Restaurants In India That Employ Staff With Hearing And Speech Impairment
Image Credit: Instagram/ishaaraindia. Ishaara in Mumbai has been able to develop its own language that goes beyond words.

Trends may dominate the food and restaurant world often, but inclusivity can never go out of style. A few restaurants in India have taken the initiative to employ staff with hearing and speech impairment, making a huge stride towards a good cause. With this, the hospitality industry has shown that it cares about people from all walks of life. Besides giving people with hearing and speech impairment a source of income, restaurants employing them also gives them the confidence that it’s possible for them to be treated fairly. Here are some restaurants in India that employ staff with hearing and speech impairment: 

Ishaara, Mumbai

Ishaara’s entire service staff is made up of people with hearing and speech impairment. Each member is trained in hospitality, etiquette and English sign language for 45 days. Staff members have pictures of their sign names on the back of their uniforms, which can be used to get their attention. A raised hand works too. The restaurant has been able to develop its own language that goes beyond words. The food here is modern Indian, with a focus on street food-inspired and North Indian dishes. Think truffle butter pav bhaji, buttermilk pani puri, naan rolls and curries. Those with a sweet tooth shouldn’t miss the apple jalebi and gajar halwa crumble.

Echoes Cafe, Delhi

Started in Delhi’s Satyaniketan by a group of friends, Echoes Cafe’s aim was to build a business that focuses on uplifting those who are discriminated against. The cafe employs over 40 differently-abled people. Sign blocks at the entrance have all the alphabets written on them. Each alphabet corresponds to a sign that the staff uses to communicate with patrons, who are also provided with an innovative option to call staff over to their tables. Pressing a button at the table leads to a bulb with the assigned table number lighting up at the staff counter. This alerts the staff about which table they need to go to. The menu is an eclectic mix, with starters like garlic bread and honey chilli potato, nachos, momos, burgers, pasta and larger meals. There’s also a good selection of drinks from coffee and tea to shakes.

Nukkad Cafe, Raipur

Nukkad Cafe was started by Priyank Patel in 2013 with the aim to make society more inclusive. Besides having hearing and speech impaired people as its staff, the cafe also encourages customers to deposit their phones after entering the cafe so that everyone is present in the moment and has a good time instead of staring at a screen. Nukkad has two branches in Raipur that employ eight differently-abled staff members. Sip on a cup of sulemani chai or kahwa, or choose from multiple flavors of refreshing iced tea. The food menu includes pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, Maggi and quick bites like bun maska, nachos and fries.

These places have set an example for the rest of India—if not the rest of the world—to follow. By giving hearing and speech impaired people a platform, they have sent out a loud and clear message that inclusivity is the way forward, at least in the food world.