Amma’s, founded by Hopper Joint chef Ronith Arlikatti, began in his home kitchen, sharing his mother’s pickles and condiments with friends and family. Now this deeply personal project is growing into a platform that’s connecting cultures and preserving family recipes.
By collaborating with chefs from across South Asia, Amma’s aims to bring authentic condiments crafted by chefs to an Australian audience, each jar full of heritage, creativity, and regional flavours.
Here’s Arlikatti on what you can expect from Amma’s debut condiment.
What makes your chutney different and/or special?
Amma’s condiments and sauces are chef-crafted from undocumented South Asian family recipes, with chefs refining and perfecting all the last-minute touches your amma would make – ensuring bold, unique flavours where taste is always the top priority. Each jar is a true expression of tradition and creativity.
Who are you and what are you all about?
We’re a small team – just me and my partner, who’s also a chef – driven by a shared passion for preserving the rich, diverse flavours of South Asia. Our first sauce is inspired by her culture, blended with my mum’s beloved tomato chutney, creating something deeply personal and unique. The name Amma’s comes from the word for mother – a nod to the generations of family cooks whose recipes shaped who we are.
Growing up, I was surrounded by dishes made by my mother, grandmother, and even my grandfather – recipes that were as intricate and thoughtfully layered as the ones I’ve encountered in the fine dining kitchens I’ve worked in. With that background, I bring a deep respect for tradition and an eye for detail to every part of Amma’s, from the flavour and packaging to the overall concept. Right now, we’re just getting started – but the dream is to collaborate with like-minded chefs and bring more undocumented, heritage recipes to life, one bold, beautiful jar at a time.
Explain like we’re five: how do you make it?
What makes Amma’s stand out from every other condiment on the shelf is the soul behind every jar. These aren’t mass-produced or trend-chasing flavours – they’re rooted in undocumented family recipes, and refined with the precision of fine dining. It’s not just a condiment – it’s a story, a memory, and a taste of home you won’t find anywhere else.
What excites you about this project?
The chance to honour tradition while creating something new. It’s deeply personal – drawing from our families, our cultures, and the food we grew up with – and there’s something incredibly rewarding about turning those memories into jars of flavour that others can experience too. I love the idea of preserving recipes that were never written down, and combining that with my chef background to elevate them without losing their soul. And honestly, the dream of collaborating with other chefs, each bringing their own heritage and story to the table – that’s what really fuels me. It’s food with purpose, and that’s exciting.
What are the perfect conditions to enjoy Amma’s?
There are so many memories with this sauce. Picture a mild rainy day in India, an Indo-Chinese stall stir frying some delicious Schezwan noodles or fried rice. The thousand aromas are flying through the air. You’re waiting in line to grab a plate, but since there’s a long wait, you order momos – North Indian dumplings – and smear a spoon of this sauce with each bite.
So now your taste buds are tingling, and you’re tempted to have another snack – my personal favourite accompaniment with this sauce: chicken lollipops. They’re extra red from the street food colouring (which is okay to consume once in a while), but the sauce is naturally red thanks to Kashmiri chillies. Before you know it, a friend shows up and you’re sharing the fried rice with chicken lollipops and Schezwan sauce. This is just one of many memories people will have with this sauce.
And the stall has a slightly broken radio playing some Bollywood songs. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fast item number or a slow classic – they both fit the vibe just fine.
Or you can also just add it to your sunny side-up eggs in the morning. It will take breakfast to the next level.
Is this here for a good time or a long time?
Definitely here for a long time. Amma’s is more than a product – it’s a platform to document and preserve South Asian recipes that have rarely been written down. As a chef, it’s always bothered me that classic European sauces have standard methods used worldwide, but with South Asian sauces, it’s often vague or improvised. Through Amma’s, I want to change that – bringing structure, consistency, and respect to these traditions. The vision is big: I want our condiments in kitchens across Australia, from restaurants to home pantries. This is just the beginning.
Where can I buy it?
Right now I’m setting up the shop online, and currently only stocking at Hopper Joint. There’s going to be limited stock, as I’m still making the batches myself and running a very busy restaurant.