I came to cooking in a rather roundabout way. During a brief career in IT, I realized something was missing from my life. I felt drawn to cooking, so I decided to go to culinary school in Kolkata in my home country of India.

I landed jobs working for Hyatt Hotels and Carnival Cruise Lines. During my time as a chef at Carnival, I visited over 40 countries and completed my higher culinary training in France. Being exposed to so many different places, cultures, and cuisines was one of the most enriching experiences I ever had.

I’d grown up vegetarian, and working on a cruise ship meant handling a great deal of beef—not exactly the ideal food for a vegetarian to cook with. Next, I tried living as a chef in New York City at an Indian restaurant.

Although I love working with Indian spices and technique, my time in France inspired my passion about French cuisine. I relocated to Rhode Island, working for several years as a chef at a vegetarian restaurant.

Then, I became a dad of twin sons, which meant I needed a more flexible schedule. In mid-2009, with the economy tanked and restaurants closing left and right, I decided to take a risk and start up a restaurant.

And Red Lentil Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant was born.