Interviews

Published on March 30th, 2018 | by Darren Paltrowitz

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Café Spice Co-Founder Sameer Malhotra On His Family Business & Expanding Onto Amazon Fresh

A pioneering, family-owned Indian food brand, Café Spice originated as began in New York City as a mini-chain of casual Indian eateries and over the past two decades has transformed into a national retail brand. Recently, Café Spice further expanded delivery distribution of its Chef Hari Nayak-helmed meals to residents of New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and New Jersey via Amazon Fresh. In turn, diners craving flavorful and quality-oriented Indian fare — all six of these entrees are gluten-free, while some are vegetarian and/or vegan — can have the meals delivered straight to their homes and then refrigerate and/or freeze it for enjoyment later on.

On behalf of The Hype Magazine, I spoke with Café Spice co-founder Sameer Malhotra not only about the company’s delivered meals, but also about what it takes to run a successful family business. More on the Malhotra clan and Café Spice can be found online at www.cafespice.com.

As the President and Co-Founder of Café Spice, what is a typical day at work like for you?

Sameer Malhotra: (laugh) Is there ever a “typical day?” Being a family business, we all wear multiple hats at Café Spice, so no day is typical. One day I may be at a trade show, or in the field visiting a customer or stores, and another day we may be brainstorming the next big product line — or looking for new equipment, as technology is always changing. As a true entrepreneur, I can tell you no day is ever as it is expected to be when you wake up in the morning.

How would you describe Café Spice to someone who hasn’t tried it yet? What makes it stand out from other meal delivery services?

Sameer Malhotra: Indian dishes are complex to prepare due to the variety of traditional spices used, which are not typically stocked in most kitchens, and because the food requires specific cooking techniques and dishes must simmer for a long time, allowing flavors and aromas to meld. To prepare these meals so they are truly restaurant-quality, the process cannot be rushed. This is where Café Spice stands out!  Our roots are in fine dining, and we’ve done all the work to prepare authentic, restaurant-quality meals that are convenient and ready to simply heat and eat.

How long is a meal from Cafe Spice supposed to keep for?

Sameer Malhotra: Shelf life is 30 days from production.

What was the first meal which Café Spice came up with?

Sameer Malhotra: Chicken Tikka Masala is the first and is still the most popular item we make. It is still what most customers resonate with. This was true in our restaurants, and we have seen the same in our packaged meals.

Do you have a favorite of the current Café Spice meal offerings?

Sameer Malhotra: I’ve always loved our classic Chicken Curry. It is really home-style and one of the best curries I have had, and that’s not just me being biased. Although, our new Butter Chicken Meatballs may become my latest favorite. I love chicken meatballs, and these blended with our tomato cream sauce take on such an amazing flavor!

Will the Café Spice menu be expanding in the near-future? Anything else coming up for the company?

Sameer Malhotra: We are always looking to expand, and Culinary Director Hari Nayak always has some great tricks up his sleeve. Special diets are a craze, and we are looking at things like Paleo and Bulletproof as we ideate. Cauliflower is very hot right now. In fact, I never ate cauliflower, and recently I’ve grown to like it. I guess I’m a sucker for the trends! (laughs)

All of your entrees are non-GMO. When did you first become interested in eating non-GMO?

Sameer Malhotra: Our products are Non-GMO and we source from local suppliers who have complete traceability. We are working towards getting Non-GMO certification so that we can add the logo to our packaging.

Café Spice was co-founded with your father Sushil. At what point did it become apparent that you were going to be working with your father on a professional level?

Sameer Malhotra: This goes beyond just me and my dad. My wife works with us in the business, and even crazier, we all live in the same house, along with my mom and my five-year-old son. We’re one big happy Indian family. Of course, we claim we try not to talk shop at home — for my mom and son’s sake — but it is inevitable as we are a constantly growing and evolving company.

I think it was clear I was going to join my dad in the business while I was in college. I graduated from Babson College, which is the top Entrepreneurial Studies college in the country. I took courses like Family Business Management, which taught the dynamics of working with family, and how it is harder than even a corporate structure. Our growth from a family restaurant business to a larger foodservice business has been the result of a strong, dynamic and relentless team. My core team has been with me for over 10 years, and they understand the vision for what we are trying to do.

We have wins and losses, but as long as the wins outweigh the losses, we are all set. I consider my core team to be family, too. Café Spice is one big happy family.

Work aside, how do you like to spend your free time?

Sameer Malhotra: I love to watch sports, love food and really love wine. We are always looking out for the newest restaurants in town. I also am trying my hardest to enjoy golf.  I love the sport, the mental part of the game can just be very frustrating. I’ve been playing for a few years and getting better. I wish I had more time for it.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?

Sameer Malhotra: I love The NoMad. The place just has a great vibe, at the bar, in the restaurant, and the food is amazing. The NoMad is the perfect spot for any type of night.

Finally, Sameer, any last words for the kids?

Sameer Malhotra: I tell my team all the time: I live, breathe and sleep Café Spice. If the passion is there from morning to night, then success is inevitable. Not everything will be perfect, but every experience is a learning experience, as long as you don’t get frustrated and know you gave it your 110%.


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About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."


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