200-year-old school building in Kottayam now houses a beloved canteen; beef fry is the star

What if your lunch today was served inside a 200-year-old school?
In the heart of Kottayam town, a historic school building that once echoed with the voices of students is now home to a busy canteen. From breakfast and Kerala meals to biryani and beef fry, the kitchen at Jewel Box Canteen is bustling from morning to evening.

Run by the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese Women’s Fellowship, Jewel Box Canteen has been serving food from the old Baker School building since 1985. While the canteen is four decades old, the story of the building goes back more than two centuries.

From a school to a canteen
In the early 19th century, missionary couple Henry Baker Sr and Mrs Baker came to Kottayam. Mrs Baker began teaching local children to read and also trained them in skills such as sewing and cooking, along with lessons in hygiene.

As the number of students increased, the classes were moved to another location. The Bakers' house was later converted into Baker Hostel, while a girls' school was established next to it. It is in this old school building that Jewel Box Canteen operates today.

The historic compound has witnessed several chapters in Kottayam's history. An early office of Mahatma Gandhi University also functioned on the Baker Memorial Girls' High School campus.

Today, however, the classrooms have a very different rhythm. The sounds of lessons have been replaced by the clatter of vessels and the bustle of a busy kitchen.

A kitchen run by women
Jewel Box Canteen was started in 1985 by the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese Women's Fellowship with the aim of creating self-employment opportunities and building confidence among women.

The kitchen starts working at 8 am, with the menu changing from day to day. Both gas and firewood stoves are used, and the spacious kitchen remains busy as breakfast, lunch and evening dishes are prepared. Breakfast includes idli, dosa, idiyappam, puttu, porotta and chapati, accompanied by a variety of curries.

Lunch features Kerala meals and biryani. Fish lovers can look forward to different local preparations through the week, including sardines, mackerel and other varieties. Sides such as raw banana pachadi, sambar and buttermilk complete the meal. But there is one dish that draws perhaps the most attention: the Kerala-style beef fry.

The beef is cooked and roasted with a blend of spices, creating the kind of aroma that can make anyone in the dining area hungry. Traditional beef curry is another popular choice, while payasam is prepared on special occasions.

In the evening, the menu includes dosa, vellayappam, porotta and chapati, served with fish curry, beef curry and beef fry.

A legacy that continues
The emphasis on practical skills and self-reliance associated with Mrs Baker's work has found a different expression through projects run by the Women's Fellowship.

The organisation also runs Elma Bakers, which grew from a home-bakery initiative launched in 2012. These initiatives operate from Baker Compound, where the historic buildings have been renovated in stages while retaining their character.

Since 2021, Jewel Box Canteen has been overseen by Dr Jessy Sara Koshy, president of the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese Women's Fellowship.

More than two centuries after Mrs Baker began teaching children practical skills in Kottayam, the compound continues to be a space where women work, learn and build livelihoods. And today, one of the best ways to experience that history is over a plate of food.

How to reach Jewel Box Canteen
Jewel Box Canteen is located at Baker Compound in the heart of Kottayam and is open from 8 am to 8 pm.

If you are coming from Baker Junction, look for the open shutter in the middle of the shopping complex on your left. Walk through it to reach the Jewel Box courtyard. Come for the history, stay for the food, and make sure you try the beef fry.