Mumbai cook may have been earning 2 lakh per month: Netizens debate ‘18k for a 30 min job?'

Mint

3 days ago

A "maharaj" (cook) in Mumbai may have been earning ₹ 1.8 to ₹ 2 lakh per month -- doing a 30-minute job for ₹ 18,0000 per house. That's what an advocate living in the financial capital claimed on social media, igniting a debate over cooks charging premium in decent Mumbai localities.
In a post on X, Ayushi Doshi said her cook charges ₹ 18,000 per house and works for maximum 30 minutes. She said the 'maharaj' cooks for around 10–12 houses daily, is offered "free food and free chai; gets paid on time or leaves without a goodbye."
Comparing the life of the skilled worker with that of a corporate employee, she wittily said, 'Meanwhile, I'm out here saying 'gentle reminder' with trembling hands with minimum salary.'
Ayushi Doshi told HT.com that though his charges seem a bit unbelievable, it's 'worth it' because he is good at what he does.
Many on social media disagreed with Ayushi Doshi, saying, "Charge of 18k per family per mth is acceptable but you mentioned he works for 10 to 12 families daily that's unrealistic ☺️"
Several others said she was "overpaying" to the cook. Another commented, "From Mumbai but cooking for 12 ppl in 30 mins is not possible. Also charges for a family of 4 ppl is 7k per month but it takes around 1 hour to cook."
"I pay 14k for my cook to come cook for my family of 5 twice in a day, and that's a premium. He may be charging 18k but he can't be done in 30min and he can't be doing 12 houses in a day. The math is wrong here," claimed another user.
Meanwhile, there were other users who backed Ayushi's claim. One said, "My Maharaj lives in my home charges 23k per month + 1 month bonus + 1 month leave without pay cut + all meals + tips when there are guests and with this he takes an off for 3 hours in the afternoon where he cooks early dinner in 2 homes for 10 k each."
One person said, "We are paying 15K for a cook who comes once a day in mrng in south Mumbai so yeah I get it !!"
Reacting to comments in her social media post, Ayushi said, "....this is what good Maharajs charge in decent localities."
"The same cook charges ₹ 2.5k a day for a family of 12 isn't overcharging, it's just how things work here. If your state still runs on ₹ 5 thalis, that's great for you, but don't assume everyone else is lying 😭 ," she said.
She said her post is not aimed at 'engagement farming.'
"It's just real life experience in one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you can't relate, maybe just accept the difference in cost of living and keep scrolling instead of shouting 'fake' in the comments," she added.
" Thanks for all the comments , I now realise I might be overpaying mine. But honestly, he's worth it," she added.
Earlier, a north Indian woman who recently shifted to Delhi after living in Chennai for four years noted a 'stark difference' in the work ethic and mindset of people, especially domestic help, in the two regions.
In a lengthy LinkedIn post, Naina Pathak shared 'what a tale of two regions taught her about work ethic and social mindset'.
'In Chennai, whether it was professionals or household help, I saw sincerity,' Naina said.
'What amazed me was their honesty. On day one, she told me: 'I'll take two fixed leaves. If I take more, cut my salary.' No drama — just accountability,' Naina wrote.
Naina noted that after moving to Delhi, she has hired six maids in just one year.
'Despite getting the salary they asked for, there were constant unannounced leaves,' she said, adding that they also had excuses ready when questioned.
'I got excuses — 'someone died,' 'I fainted,' 'a relative is in hospital.' It became routine,' Naina wrote.
'Forget saying 'cut salary' — here, even suggesting it offends them. Boundaries turn you into the villain. Even accepting leftover food was an issue, often rejected with ego,' she shared. Read full story here