Mumbai man's cook earns Rs 1.05 lakh monthly, plans Thailand trip with friends

A Mumbai man's post about his cook earning Rs 1.05 lakh every month and planning his first international holiday with friends has caught attention on LinkedIn.Mumbai man's cook earns Rs 1.05 lakh monthly (Representative pic from Getty) New Delhi,Nov 10, 2026 19:04 ISTA Mumbai-based man has shared how his cook earns Rs 1.05 lakh a month by working for multiple households and catering to film crews during night shoots.In a LinkedIn post, Manuraaj Garg compared the cook's financial situation with that of his MBA-educated friends, highlighting how the former's income, multiple employers and relatively low expenses offer a different perspective on financial security and success.Garg detailed how his cook earns money through different assignments. The cook charges Rs 18,000 for preparing meals twice a day at his home, Rs 16,500 at another flat in the same building and Rs 38,000 from a bigger family nearby for cooking and managing kitchen-related work.Additionally, the cook works at a film set on Friday nights, where he prepares food for the crew during night shoots. “Friday nights he’s at a film set – feeding a unit through a night shoot, dal-chawal at 1 am while the hero does retakes: Rs 7,500 a night,” Garg said. He added that the cook's wife earns Rs 45,000 a month, taking their combined household income to approximately Rs 1.5 lakh.Comparing this with the financial realities of some of his MBA-educated friends, Garg pointed out that while they might earn higher salaries on paper, taxes, EMIs and childcare expenses significantly reduce their take-home income: “What’s actually left for the month is often his number – without the paper.” Garg also highlighted that the cook's earnings are not reflected in conventional employment records. “His money has never met the system. No Form 16, no TDS, no CTC breakup, no 'variable component'. Not because he’s hiding – the system was simply never built to see him,” he said, adding that what the cook earns is what he gets to keep.The cook's work also comes with a degree of flexibility and income diversification. His entire working routine operates within a two-kilometre radius, and he has four employers. Losing one assignment would mean losing only a portion of his income rather than his entire livelihood.Garg further noted that the cook regularly receives enquiries for work, with prospective employers willing to pay more for a reliable service provider. He contrasted this with his IIT-educated friends, who sometimes struggle to hear back from employers even after multiple interview rounds.He also pointed out that the cook does not feel the same pressure to maintain an expensive lifestyle or keep up with social expectations around cars, schooling and appearances.“His financial advisor is one sentence: 'Arre pagal hai kya, bahut mehenga hai.' My friends’ financial advisor is also one sentence: 'Chalo yaar, let’s do it,'” Garg wrote.However, the cook does have one indulgence: the latest iPhone Pro, which he bought on EMI. He is otherwise careful about his spending and avoids unnecessary expenses, Garg said.In fact, Garg revealed that the 34-year-old cook is planning his first international holiday with friends. The trip will be to Thailand, marking his first flight and first passport as well.Garg recalled sharing travel tips with him, recommending places such as Maya Bay, trying street food and renting a scooter. Their conversation, he said, briefly moved beyond the employer-employee relationship as both exchanged travel stories and plans.“For ten minutes, nobody was anybody’s employer – just two boys talking Thailand,” he wrote, adding that his wife eventually asked them to get back to their respective work.Concluding his post, Garg offered a different perspective on how financial well-being is measured.“He is not poor. He is not rich. He is something our spreadsheets don’t have a column for: a man whose maths still works,” he said.Through his cook’s story, Manuraaj Garg highlighted how multiple income sources, manageable expenses and the freedom to make personal choices can also shape a financially secure life.- Ends