A Tauranga restaurant owner facing his own business woes in the current climate is dishing up goodwill this coming Monday night by raising funds for the Cyclone Gabrielle disaster relief fund.

Pradeep Patel's Talk of India on Cameron Rd is among city restaurants taking part in Al Brown's ‘Cooking up a Storm' cyclone relief dinner.

On March 20, restaurants, cafés and pubs across Aotearoa will serve up a two-course meal to dine-in patrons, with proceeds going to the relief fund and hospitality workers who've been impacted.

'We've always been involved in this sort of thing and I'm quite excited about it. We're part of the community, where we love to look after each other,” says Pradeep.

Pradeep's loyal customer of 27 years and friend, Roy Walmsley also wants to pay it forward by filling Talk of India with diners amid hard times while the restaurant dishes out community good.

Seeing Al Brown's initiative, Roy has been rallying diners for Pradeep. 'I'm basically helping Pradeep out because he was extremely generous when I lost my wife Sue three years ago,” says Roy.

After his wife's funeral service, Roy says: 'He put a takeaway meal together for 20-plus people – totally on the house”.

'We've been going for 29 years and there's a lot of loyal people that have been supporting us… it's not just a restaurant – we like to give something back,” says Pradeep.

With Covid-19 and construction projects nearby, business hasn't been easy for Pradeep. 'He's struggling now and losing trade because of what's happening on Cameron Rd,” says Roy. 'Covid- 19 was already hard enough for us when you couldn't have social gatherings and had to keep socially distanced and now there's [Cameron Rd] roadworks,” says Pradeep.

However, he will set aside his own struggles on Monday night to help others. He'll throw out the menu for the relief dinner, instead serving a tasty entrée platter of authentic Indian dishes followed by a main.

'We're going to do chicken curry with a bone and do it a little bit more home-style, and serve with rice and naan bread.” There will also be a vegetarian option too.

Restaurants including Solera Wine Bar, Master Kong, Sundowner Beachside Bar, Latitude 37, Fairview Golf & Country Club and Picnicka Bar & Grill, will also take part in the fundraiser.

Nationwide, participant doors open 6.30pm with dinner served 7pm Monday, March 20. The set food menu price for a two-course dinner is $69 with $46 from each sale going to the Mayoral Relief Funds.

Book a table and tickets at: www.dinefind.co.nz/cooking-up-a-storm