Thimmapur’s Big Flavour: Village of Skilled Cooks
The village has unusually large number of professional chefs who undertake catering
Karimnagar: A small village, Thimmapur, in Ibrahimpatnam mandal of Jagtial district, has gained recognition for having an unusually high number of professional cooks, about 50 to 60 in total, and for indirectly providing employment to over 1,000 people.
With a population of just 2,200, Thimmapur is home to skilled chefs who travel across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra to prepare food for large gatherings, including major political events. The village community has become the first choice for catering major ceremonies in the region.
The tradition of cooking and catering in Thimmapur dates back nearly 60 years. It began with a villager named Rajeshuni (Vantala) Narayana, 82, who worked as a cook for a local landlord (dora). His culinary skills earned him fame across nearby villages.
As demand for his food grew, Narayana involved his five younger brothers in the work and taught them the art of cooking. Over time, the entire family mastered the craft, and the skill gradually spread throughout the village community.
Today, these renowned cooks travel extensively, taking catering orders in districts such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Adilabad, and Hyderabad, as well as in neighbouring states. They specialise in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines and are often invited to cook for major functions, weddings, and political events.
Due to their popularity, more than 1,000 people are indirectly employed through catering operations from Thimmapur and nearby areas. The chefs typically charge between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per quintal of cooked food, depending on the menu and type of dishes ordered.
Rajeshuni Praneeth, son of Vantala Narayana, shared that he had personally cooked and served meals for Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, he recalled how, in earlier days, his father used to receive 20 to 30 handwritten requests every month from people planning functions, long before the advent of mobile phones.
He explained that their food is prepared patiently, without artificial colours or flavours, using only natural ingredients while maintaining strict hygiene. They have catered for events serving anywhere from 500 to 30,000 people and, he proudly added, have never failed to deliver successfully.
Praneeth also said that they have trained 30 to 40 individuals interested in learning cooking. Currently, around 1,000 to 1,500 youth and women are being provided with direct and indirect employment through their catering activities, both within Thimmapur and in nearby villages.
However, during the off-season when there are fewer weddings or events, these skilled cooks, popularly known as Nala Bhimas, return to farming to sustain their livelihoods.
