Podcasts about meherwan irani

Last September Asheville, North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. The damage is estimated to be $60 billion. Especially hard hit was the close-knit food community that has attracted millions of visitors to Asheville every year. The New York Times's Pete Wells did some stellar reporting last fall when he spent a few days interviewing chefs and farmers in the picturesque western Carolina city. Now, six months down the road, Special Sauce checked in with Pete and James Beard Award-winning chef-restaurateur Meherwan Irani to update us on the state of Asheville's recovery.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Priyanka Mattoo is the author of Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones, a wonderful memoir about food and place and how moving around the world inspired volumes and volumes of stories. We so loved having Priyanka into the studio, and we covered some serious ground. We discuss her upbringing in the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and her journey to Hollywood, where she worked as a talent agent and studio executive. We talk about food on TV, The Bear (naturally), but also what excites her on television today.Also on the show, Matt talks about his recent trip to India with chef Meherwan Irani of restaurants Chai Pani and Botiwalla. They visited Mumbai, Pune, and Ahmednagar and experienced so much including stops at Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, Cafe Yezdan, and Parsi Dairy Farm.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you.MORE FROM PRIYANKA MATTOO:The Best Restaurant in Town [TASTE]‘We Never Moved Back to Kashmir, Because We Couldn't' [NYT]The Monday Media Diet with Priyanka Mattoo [WITI]See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meherwan Irani (Chai Pani) & Vishwesh Bhatt (Snackbar) are both James Beard Award winners for their restaurants, chef abilities and cookbook. They are also a voice for the South Asian community as they have brought regional and personal Indian flavors at the forefront of culinary conversations. Local ingredients, ancient techniques and aromatic spices have made their kitchens some of the most popular in the country. They share their stories of growing up with cultures from several parts of India and the world. Listen to a couple of friends as they share light and serious moments of their lives and their careers. IG: @kissmybhatt1 , @snackbaroxford @meherwanirani @spicewalla https://botiwalla.com/ Follow Jes for more Podcast info and foodie fun  @jessoulfood 

Menu editors Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn were among the guests who celebrated the winners of the 2024 MenuMasters awards on Saturday. We were in the thick of the event at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, sampling the chef-prepared food at the various stations and talking to the eight chefs honored this year. Chef and restaurateur Nancy Silverton was inducted into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame, and we talk on the podcast about her accomplishments as a chef and restaurateur. She was particularly touched to receive an award from the industry, and commented on how these awards celebrate the diversity of restaurants represented at the ceremony. Other winners included fast casuals Cava and Tender Greens, quick-service players Del Taco and McDonald's and casual-dining concept Fogo de Chao. Indian entrepreneur Meherwan Irani and digital cooking guru Samuel “Sam the Cooking Guy” Zien were also honored, further reflecting that diversity. We also dish on the wild MenuMasters “after party,” where special effects, music, dancing and more food and drinks kept guests hopping until almost midnight. MenuMasters took place during the National Restaurant Show, so we roamed the exhibits and chatted about our favorite tastes, sips and happenings.

Abhay is joined by the co-founder, CEO, and chef of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, Meherwan Irani.  They chatted about his ongoing experiences with nostalgia, learning from the American South, and cultivating a food and spice empire.(0:00 - 3:11) introduction(3:11) Part 1: being a romantic, that classic American "bhel puri" story(14:24) Part 2: "andaaz", living in the American South, strategy/consistency(29:29) Part 3: letting go, cooking with professional patriotism, the descriptive word jumble(40:46) Conclusion

If you sit down with Meherwan Irani long enough you will likely figure out the answers to a lot of nagging questions that have been bothering you. Meherwan is not just a Chef he is a problem solver. Listen to this episode and find out: The evolution of Chai Pani & chow  How you can marry the boss's daughter  When to know the problem you are solving for? What is Chow Chow Asheville & Chow Chow on a plate? Where is the Indian culinary pantheon relevant?     On the mic this week: @trujillo.media @weisswine Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod Find us on YouTube: NC F&B Youtube Support our Sponsors: Help us welcome  SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!! Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here We have our own bitters thanks to Remedy Cocktail Co!  Get the NC F&Bitters HERE!

In this week's episode, Sid Evans, Editor-in-Chief of Southern Living Magazine, chats with Meherwan Irani, the chef behind Chai Pani, which in 2022 was recognized as the most outstanding restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation. Serving Indian street food in Asheville, NC, it draws on Irani's childhood in India, where his family welcomed travelers from the West into their home, and he'd sometimes play hooky from school to go out and sample the delicious street food of his hometown. For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjam Biscuits & Jam is produced by: Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern Living Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Dominique Arciero - Audio Engineer/Producer Jeremiah McVay - Script Editor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters.If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Meherwan starts gathering his ingredients at 0:42) before starting the episode.Meherwan Irani's Akuri1 cup finely diced white onion3 tablespoons vegetable oilSea salt1 cup diced tomatoes2 tablespoons diced serranos (or any green chili de-seeded)1/4 teaspoon turmeric1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne1 cup chopped cilantro8 eggs2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream2 tablespoons cold butterIn a large nonstick pan, sauté the onions in oil on medium-high heat with a generous pinch of salt, until the edges begin to brown.Add tomatoes and chilies, and cook until the tomatoes have softened. Add turmeric and red chili powder.Stir for a minute and add 2/3 of the cilantro.Sauté for another minute and turn the heat off.Whisk eggs and half-and-half to combine well (but don't let the eggs gets frothy).Return the pan with the eggs back to low heat and add the eggs. Cook the eggs gently, stirring frequently.The eggs will start to form curds in 5-6 minutes. Add the butter in small chunks and stir them in.In another 3-5 minutes, the eggs will be done. They should be soft and creamy.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Email it to us at podcasts@food52.com!Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Chris Smith's first encounter with okra was of the worst kind: slimy fried okra at a greasy-spoon diner.Despite that dismal introduction, Smith developed a fascination with okra, and as he researched the plant and began to experiment with it in his own kitchen, he discovered an amazing range of delicious ways to cook and eat it, along with ingenious and surprising ways to process the plant from tip-to-tail: pods, leaves, flowers, seeds, and stalks. Smith talked okra with chefs, food historians, university researchers, farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners. The summation of his experimentation and research comes together in The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration (2019, Chelsea Green), a lighthearted but information-rich collection of okra history, lore, recipes, craft projects, growing advice, and more.The Whole Okra includes classic recipes such as fried okra pods as well as unexpected delights including okra seed pancakes and okra flower vodka. Some of the South's best-known chefs shared okra recipes with Smith: Okra Soup by culinary historian Michael Twitty, Limpin' Susan by chef BJ Dennis, Bhindi Masala by chef Meherwan Irani, and Okra Fries by chef Vivian Howard.Chris joins Walter Edgar for a conversation about all things okra.

Chef Meherwan Irani, fresh off his team's James Beard Foundation Outstanding Restaurant win talks with Christine Sykes Lowe about Chai Pani Restaurant Group, the Spicewalla brand and passion for igniting discussion and thought around orgins, ethnicity and Southern food.HRN On Tour is powered by Simplecast.

On today's episode of All in the Industry®, Shari Bayer has a special “On the Road” show from the 2022 James Beard Awards in Chicago, which took place from June 11-13 in Chicago, IL. Shari's coverage includes her exclusive red carpet interviews with nominees and presenters at the Chef and Restaurant Awards at the Lyric Opera House, with a bit of our Speed Round game too! Plus, Shari has interviews with some of the winners during the awards ceremony and celebration (listed below). Congratulations to everyone! It was a wonderful awards weekend! Today's show also features Shari's PR tip to celebrate your journey; and Solo Dining experience at Chef Jason Vincent's Giant in Chicago. 2022 James Beard Awards -- Shari's red carpet and awards ceremony interviews in chronological order:Damian Sansonetti, Chaval, Portland, MENominee: Best Chef: Northwest and PacificRuben Ortega, Xochi, Houston, TX Nominee: Outstanding Pastry ChefZak Stern, Zak the Baker, Miami, FLNominee: Outstanding Baker Irene Li, Mei Mei Dumplings and Prepshift, Boston, MALeadership WinnerMavis Jay-Sanders, Drive Change, NYCLeadership WinnerChristian ClemensonActor playing James Beard, HBO Max series “Julia” JJ Johnson, FIELDTRIP, NYCNominee: Best Chef: New York StateLydia Chang, Pichet Ong, and *Peter Chang, Peter Chang, VA and MD*Nominee: Outstanding Chef(Lydia translates)Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar, Dhamaka, NYCWinner: Best Chef: New York StateNominee: Best New Restaurant, NYCCaroline Schiff, Gage & Tollner, NYCNominee: Outstanding Pastry ChefKatie Button and Felix Meana, Curate, Asheville, NCWinner: Outstanding HospitalityNominee: Best Chef: SoutheastTiffany Derry, Roots Southern Table, Farmers Branch, TXNominee: Best New RestaurantNominee: Best Chef: TexasCheetie Kumar, Garland, Raleigh, NCNominee: Best Chef: SoutheastChris Williams, Lucille's Hospitality Group, Houston, TXNominee: Outstanding RestaurateurAyesha Nurdjaja, Shukette, NYCNominee: Best Chef: New York StateYia Vang, Union Hmong Kitchen, Minneapolis, MNNominee: Best Chef: MidwestManeet Chauhan, Morph Hospitality Group, Nashville, TNPresenterClare Reichenbach, CEOJames Beard FoundationEllen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group, Philadelphia, PANominee: Outstanding RestaurateurSheldon Simeon, Tin Roof, Kahului, HINominee: Best Chef: Northwest and PacificClaudia Fleming, Union Square Hospitality Group, NYCPresenter**Justin Chearno, The Four Horseman, Brooklyn, NYCWinner: Outstanding Wine ProgramAlba Huerta, Julep, Houston, TXWinner: Outstanding Bar ProgramBrandon Jew, Mister Jiu's, San Francisco, CAWinner: Best Chef: CaliforniaWinner (Media Awards): Best Restaurant and Professional Book (with Tiehlon Ho)Grace YoungHumanitarian of the YearErick Williams, Virtue Restaurant & Bar, Chicago, ILWinner: Best Chef: Great LakesKatie Button and Felix Meana, Curate, Asheville, NCWinner: Outstanding HospitalityNominee: Best Chef: SoutheastMeherwan Irani, Chai Pani, Asheville, NCWinner: Outstanding RestaurantMartin Yan Lifetime Achievement Award**Photo Courtesy of Shari Bayer.Listen at Heritage Radio Network; subscribe/rate/review our show at iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify. Follow us @allindustry. And check out Shari Bayer's YouTube Channel for two #JBFA videos with red carpet highlights and more! Thanks for being a part of All in the Industry®. HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-supported food podcasts empower eaters to cultivate a radically better world. This month, we're asking you to join us. Become a monthly sustaining member at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.All in the Industry is Powered by Simplecast.

Two of Schedulefly's customers just won the two biggest James Beard awards, Outstanding Chef (Mashama Bailey, The Grey, Savannah, GA) and Outstanding Restaurant (Chai Pani, Asheville, N.C.). We read some quotes from their acceptance speeches on this episode. 

Jennifer is joined by chef Meherwan Irani to talk about his early cooking influences including his mother's fusion, how he fell in love with the city of Asheville as well as how he juggles family life along with owning several restaurants.

If you like this show, head right on over to the Play Me a Recipe show page for more episodes; we play new recipes each Friday. On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters.If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Meherwan starts gathering his ingredients at 0:42) before starting the episode.Meherwan Irani's Akuri1 cup finely diced white onion3 tablespoons vegetable oilSea salt1 cup diced tomatoes2 tablespoons diced serranos (or any green chili de-seeded)1/4 teaspoon turmeric1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne1 cup chopped cilantro8 eggs2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream2 tablespoons cold butterIn a large nonstick pan, sauté the onions in oil on medium-high heat with a generous pinch of salt, until the edges begin to brown.Add tomatoes and chilies, and cook until the tomatoes have softened. Add turmeric and red chili powder.Stir for a minute and add 2/3 of the cilantro.Sauté for another minute and turn the heat off.Whisk eggs and half-and-half to combine well (but don't let the eggs gets frothy).Return the pan with the eggs back to low heat and add the eggs. Cook the eggs gently, stirring frequently.The eggs will start to form curds in 5-6 minutes. Add the butter in small chunks and stir them in.In another 3-5 minutes, the eggs will be done. They should be soft and creamy.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Email it to us at podcasts@food52.com!Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

If you like this show, head right on over to the Play Me a Recipe show page for more episodes; we play new recipes each Friday. On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters.If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Meherwan starts gathering his ingredients at 0:42) before starting the episode.Meherwan Irani's Akuri1 cup finely diced white onion3 tablespoons vegetable oilSea salt1 cup diced tomatoes2 tablespoons diced serranos (or any green chili de-seeded)1/4 teaspoon turmeric1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne1 cup chopped cilantro8 eggs2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream2 tablespoons cold butterIn a large nonstick pan, sauté the onions in oil on medium-high heat with a generous pinch of salt, until the edges begin to brown.Add tomatoes and chilies, and cook until the tomatoes have softened. Add turmeric and red chili powder.Stir for a minute and add 2/3 of the cilantro.Sauté for another minute and turn the heat off.Whisk eggs and half-and-half to combine well (but don't let the eggs gets frothy).Return the pan with the eggs back to low heat and add the eggs. Cook the eggs gently, stirring frequently.The eggs will start to form curds in 5-6 minutes. Add the butter in small chunks and stir them in.In another 3-5 minutes, the eggs will be done. They should be soft and creamy.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Email it to us at podcasts@food52.com!Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters.If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Meherwan starts gathering his ingredients at 0:42) before starting the episode.Meherwan Irani's Akuri1 cup finely diced white onion3 tablespoons vegetable oilSea salt1 cup diced tomatoes2 tablespoons diced serranos (or any green chili de-seeded)1/4 teaspoon turmeric1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder or cayenne1 cup chopped cilantro8 eggs2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream2 tablespoons cold butterIn a large nonstick pan, sauté the onions in oil on medium-high heat with a generous pinch of salt, until the edges begin to brown.Add tomatoes and chilies, and cook until the tomatoes have softened. Add turmeric and red chili powder.Stir for a minute and add 2/3 of the cilantro.Sauté for another minute and turn the heat off.Whisk eggs and half-and-half to combine well (but don't let the eggs gets frothy).Return the pan with the eggs back to low heat and add the eggs. Cook the eggs gently, stirring frequently.The eggs will start to form curds in 5-6 minutes. Add the butter in small chunks and stir them in.In another 3-5 minutes, the eggs will be done. They should be soft and creamy.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Email it to us at podcasts@food52.com!Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode, we interview Meherwan Irani, the CEO, Executive Chef, and Founder of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Chai Pani is a context-based business model that focuses on why instead of the how Why it’s important to just let your team come up with better ideas Who Meherwan considers "carriers," and why they are pivotal in allowing a business to grow and expand The origins of the name Chai Pani How and why the team at Chai Pani focuses on the little things For complete show notes, including some supplementary information from this episode visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/089 To see our upcoming social events and workshops, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/events To recommend an interviewee, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast Music by Commonwealth Choir If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, review, and/or share! It helps to spread the word and get more eyes on Asheville's makers. Check out Making It in Asheville on other platforms! https://www.instagram.com/makingitinasheville/ https://www.makingitinasheville.com/youtube/ https://makingitinasheville.com/subscribe/

In this episode, we interview Meherwan Irani, the CEO, Executive Chef, and Founder of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Here's What You'll Learn in this Episode: Chai Pani is a context-based business model that focuses on why instead of the how Why it's important to just let your team come up with better ideas Who Meherwan considers "carriers," and why they are pivotal in allowing a business to grow and expand The origins of the name Chai Pani How and why the team at Chai Pani focuses on the little things For complete show notes, including some supplementary information from this episode visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/089 To see our upcoming social events and workshops, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/events To recommend an interviewee, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast Music by Commonwealth Choir If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, review, and/or share! It helps to spread the word and get more eyes on Asheville's makers. Check out Making It in Asheville on other platforms! https://www.instagram.com/makingitinasheville/ https://www.makingitinasheville.com/youtube/ https://makingitinasheville.com/subscribe/

In this episode, we interview Meherwan Irani, the CEO, Executive Chef, and Founder of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Here’s What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Chai Pani is a context-based business model that focuses on why instead of the how Why it’s important to just let your team come up with better ideas Who Meherwan considers "carriers," and why they are pivotal in allowing a business to grow and expand The origins of the name Chai Pani How and why the team at Chai Pani focuses on the little things For complete show notes, including some supplementary information from this episode visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/089 To see our upcoming social events and workshops, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/events To recommend an interviewee, visit: MakingItInAsheville.com/podcast Music by Commonwealth Choir If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, like, review, and/or share! It helps to spread the word and get more eyes on Asheville's makers. Check out Making It in Asheville on other platforms! https://www.instagram.com/makingitinasheville/ https://www.makingitinasheville.com/youtube/ https://makingitinasheville.com/subscribe/

The ladies discussed how to make 'Boss' moves with some of the trending topics this week! Rihanna's "Savage X Fenty" Brands are not worth 1 Billion, wow! The Diamonds hitmaker, real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, recently secured an additional $115 million in a second round of investment funding, with one financial supporter identified as private equity firm L Catterton, in which bosses at luxury goods group LVMH have a stake. Revenue figures have not been released, but in a press release, company chiefs claim sales increased 200% in 2020, while its subscription-based service grew by 150%. Rihanna launched the sexy label in 2018, adding to her growing business empire, which also includes Fenty Skin and Fenty Beauty, and the additional money is expected to support the expansion into retail sales and possibly a new athletic line. That's what it's about!! It appears Shad “Bow Wow” Moss is really serious about stepping into a World Wrestling Entertainment ring. Last week, the 33-year-old rapper got into a Twitter spat with some WWE superstars after claiming he wants to become a wrestler. Now, Bow Wow is letting his followers know that he has actually begun the process of one day going head-to-head with an opponent in the squared circle. He tweeted, “I have officially decided to train with my boy @TheREALRIKISHI at his gym in California to get ready for the @wwe. LOCKED IN.” Rikishi (born Solofa F. Fatu Jr.) is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. The former Intercontinental Champion is part of the famous Anoaʻi wrestling family and the father of current WWE wrestlers Jey and Jimmy Uso. Still no word on when Atlanta is coming back since its 3rd season has been delayed (for two years now), but it’s not like Donald Glover is just chilling at home. The multi-talented actor will be starring in a remake of Mr. and Mrs. Smith alongside actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge that’s set to drop next year via Amazon Prime. The OG Mr. and Mrs. Smith starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as secret assassins and dropped in 2005. Not sure about this one? Rapper, Ludacris who's real name is Chris Bridges has a new show, "Luda Can't Cook" alongside veteran Chef Meherwan Irani. Luda admitted during the event that cooking has never been his thing but will undergo the grueling process and pitfalls of learning how to cook under Chef Irani’s careful instruction. Luda Can’t Cook makes its debut on Discovery Plus on Feb. 25. This should be fun! For the "HOT TAKE" this week, the ladies of the "BOSS Mastermind" Group were in the building to discuss their upcoming seminar, March 1-5th. Check them out on how to register @thebossbootcamp. Drop a comment on your thoughts!

A lively discussion with Meherwan Irani, co-founder of Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani, Buxton Hall BBQ, Botiwalla, Spicewalla). Irani chats about his latest business venture (launched during the pandemic), creative intuition, business pivots, and how the pandemic is leveling the playing field.

Chef Meherwan Irani pays homage to his homeland at his Indian restaurants in Atlanta and Asheville, NC. His innovative take on chaat, the crunchy, spicy street snacks he eats in India, has earned him four James Beard Award-nominations. Yet he is not bound by any notions of authenticity. In fact, some might balk at how he makes biryani in this episode. He cooks this traditional layered rice dish in a most untraditional way, and talks about why he believes it’s not fusion, it’s evolution. Follow Spicewalla, Chai Pani, and Meherwan Irani on Instagram. Learn more about his restaurants at ChaiPaniRestaurantGroup.com.Become a listener food sponsor and pay for the ingredients we cook with in a future episode by donating $20 at SkilletPodcast.com.Follow Skillet Podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments and updates on Season Three.

Well, folks… it's that time of year again. We're inching closer to summer temperatures and yet another Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. This festival is packed with opportunities to learn from chefs throughout the region and country, experience incredible dinners, and see/meet friends old and new. This year's theme is Off the Eaten Path — the under-told and lesser-known stories of the south — and especially the culinary south.So, I caught up with a few folks you may know right here in Atlanta and all a part of this year's advisory council — Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani Restaurant Group, Melissa Davis of Revelator and Hazael Janes, Jen Yee of Resurgens Hospitality Group, and finally the founder of AFWF — Elizabeth Feichter. I wanted to get their thoughts on this year's festival, what they are looking forward to, and what to look for.

Chef and restaurateur Meherwan Irani is on a mission to change the perception of Indian food in America. Born in London, raised in India, and living in America for many decades, Irani’s experience with his native food is textured. At his outstanding and innovative Asheville and Atlanta restaurants, Chai Pani, he articulates a clear vision in the form of street food, which on this lively episode of the show we discuss in detail.From his Internet famous kale pakora, to the idea of jugaad—which basically means the ingenious ethic of hacking things to make them work—to his clear argument that there really isn’t something called Indian food. I love this guy.Also on the show, Anna has a fun and revealing interview with Donald Moore, the Chief Culinary Officer at The Cheesecake Factory. And, yes! They discuss the origins of the cheeseburger springroll.

It's hard to put into words how much respect I have for Meherwan Irani. The 3x James Beard Award nominee has been so generous with his time with us over the years, including being featured in our second Restaurant Owners Uncorked book. We caught up with him this week after interviewing a few of the team members Chai Pani recently sent to India for twelve days, to learn at a deep, intimate level about the inspiration for Chai Pani. We talked about why it was important for that trip to happen, and much more about the restaurant business, Meherwan's goals, and the legacy he hopes to leave. This is a can't-miss episode. Enjoy!

Chef Meherwan Irani brought Indian street food to the mountains of Appalachia and the heart of the South. In this interview, we talk with him about how these foods remix and resonate through the cultures they touch, and how food has shaped humanity. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What does authentic mean? And what is the responsibility of the consumer of the art versus that of the artist? I heard those discussions in my graduate school literature classes years ago, and really, they bear out in discussions of food as well. Case in point, this chat with Meherwan Irani, two-time James Beard chef semifinalist with five restaurants in Asheville, NC, Atlanta, and Decatur, GA. He made his name with Chai Pani in Asheville, which enthusiastically celebrates Indian street food, and so you don’t want to miss the part of this discussion where he explains some iconic dishes he serves. We chatted during the Highlands Food & Wine Festival on a day it was 38 degrees at noon, and he and his staff served a lamb chili to a crowd that went through 500 portions in under two hours. I’ll bet a lot of those people didn’t even ask what the name of the dish was, they’d just heard it was good. And for Irani, I bet that omission probably didn’t ruin his day. He sees his role, or at least a role he’s adopted, as that of ambassador for intense Indian flavors that are well-crafted but not intimidating. It’s the idea behind his newest venture, Spicewalla too, which aims to serve both chefs and home cooks and provide the freshness for the Indian spice pantry about which Irani is so passionate. It’s just another example of a man who is constantly considering his role in the communities he serves, in the larger idea of American cooking, and in continuing to create what he calls a “pop of something happening” in the way Indian food is being interpreted here. My South happily encompasses this too, and I am always at the ready to sop my plate of curry with a piece of naan.

Meherwan Irani from Chai Pani in Asheville joins Hanna and Robert to talk about blending Indian street food with Southern ingredients as well as his new BBQ project Buxton Hall. Also: just in time for St. Patrick's day, Irish whisky is making a comeback. Theme song by The Bluestone Ramblers (thebluestoneramblers.com)

Charleston Wine + Food was more than just biscuits and grits! For a special interview about Indian cuisines and influences, Kat Johnson welcomed Maneet Chauhan of Chauhan Ale and Masala House in Nashville and Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani in Asheville and Atlanta. They each share stories of growing up in India and how their experiences shaped the type of food they cook. For Maneet, she was always the kid in the kitchen asking questions about techniques and ingredients. She now expertly blends Indian and Southern flavors in her menus. Meherwan had a much different experience, since traditionally boys didn't spend much time cooking where he grew up. Instead, he found his love of food on the street. When you experience the food at Chai Pani, you understand why Meherwan decided to pay homage to those flavors. Both Maneet and Meherwan are helping Indian cuisine reach a larger audience by making it approachable and educational. They even have lots of helpful advice for home cooks hoping to try their hand at preparing traditional indian dishes – and the first piece is "never use curry powder!"

Meherwan Irani got an MBA and spent 15 years in corporate America, working for other people. He was not unhappy, but never jumped out of bed in the morning excited to head to work. So in 2009 as the economy was collapsing, he and his wife Molly took a leap of faith and decided to start a restaurant. Meherwan was a self-taught chef with a 150-page business plan and in need of $70,000 to get started. All the banks turned the Irani's down for a loan, as did the SBA. But they raised the money, convinced the landlord of a prime location in downtown Asheville, NC to lease them his space, and opened Chai Pani on day one with customers lined up around the block while having spent $0 on advertising and having only $250 in the cash register (and $0 in the bank), knowing they needed to sell a lot of food in the first three days or they'd have nothing left. But they were so busy the first day they had to close at 2pm because they ran out of food. Just five years later (2014), Meherwan was nominated for a James Beard award best chef in Southeast, and today he and Molly own five successful restaurants with another opening soon. This is a very inspiring, educational story about trusting the people that work for you, having passion and faith in yourself, using scarcity to your advantage, and not relying on conventional wisdom. Enjoy...

Learning to craft a story for business success...   Nathan sits down with Chef Meherwan Irani co-owner of Chai Pani Asheville, MG Road Lounge, Chai Pani Decatur, and yet to be opened Buxton Hall Barbecue for the 50th episode of Finding Asheville. They chat about growing up in India, why he decided to transition from a lucrative real estate sales career to opening Chai Pani, how to develop a chef’s palate, why intention and follow through is all you need in life to succeed, why being in the moment is Meherwan's solution to balancing the work between three locations and family, and why being a good story teller is the key to Irani’s success.   This episode was recorded at Mojo Coworking at 60 North Market Street in Downtown Asheville.   Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes here to get new episodes to download to your listening devices each week and get caught up on past episodes!   Oh and if you are feeling super nice like the Finding Asheville Facebook page here.