2020 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS AWARDS — NJSBDC | 19 2020 Small Business Awardee NJSBDC AT THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY IndiGrill Pallavi Bandi 300 Main Blvd. E, Suite 501 Ewing, NJ 08618 609-570-0036 www.indigrillnj.com Taking over a restaurant, remodeling, rebranding and launching it is an arduous task. Its something that small business owner Pallavi Bandi acknowledges was the hardest thing we have done in our lives, but also something we will do over and over again With the help of her dad, she and her husband opened up Amaravati Indian Cuisine in Hamilton, NJ, showcasing traditional flavors. While pursuing Amaravati, Bandi felt there needed to be a place where traditional flavors meet the modern day. So, IndiGrill was launched. After working hard on establishing IndiGrill for more than two years, in August of 2019, the opening of IndiGrill officially occurred! The culinary experience at IndiGrill is a perfect blend of traditional recipes served in a new way. It took a lot of ingenuity and persistence to develop the diverse recipes for the offered menus. Each sauce has its own character and personality and Pallavi Bandi acquiesces that it feels amazing to see people enjoying them. We would like to start off by thanking SBDC for always being there, said small business owner Pallavi Bandi. We will be ever grateful for the guidance they provided during COVID-19. Bandi joined other women business owners at The Women CEO Mentoring Forums, which also helped her immensely, learning from the shared experiences of all the amazing and successful women participating. Pallavi states that her husbands unconditional support helped her chart the course for her business dreams. Her mom and three children encouraged her while she worked hard to turn IndiGrill into a reality. Her kids say the restaurant has the best food! Her love for food started in her grandmothers kitchen, which was simply an open area in her backyard. Bandi has fond memories of the past family experience. Back then, my grandparents lived in a house made with soil and the roof was made with leaves. I have not seen a home as abundant and as warm as that cozy hut. My grandmother and my aunts sitting around a small wood burning clay stove prepping, talking and cooking are some of the best meals of my life. I remember as a seven or eightyear-old, bringing wood to light up fire in the evenings in my grandmothers kitchen. The smell of that smoke still lingers around my nose. My aunts would gather around in the evenings and prep for the next days meal. The conversations, the laughter and the voices still ring in my ears. It was amazing how my grandmother would pick up a few herbs and vegetables from her backyard and turn into a scrumptious meal. That was when I fell in love with food. Food was not just something we ate, it was an emotion and brought all of us together. It is this love for food that helped me find my love for cooking and eventually led me to opening my own restaurant. It is this love that pushed me to quit my corporate career and become an entrepreneur Judging from what has already been achieved, Pallavi Bandi is a restaurateur with high expectations! NJSBDC at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) will continue to provide support and assistance along the way. 2012029 v2 NJSBDC 2020 Awards Book_TEXT.indd 17 12/10/20 3:24 PM
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