In 2009, Meherwan & Molly Irani introduced a North Carolina mountain town to the colors, flavors and faces of India at Chai Pani. They served snacks you could get on the streets of Indian cities and meals you’d be served in someone’s home — the most underrepresented Indian foods in American culture. They built a team of the most vibrant and eccentric people they could find, and asked them to believe they really could make the world a better place with 'mindblasting' food and hospitality. In 2021, The New York Times included Chai Pani in their prestigious list of America’s Favorite Restaurants... and in 2022, Chai Pani Asheville was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. The Chai Pani Restaurant Group now has seven restaurants, a spice company, and the exact same purpose from day one — to diversify and expand the understanding of the American South, and change the perception of Indian food and culture in America.