It all started with a little chaat house in downtown Asheville. 

From Bombay to Buncombe and Asheville to Atlanta, Chai Pani has extended our love of food, culinary experience, and storytelling to the southeast. The day we opened CHAI PANI ASHEVILLE in 2009 was a testament to will, love and friendship. We ran out of food by midday. As they say, the rest is history ...

We then opened CHAI PANI DECATUR in Decatur, GA in 2013. It has been included in the 'Best Restaurants in Atlanta' list every year it's been open by Atlanta Magazine and Creative Loafing. Pani Puri nights on Fri and Sat are legendary.

BOTIWALLA is inspired by the tea and kabab houses (known as Irani cafes) of Meherwan's childhood, as well as the grills (sigris) that pop up on the streets of India at night, serving grilled meats and flatbreads to hungry late night commuters, workers and revelers. Located in Ponce City Market (Atlanta), Optimist Hall (Charlotte), and coming soon to West Asheville!

BUXTON HALL BARBECUE, which features wood-smoked, whole-hog barbecue is located in Asheville’s South Slope. Low-country curiosities, southern classics, seasonal pies and pastries, local beer, and craft cocktails.

One of Buxton Hall’s biggest hits is its World Famous Fried Chicken Sandwich. In 2021, we gave it a home of its own in the newly reopened S&W Market. The BUXTON CHICKEN PALACE menu features Joyce Farms all-natural chicken and is open on Sundays!

SPICEWALLA is our spice company just down the road from Chai Pani in Asheville. The sourcing, selection, and blending process is personally curated by the master of spices himself, Meherwan Irani, along with his culinary team led by chef de cuisine, James Grogan. Spicewalla has been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Edible Asheville, and Southern Living, among others. Spicewalla can be found in the kitchens of award winning chefs throughout the country.

CHARLOTTE STACK
Chief Operating Officer

Charlotte joined the team in 2010 when Chai Pani had yet to expand beyond it's original 40 seat restaurant in downtown Asheville, and pretty much right out of the gate it was apparent she should be running the place. Charlotte keeps everyone in line (even Meherwan!) and on task in a way only she could. In her day-to-day role she oversees the entire restaurant group staff and operations with her signature style of sweetness and accountability. Charlotte has traveled to India her whole life, and dreams of one day returning to do something with kids. She lives on the south side of Asheville, with her husband, baby, 2 dogs, and 1 cat, all of whom give her great joy: Andrew, Jules, Bonnie, Doug, and Millard.

ISAAC CLAY
Director of Growth

In 2009, Meherwan, a high-end real estate salesman with no experience in the restaurant industry, somehow convinced a young school teacher named Isaac to invest his life savings in the idea of opening an Indian street food restaurant in a small mountain town in the South. Crazy as that seemed back then, things seem to be working out OK for the both of them. Isaac has traveled to India his whole life and has a deep love for Indian food and its people. Prior to helping open Chai Pani, he spent years leading groups of gap-year students on long and immersive journeys to India. Isaac is admired by his staff for his gracious leadership and "island of calm" sensibility, even in the face of all the madness the restaurant world can throw at you.

TEDDY BOURGEOIS
Training & Employee Experience Director

Teddy left bartending in New England to attend a graduate program in sustainable development in Boone, NC. Grad school was dumb and he was soon back in the service industry. He worked as a bartender and Front of House Manager at Buxton Hall Barbecue and Chai Pani Asheville before transitioning to the Administrative team. After an extended paternity leave during the pandemic, he spent time working on customer experience at Spicewalla. In his current role, Teddy oversees new hire training programs, ongoing professional development and leadership coaching with our restaurant managers, but he’s always game to pick up a dish or bar shift when Chai Pani is short-staffed. Teddy lives in Weaverville with his wife, twin daughters and stinky old dog.

DANIEL PEACH
Culinary Director

Most people who meet him would say there's no one quite like Daniel Peach. He's blond-haired, blue-eyed, but basically an Indian at his core. Daniel moved to Asheville when he was 19 and was one of the first four people hired to open the kitchen at Chai Pani Asheville. Driven by a love for the food, people, and spirituality of India, Daniel has traveled on his own to India for long stints multiple times. In the process, he's taught himself to read and write Hindi, and cooked in scores of home kitchens. Daniel headed up the opening of the kitchen at Chai Pani Decatur, and continues to earn accolades for the food his diverse team of cooks produces. 

KAT JOHNSON
Marketing Director

Kat joined the CPRG team in the summer of 2021 after spending four years as the Communications Director for Heritage Radio Network (HRN). While at HRN, she produced hundreds of hours of food-centric podcasts and traveled all over the country to interview chefs, farmers, cookbook authors, and more. (In fact, she first met Meherwan for an interview at Charleston Wine + Food back in 2017!) In her role at CPRG, she oversees marketing strategy, give back initiatives, communications, and events. Kat lives in the mountains outside of Asheville with her parter (Will) and dog (Daisy).

26 Battery Park Ave
Suite 200
Downtown Asheville
North Carolina, 28801

(828) 232-7112
 

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info@chaipani.com

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