Home is where the food is
Timby and Uday Mukherjee work seamlessly together in their restaurant Hot & Cold Cafe. Timby takes orders and gets to know the customers, and Uday fulfills each order.
Every customer that walked through their door was treated as a friend by the couple. Timby graciously explained what each entree and drink item was to new customers.
While Timby never stopped smiling, Uday never stopped cooking. He darted all over the kitchen, making meal after meal and drink after drink.
“My husband puts his love and his craft into his food,” Timby said. “He strives to make people happy … and leave with a smile.”
Uday and Timby opened Hot & Cold Cafe 15 years ago in 2007.
Uday had always dreamed of owning his own restaurant. He worked in the catering and restaurant industry for years and had a deep love for food, specifically traditional Indian dishes.
When Timby saw that a Lebanese restaurant on Ninth Street was for sale, they bought it.
They decided to keep a few of the previous owner’s Mediterranean dishes on the menu since there were no other Mediterranean restaurants in Lynchburg at the time.
Uday trained under her for a month and learned how to make homemade hummus, falafel, tabouli, wraps and baklava.
For his restaurant, Uday mixed his traditional Indian cuisine with Mediterranean.
“I cook everything, so (it is) the shape of my experience and everything I know,” Uday said in an interview with the News & Advance.
Uday knew right away he wanted to call their restaurant Hot & Cold Cafe.
“He says, ‘When you come to eat, you either want something hot, or you want something cold,’” Timby said.
Timby felt the name was kind of simple, but she said it has grown on her over the years and fits their restaurant well.
In 2018, they moved from Ninth Street to Main Street. Timby said the newer location has been perfect for them because of how close it is to the market.
For the Mukherjee’s, they want their restaurant to feel like home to their customers.
“You come in, sit down and you feel like you’re coming home to have a good meal,” Timby said.
Timby helps create this atmosphere with the way she interacts with the customers. She welcomes regulars in with a smile and a loud, “Hello.”
And when new customers walk in, she doesn’t hesitate to get to know who they are.
To the Mukherjee’s, a customer’s experience is the most important thing. They want the customer to tell them when a meal is too spicy or too cold because they want to fix it for them.
“I think it’s important to tell someone when something’s wrong,” Timby said. “You’re not gonna make everyone happy, but that’s what we strive for.”
Timby believes supporting local businesses puts money back into where one lives. She said it is vital for a vibrant city.
“If you don’t support local business, you may turn into a ghost town,” Timby said. “Supporting your neighbors, your friends and supporting your community .. local businesses are extremely important.”
For more information about the Hot & Cold Cafe, visit their website.
