The first thing Chibi Raagul S V did when he visited his hometown Madurai after a year, was treat himself to Sulthan’s biryani at Simakkal. “My craving for biryani is beyond my control,” he laughs and adds, “Of all the loves, my love for food is the most sincere!” Which is why it is not surprising that Raagul built a platform just for culinary explorers like him — the Facebook page Where Madurai Eats (WME) — seven years ago.
On Friday morning, the membership count on the page was just 30 short of crossing 35K. But when he started out, little did Raagul imagine that his group would grow to make or break restaurants down the years.
“Inspired by the country’s second largest non commercial food page on social media called Where Chennai Eats, I created this discussion forum for fun,” says Raagul. But he didn’t quite know how to take it forward and requested his 600-odd friends on his personal FB page Join WME to mark a beginning. This was in 2012 — the year he wrote his Class XII exams. Soon his uncle Teeyes Siva, a web developer, was on board as admin.
In less than six months when the number of members doubled, stepped in another friend S M V Ram Prakash. And so did Raagul’s junior from school, Sumant Ram, an architect and food blogger. The core team of four manages the page today allowing members to post pictures of food items they tasted at a specific restaurant, describe what they ate and where, and also exchange notes on typically local dishes.
“The page has been instrumental in exposing hidden gems in the city,” says Siva. “Though WME is a closed group, we are bombarded daily with at least 50 to 60 new requests to join it,” says Ram Prakash. “We do not make money from this venture,” clarifies Sumant, “It is purely for our passion for good food and an interest in building a connection between food and people.”
Today, WME, that started as Raagul’s personal quest to discover and showcase authentic Madurai food among friends, has evolved into a serious resource platform for a whopping 35K people. “It is a huge number for a small town like Madurai,” says Raagul, who now lives in Australia and has let the others in the team take over the page.
Seventy percent of WME members are hardcore foodies, more than half of them fall in the 25 to 35 years age group, points out Siva. A scroll down the page updates you on food options in the city, from push carts to star hotels. “When customers post their grievance or praise, the hoteliers and restaurateurs are quick to reply,” says Sumant. “To avoid spams and trolls, we constantly monitor the comments,” he adds.
“WME is not a place to rant and sabotage,” he adds. It is rather a platform for people to share their experiences and give their point of view so that those concerned can take steps to improve.
Food may have always been among Madurai’s most defining factors, but now it has found its way in to social media like never before. WME members also include a French national, several NRIs whose city of birth is Madurai and quite a few from neighbouring districts of Sivakasi, Theni, Virudhunagar and Dindigul.
“We want WME to continue as a healthy two-way communication between customers and hoteliers,” says Raagul. But sometimes a disappointed customer can be like a cannon ball and the admins get trolled by both sides. “Food is sensitive business,” says Sumant, “We try our best to stay away from hype and undue criticism. We do not get anything from the page other than learning about new eateries everyday. WME is a great place to narrow down on something specific within a short while,” says Ram Prakash.
If anything, the WME reviews have helped small time vendors grow. The team cites the example of Madurai Paati Kadai, whose owner, an elderly lady, once sold tiffin items on a tricycle. After a member put out a review, her business grew so much that now she sells the same from a small 10-seater food shack!
And of course, the admins are now mini celebrities in town. “We get invitations from restaurant owners but often don’t accept them,” says Siva. “And when we make spontaneous visits, if the owners recognise us, they get extra conscious,” he laughs.
