Ep# 36 Meherwan Irani & Vishwesh Bhatt on Being Brown & Bold Podcast with Jes Thomas

Cheetie Kumar is the chef/owner of Ajja, a restaurant in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood that draws inspiration from the diverse foodways and cultures, vibrant spices, and cooking techniques of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and beyond. Ajja opened in June 2023 and is a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant. Ajja was also named an Esquire Best New Restaurant and Eater’s Best New Carolinas Restaurant.  An India- and Bronx-raised Southerner and musician, Cheetie earned two James Beard Foundation Award nominations (and five semifinalist nods) for “Best Chef: Southeast” for her multi-cultural menus that blended the flavors of South Asia and the surrounding regions with local agriculture at the beloved Garland, which closed in 2022. Ajja builds on the legacy of Garland and continues telling the rich story of North Carolina’s growers, farmers and purveyors in a vibrant indoor-outdoor neighborhood restaurant. Cheetie is active in food advocacy and serves on the board of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, the Southern Foodways Alliance and several North Carolina-based organizations. In fall 2023, Cheetie joined World Central Kitchen’s Chef Corps, a global network of culinary leaders who champion World Central Kitchen’s work providing fresh meals following crises.

The Mantey twins are a set of identical twins based in Ohio. Moving to the U.S. from Ghana in 2014, this dynamic duo has built an impressive social media presence with an estimated 1.6 million followers. Additionally, one of them is a future medical doctor and the other an engineer? From dancing and singing to photoshoots and modeling, the Mantey Twins bring an air of excitement, confidence, and joy to all they do, pairing talent with wonderful personalities and authenticity in their craft. Instagram TikTokArticle: Youtube - And Follow the host: Jes on IG https://www.instagram.com/jessoulfood/https://www.instagram.com/jessoulfood/

Maya Kaimal is an entrepreneur & Cook book author who has been an early inspiration for the South Asian culinary field in the US. Raised in Boston then Boulder, Maya’s passion for food and cooking blossomed at a young age. From watching Julia Child’s The French Chef with her mother, Lorraine, to tasting her father Chandran’s vibrant South Indian dishes, Maya’s interest in food was piqued. Her curiosity in spice, taste and cooking developed during trips to her father’s home in Kerala as Maya learned to cook with her Aunty Kamala. Maya worked at various magazines in New York and she saw an extraordinary gap between what she grew up eating and what the western palate thought Indian food was. One realization and three cookbooks later, Maya’s desire to educate and create hasn’t stopped. She is now dedicated to making Indian food that’s accessible to Americans, but true to her roots. In 2003, Maya launched her namesake company with her husband, Guy Lawson, out of their Brooklyn apartment after seeing a lack of quality Indian products in grocery stores. With her collection of family recipes, she works to create convenient Indian food that tasted as good as homemade. Maya lives in Upstate New York with her husband, twin daughters, and their noisy dog Instagram: @mayakaimal Website: https://www.mayakaimal.com/ To follow Jes, go to IG @jessoulfood

Lisa Mattam is the Founder and CEO of Sahajan, the leading Ayurvedic, clean beauty brand. Since founding the brand in 2015, Lisa has grown it into a global force with an international presence. . In 2023, she spearheaded Sahajan’s global partnership with leading luxury hotels: The St. Regis, The Ritz, J.W. Marriott, and W Hotels, placing it as the exclusive skincare brand in 400 properties worldwide. In 2024, Sahajan launched at Sephora Canada becoming its first Ayurvedic Skincare brand. Under Lisa’s leadership, Sahajan has repeatedly been recognized for its excellence, most recently receiving awards such as the 2023 Cosmopolitan Clean Beauty Award and a 2023 Oprah Daily Editor’s Choice Award. Both Lisa and Sahajan have become media fixtures, featured in outlets including Vogue, PopSugar, Glamour and more, with Forbes Magazine dubbing Lisa a “pioneer in the beauty space,” for bringing Ayurvedic beauty to the forefront. Previously, Lisa spent over a decade working in Pharmaceuticals, which inspired her dual approach to Sahajan, blending clinical science with the power of Ayurveda—an integral part of her South Indian heritage. Which is why I am so excited to have this conversation. And outside of work, Lisa lives in Toronto with her husband and her two children. Website: https://www.sahajan.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/sahajanskincare/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sahajanskincare Follow Jes on IG for more podcast info:  @jessoulfood 

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 

Sajani Amarasiri is the founder of Kola Goodies. She is an immigrant female founder on a mission to create a more culturally representative and equitable wellness industry, bringing together the best of her roots in Sri Lanka and life in America. Sajani was born and raised in Sri Lanka and came to the US at 18 for college, then worked in building tech supply chains at Microsoft and Amazon. She leveraged that experience with her unique insights to her culture to create the first wellness company to directly source from, and give back to the communities today's trendy ingredients and rituals originate from. She founded Kola Goodies which, directly sources from small farmer collectives in South Asia, IF you are not following her on the socials you need to because she is such a delight. Enjoy Kola Goodies: https://www.kolagoodies.com/pages/story Follow Kola Goodies on IG:  @kolagoodies  Follow Jes on Instagram @jessoulfood

Brittany Muddamalle, known on the socials as Almost Indian Wife, has thousands of followers who check in for her daily humor and relatable content. Brittany has dedicated the last decade to helping multiracial families navigate and celebrate their diverse cultural backgrounds. Drawing from her own biracial heritage and her husband’s Indian roots, Brittany understands the unique challenges and joys of interracial relationships. Together with her husband she has 4 kids, 2 dogs, and a whole lot of chaos as they navigate two cultures! Website: INSTAGRAM Women's Group: Follow Jes on Instagram  @jessoulfood 

Sarah Nahas Hormi is my guest today!  If you are a fan of Food Network, you have seen her work. She is the queen behind the scenes on many shows as the Culinary Producer.  I met her working on Chopped during the pandemic.  She comes from a dual heritage home, and now is raising mixed culture children with her husband.  As she lives in the melting pot of NYC, she navigates culture in her home as well as in the media. I totally admire her and can’t wait for you to listen to this conversation. IG: @saranhs Watch Chopped on Food Network Follow Jes on IG @jessoulfood Listen to the Being Brown & Bold Podcast on Spotify & Apple Podcast

2024 AMAZING RACE WINNER!!! Cesar Aldrete  is a talented chef and food stylist with 16 years of experience. Born in Texas and raised in Mexico, Cesar now calls New York City home. His first job in NYC was at the 3 Michelin star restaurant Daniel. He has styled food for top magazines, international brands, and popular Food Network TV shows, bringing his creative touch to everything he does. Cesar has also earned awards in the Culinary Olympics in Luxembourg and competitions in New Zealand. Recently, he added a big win to his list of achievements by taking home the top prize on "The Amazing Race" alongside his boyfriend Ricky.  Amazing Race - Watch here Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickyandcesar/ https://www.instagram.com/beardedfoodie/ https://www.instagram.com/cesarald/  Youtube Linkedin Follow the host, Jes, on Instagram  @jessoulfood 

This is a fun conversation! Joel Muddamalle serves on the preaching team at Transformation Church in Indian Land, SC and is a frequent speaker for conferences and events. He just released his first book, “The Hidden Peace: Finding True Security, Strength, and Confidence Through Humility. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Joel and his wife enjoy a full house with their four children and two dogs. If he doesn’t have a theology book in hand, you can be sure he’s coaching one of his kids in a sport, or doing his best to keep up his hoops game on the basketball court. Website: https://muddamalle.com/ Instagram: @muddamalle Joel's latest book: The Hidden Peace Follow his wife on IG @AlmostIndianWife Connect with Christian Women at Proverbs 31 Ministries: We talk about Annie F. Downs and her podcast: https://www.anniefdowns.com/podcasts/ Learn how to make Hyderbadi Biryani: Follow Jes on IG  @jessoulfood