Chai Pani

About the Business

History

Established in 2009.

Chai Pani literally means “tea and water.” It's slang in India for going out for a cup of tea, a tasty bite, a snack, or “a little something.” Some of the best food of any country is its street food, and Chai Pani features chaat – crunchy, spicy, sweet, tangy, brightly flavored Indian street snacks. And because there's nothing more comforting and delicious in any culture than a home cooked meal, Chai Pani also brings you thalis – traditional family meals highlighting India's amazing culinary diversity. In 2009, Chef Meherwan Irani (who grew up in Ahmednagar, in the midwestern state of Maharashtra in India) opened Chai Pani with his wife and business partner, Molly. Chai Pani has since been recognized as sparking a revolution in Indian cuisine in America. In 2022, 13 years after we opened our doors and ran out of food midday, Chai Pani Asheville was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation.

Meet the Business Owner

Business owner information

Meherwan I.

Business Owner

Meherwan Irani is a chef and restaurateur changing the perception of Indian food in America through his growing restaurant and spice empire in the South’s most essential culinary cities. He is a leading voice in the industry’s conversation around diversity and cultural exchange. In 2022, Meherwan’s flagship restaurant in Asheville, Chai Pani, was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Meherwan was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing The South” and is a five-time James Beard Foundation Awards semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast.Meherwan grew up in Ahmednagar, in the midwestern state of Maharashtra in India, and he came to the U.S. at age 20. In 2009, he and his wife and business partner, Molly, introduced Asheville, North Carolina, to the colors, flavors and faces of India with Chai Pani.