand
- Kshitij Doval
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Biryani is not just food in India.
It is emotion. Memory. Celebration.
And yet, for something so loved, it comes with a familiar dilemma.
Too oily.
Too heavy on masala.
Inconsistent taste.
Questionable hygiene.
And that silent doubt every time you order — “Can I trust this for my family?”
For Monika Sharma, this wasn’t just a customer problem. It was a personal one.
And that problem gave birth to Mona’s Kitchen.
A Simple Realisation: People Don’t Want More Options, They Want Peace of Mind
In today’s busy lifestyle, people crave biryani but rarely find a version that feels safe, balanced, and reliable.
Restaurants optimise for scale. Homemade options struggle with consistency. And authenticity often comes at the cost of health.
Monika saw what was missing — specialisation with sincerity.
Mona’s Kitchen decided to do just one thing. And do it right.
Only biryani.
Fresh ingredients.
Balanced spices.
Less oil.
Traditional dum-style cooking.
No shortcuts.
The goal was clear:
Restaurant-style biryani with a homemade touch — where taste, health, and trust coexist.
Built for Families, Not Just Foodies
Mona’s Kitchen serves people who don’t want to gamble with food.
Busy families.
Working professionals.
Students living away from home.
Food lovers who value quality over hype.
It is for those who:
Want freshly cooked biryani, not reheated meals
Care deeply about hygiene and ingredient quality
Love authentic flavour but prefer lighter, balanced spices
Want a dependable option for family meals, gatherings, and small events
Mona’s Kitchen isn’t about indulgence alone. It’s about confidence — the confidence to serve biryani at your dining table without a second thought.
Born During COVID: When Trust Was the Only Currency
Mona’s Kitchen didn’t start in ideal times.
It was born during the COVID period — when fear was everywhere, and trust was scarce.
Starting a food business then meant facing questions every single day:Who is cooking the food?
Is it hygienic?
Is it safe for elders and children?
The biggest challenge wasn’t recipes.
It wasn’t operations.
It was earning trust.
And Monika chose the hardest path.
She became the brand.
She met customers personally. She spoke directly to families. She listened to concerns without defensiveness. She stood visibly and confidently behind her food.
No hiding behind a logo.
No anonymous kitchen.
Just honesty.
Slowly, something shifted.
People returned. Orders repeated. Word spread quietly but firmly.
What started as cautious trials turned into loyal habits.
A Milestone That Felt Personal
One of Mona’s Kitchen’s proudest moments came with its participation in an exhibition at The Doon School during Founders’ Day.
It wasn’t just about visibility. It was validation.
A signal that a homegrown, trust-led food brand had earned its place in a premium, discerning environment — purely on the strength of taste, hygiene, and reputation.
The Next Challenge: Scaling Beyond the Founder
Today, Mona’s Kitchen faces a very real founder’s dilemma.
People love the food. They come back again and again.
But Monika is still the primary face of the brand.
Regular customers can’t eat biryani every day — growth now depends on new customers, new communities, and new channels.
Marketing has become the biggest challenge:
Finding the right platforms
Reaching the masses without losing intimacy
Scaling visibility without diluting trust
The next phase of Mona’s Kitchen is not about changing the product. It’s about scaling trust beyond one person.
Through:
Collaborations
Events
Word-of-mouth amplification
Structured, honest marketing
All while staying rooted in the same values that built the brand.
Why Mona’s Kitchen’s Story Matters
Mona’s Kitchen is not just a food brand.
It is proof that:
Trust can be built, one conversation at a time
Consistency beats virality
And food businesses don’t need gimmicks — they need integrity
Monika Sharma’s journey reminds us that some of the strongest brands are built quietly, patiently, and with care — one plate of biryani at a time.
Founder: Monika Sharma
Brand: Mona’s Kitchen
City: Dehradun
If you’re a startup founder building something meaningful and want your story to be featured in our Founder Spotlight, write to us at team@unhu.in
—Editor
Kshitij Doval
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