How Molly Irani Of Chai Pani Took A Leap Of Faith That Changed Her Life

Today’s guest is Molly Irani, co-founder and chief culture officer of the award-winning Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville, North Carolina, and author of the new book, “Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality.” Back in 2009, Molly and her husband, Meherwan, were facing an uncertain future during the financial crisis when he proposed something unexpected: opening an Indian street food restaurant. Molly was shocked, but, ever the optimist, she ultimately said yes. Her leap of faith changed everything.

Molly joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about what it really took to get Chai Pani off the ground, including writing a business plan detailed enough to win over landlords, navigating financial risk, and learning the realities of restaurant life on the fly. They also dive into Molly’s new book and the lessons she’s learned about leadership, resilience, and building a people-first business. 

This interview was recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

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More on Molly: Instagram, Chai Pani, "Service Ready" book
More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series