A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality

Tuesday, April 14th 6:00pm

What happens when you open a restaurant with a vision to put people first, yet also sell really great food? We are going to find out on April 14th when we welcome Molly Irani of James Beard Award-winning Chai Pani at the Roadhouse to talk about her debut book: Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality. Join us as Ari interviews Molly about her much anticipated publication, and a shared “kindness-first” approach to running a food business!

When Molly Irani and her husband, Meherwan, quit their day jobs in 2009 to open an Indian street food spot in Asheville, NC, they understood the challenges of running a restaurant that rarely allows for a kindness-first business model. Determined to do things differently, they opened Chai Pani with a focus on creating food and offering service with love and intention that guests can savor in every bite. Now on The New York Times ‘America’s Favorite Restaurants’ list, Chai Pani is widely recognized not only for their incredible dishes, but also their revolutionary approach to prioritizing their team and community—a beloved model that Zingerman’s practices as well .

In her inspirational and groundbreaking book, Service Ready, Molly shares the story of how the vision for her restaurant laid a foundation for growth and success in a competitive industry. Of Molly’s work, Ari says:

“Finally a business book that shares stories of love, generosity, kindness, and dignity… a restaurant book that really gives an honest—and loving and effective—look at what life in the food world is really like.”

But that’s not all—visionary readers will discover that Service Ready is also a:

• Practical guide for entrepreneurs across any industry, complete with the ten core principles that drive success
• Celebration of the power of female leadership in a traditionally male-dominated field
• Lesson on how to be a successful business partner with your life partner
• Reimagining of what restaurant culture should and can look like and the meaning of hospitality
• Tribute to the strength of community, illustrating the resilience and support that helped them survive the 2009 recession, the pandemic, and the historic floods in Asheville

On April 14th, Ari will dive into all these delicious details with Molly in person at the Roadhouse, and we would love to have you there! Copies of Service Ready (publish date March 24th, 2026, Simon & Schuster) will be available along with scrumptious Roadhouse snacks, and Ari and Molly will be ready to nourish your mind and soul with heartwarming conversation.

See you there!