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With the pandemic locking us indoors, many of us turned to our kitchens. Cooking not only became a means to pass time, but we also got to learn a new skill and became closer to our families. But in the post-pandemic world, we have again become preoccupied with the daily grind of going to the office and back.

While hiring a cook can solve many of our problems, finding ‘the one’—someone who understands your palette, can cook your favourite dishes, and is open to learning new cuisines— can be hard. On top of that, planning meals every week is another headache. 

My Khaana promises to do away with all such worries. The app connects users with home cooks in their area. Launched in November 2020 on Google Play Store, the app currently has over 10,000 downloads and a 3.9 rating. My Khaana is also available on the Apple App store. 

How does it work?

Upon downloading, My Khaana asks for location access and gives a quick tour of the services offered. Users can log in to the platform using their mobile number and OTP, however, the platform also asks to join through an email or Facebook account. This is out of the ordinary since most apps ask to join either through the mobile number or the email address. 

My Khaana, which is currently active in Mumbai and Bengaluru, also asks to input delivery location. The yellow and white user interface takes you to a map supported by a search bar on the top. However, upon entering the location, the app had a few. After a couple of tries, this writer was finally able to enter the delivery location. You can also input more addresses as is the case with other food delivery aggregators.  

My Khaana’s homepage shows your selected location on the top, followed by the search bar—to look for cuisines and dishes. There is also a sliding offering displaying ‘new introduced’ meal plans, and safety methods while preparing the food, among other things. 

A user can either pre-order their meals or click on ‘Deliver Now’. As soon as you click on the latter option, there will be a pop-up saying the food will be delivered in 60-90 minutes. 

There are a variety of options to choose from. You can decide by looking at the food made by home cooks, whom the app calls “KitchenStar”, or search by cuisine. The list mentions the cuisine cooked by Kitchen Stars, the price range, the area from where they will deliver, and their rating. 

This writer chose Manju H who specialises in Sindhi cuisine. After clicking on Manju’s icon, the app takes you to the menu page. You can select your desired dish and add it to the cart. The app charges a delivery fee depending on your distance. 

You can choose to pay through card, net banking or UPI-supported apps, including Google Pay and PhonePe. 

The app also offers everyday meal plans where you could pre-book a meal from a pre-decided menu. My Khaana has also introduced a bakery section where homemakers display homemade sweet delights. 

Verdict 

My Khaana’s user interface is easy to use and without fuss. The white and yellow interface also serves the purpose of keeping the app clean. There is also a decent selection of home cooks on the platform. 

However, the platform could do with better tech and backend support as it’s prone to quite a few glitches—whether on entering the location or scrolling through the homepage.