A verified chef for your Navratri & Diwali gathering.
Guests coming for Navratri or Diwali? Book a verified home chef to cook a festive Gujarati, Rajasthani or Punjabi spread in your own kitchen — fixed pricing, no caterer minimums, no negotiation. Jain and farali (fasting) menus available on request, direct with your chef.
Why book a chef instead of a caterer
A caterer means trays, minimum order sizes and food made hours earlier. A CookOnCall chef arrives at your home and cooks fresh, to order, in your kitchen — closer to how a family actually eats on Navratri or Diwali. It also scales down: a chef works for a family dinner of four just as well as a bigger evening gathering, which most catering minimums don't allow.
Navratri: fasting & festive menus
Many households keep a farali (fasting) diet for some or all of Navratri. CookOnCall chefs who specialise in Gujarati and Jain cooking can prepare a farali-friendly spread — sabudana, singhoda flour, rajgira and vrat-appropriate vegetables — alongside or instead of a regular festive thali. Confirm your exact requirements with the chef when you book; every kitchen's version of “farali” is a little different, and your chef will cook it your way.
Diwali: the family dinner
For Diwali, most bookings are a family dinner scaled up for visiting relatives — a full Gujarati or North Indian thali, sometimes with a Rajasthani or Punjabi dish added for variety. Tell your chef the headcount and any dietary notes (Jain, veg-only, spice level) when you message them, and they'll plan the menu and grocery list around it.
Pricing — same as every booking, nothing added for the festival
A festival booking is priced exactly like any other CookOnCall booking: the chef's session rate, a ₹49 or ₹79 visit fee depending on your area, and a 2.5% convenience fee — shown in full before you pay. See the full breakdown on the pricing page.
Book in your neighbourhood
CookOnCall is currently focused on these Ahmedabad neighbourhoods — browse verified chefs near you:
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a Jain or farali (fasting) cook for Navratri?
Yes. Chef profiles show whether they cook veg-only, and you can discuss a Jain or farali (no onion/garlic, fasting-friendly) menu directly with your chef before the booking date — CookOnCall chefs already specialise in Gujarati, Rajasthani and Jain cooking.
How much does a festival booking cost?
The same transparent pricing as any CookOnCall booking: the chef's session rate, a fixed ₹49 or ₹79 visit fee depending on your area, and a 2.5% convenience fee — shown upfront before you pay. There's no separate "event" markup for Navratri or Diwali.
How far in advance should I book for Diwali or Navratri?
Bookings need at least an hour's notice, but festival dates are genuinely high-demand across Ahmedabad — chefs' calendars fill up faster in the days immediately around Navratri and Diwali, so book as early as you can once your date and guest count are decided.
Can a chef cook for a large Navratri or Diwali gathering?
Chef capacity varies — check the guest-count and package details on each chef's profile, or message them directly to confirm before booking a larger gathering.