Meherwan Irani

Chai Pani  |  Asheville, NC

A two time James Beard award semi-finalist, Meherwan was born in London but moved to India’s Maharshtra state at age 4. He arrived in the U.S. in 1990 to earn an MBA and then spent 15 years in sales and marketing in San Francisco. In 2009, he quit his day job to open his first restaurant. Chai Pani is a unique Indian street food eatery in downtown Asheville. The self-taught chef now has four other places, with more on the way: Chai Pani Decatur, MG Road, Buxton Hall Barbecue, and Botiwalla. His restaurants have been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Southern Living, among others.

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For TerraVita 2017, Meherwan is participating in the Grand Tasting on 10/21.