Chef Shachi Mehra: So You Want to Launch a CPG Brand as a Restaurateur?

What happens when you walk away from a path to becoming a doctor, and end up becoming a Shachi Mehra - a Food Network Chopped champion, restaurant owner, and founder of a sauce brand?In this episode, we sit down with Chef Shachi Mehra to talk about her unconventional journey into the culinary world, the moment that changed everything, and how she’s building a business rooted in making Indian flavors more accessible to everyone.Shachi shares the exact experience that made her realize medicine wasn’t her path, and how one day working in a professional kitchen completely shifted her future. From there, she trained under renowned chefs, built her career in fine dining, and eventually opened Adya, a modern Indian fast-casual restaurant designed to introduce more people to the depth and diversity of Indian cuisine.We go deep into what actually makes Indian food so unique - from layered spices and regional diversity to the sensory experience of dishes like street food staples - and why it’s often misunderstood in the United States.We also unpack her experience winning Chopped, including how she prepared, what most people don’t see on TV, and why trusting your instincts matters more than playing it safe, especially in high-pressure environments.But one of the most valuable parts of this conversation is Shachi’s honest take on building a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand. If you’ve ever thought about turning a recipe into a product, this is a must-listen. She breaks down why running a restaurant and launching a product line are completely different businesses, the challenges of scaling, working with co-packers, navigating distribution, and the biggest mistakes chefs and founders make when entering retail.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – From Pre-Med to the Kitchen02:30 – The Moment That Changed Everything08:04 – Why She Opened a Fast-Casual Indian Restaurant10:30 – What Makes Indian Food So Addictive12:00 – Breaking Down Indian Street Food & Flavor Layers14:43 – Winning Chopped (and Trusting Your Instincts)17:38 – Why Restaurants ≠ CPG (What No One Tells You)20:30 – Scaling a Food Brand & Working with Co-Packers22:36 – Getting First-Time Customers to Try Indian Food24:18 – Building a Sauce Brand from Scratch26:00 – How Customers Actually Use Her Products27:43 – The Biggest Mistake Chefs Make in CPG29:29 – Being a Woman in a Restaurant's Kitchen32:00 – Leadership, Culture, and Running a Restaurant35:19 – Rapid Fire Q&A RoundBrought to you by Back of HouseYour most trusted resource for restaurant tech. Stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions for your business.Learn more at: https://backofhouse.io/ Proudly Sponsored by: - RestauRentThe no-fee booking platform helping restaurants and venues book private events.Try it risk-free (3 months free): https://bit.ly/soyouwanttorestaurent - Toast Get tech built for the way you actually work at https://pos.toasttab.com Connect with the PodcastFull Episodes: https://linktr.ee/soyouwanttorunarestaurantFollow Claudia: @claudia.saricFollow Spencer: @RestaurantSpenny