Hi friends,

A lot of you ask about Matt, so this week I'm telling you how we met.

We matched on Coffee Meets Bagel, back when I had pretty much given up on dating. I'd mostly dated Indian guys and wasn't looking for anything serious. But he asked me to brunch, and I figured, why not?

That first date lasted six hours. Brunch, beignets, a long walk, drinks, and we just kept talking. Two days later he did something I didn't expect. He called me. Not a text, an actual phone call.

My parents always pictured me marrying an Indian guy, and Matt is American, Christian, and grew up in a totally different world. They needed time. Then in 2020 he sold his house, COVID changed every plan, and we ended up living with my parents for a year and a half.

It turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to us. We ate every meal together, watched Bollywood movies, and Matt became part of the family. My mom started treating him like her own son. She made sure he was fed, bought him clothes, and included him in everything.

Years later I asked my dad what finally made him okay with me marrying Matt. He said, "Any guy who takes care of a cat that well will take care of my daughter." (Matt's cat, Missy, won my parents over too.)

He proposed in the Smoky Mountains in February 2021, and later that year we had a three-day Indian-American wedding, with a baraat, a horse, and Hindu mantras explained in English so his family could follow along.

Food has been part of our story from the start. Matt loves a good American breakfast, and I love introducing him to the Indian food I grew up on, especially my mom's recipes. That's really how Toasty Indian began, with the two of us in the kitchen turning our differences into something fun.

And to think, I almost didn't go on that first date. I'm so glad I did.

This week: Watch our newest videos on Toasty Indian, and you'll see Matt in a lot of them. Then hit reply and tell me how you met your person. Did family introduce you, did you meet online, or did you just cross paths one day? I read every reply.

With love,

Rashmi

Toasty Indian