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06.04.2016
The Beast is resting when we visit Kaviraj Thadani in his workshop, located at the start of the Worli fishing village. But soon he will rise, bellowing, smoke billowing, devouring its next meal. “Which should be about now,” says Kaviraj, grabbing an eight kilo pork belly and walking down a flight of stairs to a 3 feet high smoker he built himself. “Open wide,” he laughs, throwing the meat in.
We take a photograph of the 29 year-old from the top of the stairs, while he introduces us to another fire truck red grill. This one does not have a bada** name (yet), but when set against his Prussian blue mosaic floor, it could be Kaviraj’s untitled work of art.
Kaviraj runs Kavo, a “bespoke meat” kitchen that sells bacon, handmade sausages, flavoured pork, smoked and stuffed meats on order. While shutters down at the Thadani family’s next-door Cool Chef Café (now Café Nemo) left many angry – a ton of collaborators and music artists cried foul about alleged non-payments - we’re happy to report that we’ve heard only positive things about Kavo.
As we speak with him about the origin of things, 50 kilos of meat arrive for a catering event + orders for the upcoming weekend. “I worked with Fortune Gourmet for three years to understand the business side of things, but my obsession with meat experiments go back to when I was 12 and roasting a chicken at Kodaikanal International School where I studied,” he tells us.
Meanwhile, the meat knife Kaviraj is lusting after costs 2,000 USD, so it has been bookmarked for a day in the near future when he is a sharper businessman.
Rub My Belly
Customers and chefs who have turned into Kaviraj’s loyal clients, recommend Kavo for the prime cuts, the handmade quality and the negligible use of preservatives. “I love the chorizo, which I plan to introduce at my café soon,” says Amit Dhanani, chef and owner at BAD Café in Bandra. Also on the menu you will find fresh chicken and pork sausages in flavours like pesto, parsley breakfast, hot Italian, smoked and super spicy; belly bacon, English breakfast bacon; and pulled pork, cured and smoked ham and stuffed chicken on order. “I’ve found a great meat vendor with a farm in Pune. In fact, on April 1 a new Danish breed of ranch pork came out in the market. It’s delicious but double the price,” says Kaviraj.
Kaviraj can also pack a picnic basket of mixed meats for you, cater your next party – The Beast can’t make it, but the red grill is a moveable feast – and even recommend steak knives and barbecue sauces until he starts selling his own. “I’ve been experimenting with making my own mustard as well as barbecue sauce that contains bacon,” he says, adding that until those are in production, we should try Fun Foods’ Barbecue Sauce and get steak knives from Kiros Hospitality in Byculla.
Hattori Hanzo
Meanwhile, the meat knife Kaviraj is lusting after costs 2,000 USD, so it has been bookmarked for a day in the near future when he is a sharper businessman.
“I’ve just started out, so right now I’m working on perfecting my products, taking it slow, going step by step.” He has the same answer when we ask if seafood is next, given his proximity to the fishing village. “Soon.”
More for us, the birds seem to say, swooping into the Worli bay for the catch of the day.
Getting there: To order call 9022886675 or email kaviraj@kpthospitality.com, pick up from 1st floor floor, Thadani House, 329/A Worli Village, Rs 250 for 250 gms of smoked pork sausages. Place your order a day in advance.