Topic: Leadership

Candace Doby

Candace Doby knows that life is too short to play games with your potential. She has spoken to 100K+ people about how to own your brilliance at work - transforming employees into more confident, empowered, and productive people.

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MelibeeGlobal Speaker - Jeffrey Binney Side Profile on mountain trail

Jeffrey Binney

Jeffrey Binney was losing his mom to a health crisis. His fear for his own health turned this comedic, non-athlete into an ultrarunner. His inspiring film and storytelling will motivate you to do what feels impossible - even at work. Book inspirational speaker Jeffery Binney through Melibee Global Speakers.

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Meherwan Irani

James Beard Award winner for outstanding restaurant (2022), Meherwan Irani is a storyteller as much as a chef, restaurateur, and food entrepreneur. His story is one of great risk and commitment, radical creativity and success, all starting with a huge leap of faith to open his award winning restaurant, Chai Pani, in 2009.

Speaking Options

Recruitment & Retention

How organizations can build great teams that last, and how we’ve done it for nearly a decade.

The Importance Of Company Culture

Meherwan_Food_SpeakerWhat does it mean and how do you articulate and implement it in a way that feels meaningful?

Inside Out: Why Should A Dishwasher Have Any Less Access To Information Than The CEO? Structuring Organizations Differently.

Meherwan_Irani_SpicesWhat’s the reasoning behind transparency, and why does it matter? How a simple change in the way we share information and knowledge can make employees feel empowered and engaged.

Embracing the Change: How To Create A Work Environment Where People Aren’t Living In Insecurity.

Meherwan_Irani_Chai PaniWe all know that most people are naturally afraid of change. Why? Most change in real life is exciting and looked forward to, so why are people afraid when it happens in a company? How do we shift that perception and make change exciting?

Thinking Differently: Why Best Practices Are The Worst

If you keep doing what everyone wants you to do, you sound like everyone else. How do you break out of that cycle?

How To Make It Easy To Be A Customer

Meherwan_Irani_ChaiPaniHow to gain customer loyalty and make people instinctually return.

Making India Cool, One Restaurant At A Time

Meherwan_Irani_SpeakingJust like there’s no European food in Europe, there’s no Indian food in India. The first time Meherwan had Indian food was when he came to America. He was shocked and he vowed to change that. The story of Chai Pani.

How Well Are You Telling Your Story? Use Your Brand, Culture, And Your Background In An Engaging Way.

Meherwan_Irani_Revolutionary_ChefNo matter what your business is, you have to tell your story. Hear it from Meherwan‘s perspective. 

Selected Media

Sizzle Reel

James Beard Awards

Indian Cuisine In America

Chai Pani Restaurant

Press

Testimonials

Coming soon!

 

About Meherwan

Meherwan Irani is a chef and restaurateur changing the perception of Indian food in America through his growing restaurant and spice empire in the South’s most essential culinary cities. He is a leading voice in the industry’s conversation around diversity and cultural exchange. Meherwan was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing The South”, the 2022 James Beard award winner for Best Restaurant for his flagship Chai Pani, and a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast.

Meherwan leads a team of more than 300 as Founder, Chef and CEO of Chai Pani Restaurant Group that includes Chai Pani Asheville, Chai Pani Decatur, Botiwalla Atlanta, Botiwalla Charlotte, Buxton Hall Barbecue, Buxton Chicken Palace, Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken in Asheville, Nani’s Piri Piri Chicken in Atlanta, and Spicewalla. 

Meherwan grew up in Ahmednagar, in the midwestern state of Maharashtra in India, and he came to the U.S. at age 20. In 2009, he and his wife and business partner, Molly, introduced Asheville, North Carolina, to the colors, flavors and faces of India with Chai Pani.

Who Caught Your Eye?

Melibee Global Speakers is a boutique speaker booking agency, laser-focused on the needs of event professionals in any industry or field seeking to book diverse keynote speakers and corporate edutainment. Our mission is to provide an easy, customer-friendly, efficient and trusted talent booking experience.

Inquire about booking MelibeeGlobal speaker, Meherwan Irani, using the form below.

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Vimala Rajendran

Vimala is an award winning (accidental) chef, community activist, domestic abuse survivor, immigrant, mother and grandmother. She’s got a lot to say about triple bottom line in business.

Speaking Options

People, Planet and Profit: Living Your Values in Business

Vimala Rajendran is a chef and restaurateur who deeply believes that we grow our community by engaging intentionally in the farm to fork process and living our vision of creative resiliency. She proudly states that food is a human right and her business motto is “Vimala cooks, everyone eats.” No one is ever turned away at her restaurant – yet she still makes a profit. Her business, Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe, prioritizes worker, environmental, and social justice; accessibility through affordability; and sustainability at every level. Her award winning restaurant, founded rather unexpectedly in 2010, pays a living wage. Their producers and investors are local, and their long-term goals are about transforming the local economy. They source produce and meat from nearby family farms; organize their workplace around joy and liberation; honor the land and our relationship to it; and practice interdependence with other organizations and small businesses with whom common values are shared. 

The idea to be a triple bottom line business came naturally to Vimala, given her mission to be sustainable on every level possible. The three areas they focus on are people, planet and profit.  The people they are committed to caring for include the farmers who grow the food, the hands at the back of the house that prep the food, and all the others who contribute making the food come to the table and the guests who come to their business to eat. They pay the farmers a fair price for the food, pay the workers fair wages, and have some benefits like flexible hours, allowing staff with kids to be home with their families at dinner time, offer paid sick days and vacation.

Care of the Planet Earth is honored by intentionally reducing waste. Vimala composts all food waste, utilizing all edible parts of vegetables and fruits by trimming off as little as possible, which keeps food costs down. The restaurant is mindful to keep an eye on making a profit.  This is surprising to some of their supporters and that is understandable because they are so thoughtful in everything done for the community’s farmers, workers, and guests. 

Vimala’s presentation takes us on a journey from India to Canada to the US – telling the story of a woman’s path from memories of her mother cooking, immigration, domestic violence, liberation and how she ultimately became a triple bottom line business owner. Her story teaches us  the power of ethical business and intention in our work – and that profit CAN be attainable through this model.

Selected Media

Vimala Interview

Curryblossom Cafe Feature

Press

Testimonials

“Vimala is a warrior, builder, and weaver all rolled up into one.  She fights for women, immigrants, workers, and anyone who wants to participate in the culinary world.  She builds community one meal at a time, sharing and teaching people not only how to make beautiful food but how to run a business that centers on equity and inclusion. She weaves together people, ideas, and practices, connecting us to her story, her community, and her food. ”
Alice Julier,  Founding Director of Food Studies, Chatham University

“We sure enjoyed having you with us for our chef training during spring break!  You were terrific to work with… both during the planning process and during the training itself.  I am so glad that I’ve come to know you!”
Administrator, Oberlin College

“You are such a great role model to women everywhere.  I really enjoyed hearing about how you saw your challenges as opportunities’ to grow and try new things. Also it is so inspiring that you call the US home after not being recognized as a citizen.  You are AMAZING!”
Student, St. Mary’s School (Private High School)

 

About Vimala

Vimala Rajendran grew up in Mumbai, India where she learned to cook from family, street vendors & friends. In 1994, a single mother of three, Vimala started cooking donation-based community dinners in Chapel Hill, North Carolina home. Sixteen years later, in 2010, thanks to the support of our beloved community, Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe was born. Despite being an “unexpected chef,” her restaurant has won the Best Indian Restaurant in the Triangle (beating out all Indian restaurants in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary) for 9 years and best chef in 2022  She is an immigrant, survivor of domestic abuse, community activist, social entrepreneur, mother of three and mentor to countless people.  

Who Caught Your Eye?

Melibee Global Speakers is a boutique speaker booking agency, laser-focused on the needs of event professionals in any industry or field seeking to book diverse keynote speakers and corporate edutainment. Our mission is to provide an easy, customer-friendly, efficient and trusted talent booking experience.

Inquire about booking MelibeeGlobal speaker, Vimala Rahjendranusing the form below.

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Name*
Select from the speakers listed below.*
Please select one or more speakers of interest.
Appearance Preference
Please select the preferred appearance location.
Please tell us more! Who is your audience? What are you goals? Why do the speakers interest you? Do you want a standard talk with Q&A or something more?
Please enter the venue name. Not required if an online appearance.
Venue Location
Please enter the address of the venue location. Not required if an online appearance.
Please enter an ESTIMATED budget for the speaker fee and travel. (This field will only accept one amount and not a range.)
Please enter a date or date range in the text field provided.
How did you hear about us?*

What else do we need to know to make this a great event? Don't hold back!
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