Meet Viraj Padte | Co-Founder & Sr. Solutions Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with Viraj Padte and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Viraj, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am originally from Mumbai, India. Growing up, my father always had an entrepreneurial mentality, inspiring me to be similar. He taught me even if failure is possible, nothing is certain until I try. Most importantly, he taught me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable because only discomfort will help me grow. This mentality directly impacted my trajectory: taking challenging courses, moving to the U.S. to pursue higher education and a career, and eventually, starting this business.

In India, we are very proud of our food. I grew up eating amazing meals filled with flavor, spices, herbs, and more, and I consider myself a foodie. I’ve always believed that food is the best way to share one’s culture with others, and of course, the United States is one of the world’s largest melting pots of cultures. I only had sushi, Cajun, Italian, and many other incredible cuisines for the first time after moving to the U.S.

The entrepreneurial spirit my dad handed off to me combined with my passion for food and culture have shaped me to become who I am today.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
People in the West know about many aspects of India – its famous dishes and food, Bollywood, certain people like Satya Nadella or Sundar Pichai, and, of course, chai. But what disturbed me was that despite chai being available in every coffee shop in America, it tastes absolutely nothing like chai served in India.

Part of me saw it as cultural appropriation – so many companies and people were serving chai, but they didn’t know anything about how it’s made, the culture and history behind it, and the various ways people make and drink chai. There’s no thought about the farmers and people who cultivate and plant the tea and spices, or the experts who pick the tea and spices and process them. Also, most coffee shop chai is either extremely sweet or overly spicy for no reason.

Yatri Chai Company is not just a business, but a mission to bring the true substance of Indian masala chai to the U.S. We are committed to preserving the authentic recipes and methods used in India, ensuring that the taste and culture remain intact.

We are excited about our upcoming partnerships with small tea and spice farms in India. By sourcing directly from these farms, we aim to give them the recognition they deserve for their hard work in producing the tea and spices that millions consume daily.

Also, our chai is just delicious. Come by and try some free samples.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado is just an amazing state, and it’d be hard to list all the things you could do here. It’s part of why I haven’t left since I first moved here to get my master’s degree nearly a decade ago.

If I had to list out several things that are must-dos:
– A concert at Red Rocks is obligatory. The acoustics are amazing, not to mention the venue and surrounding area are beautiful. Alternatively, Denver has a great music scene in general with many ballrooms and theatres hosting a variety of music and comedians
– You could spend an entire vacation touring Colorado’s breweries. I especially recommend a day trip to Fort Collins up north and hitting Zwei, Odell, New Belgium, Horse and Dragon, Maxline, Guilded Goat.
– Go to Rocky Mountain National Park and picnic with soul-soothing takeout food from Nepal’s Café
– Check out cool neighborhoods or areas in Denver like RiNo Art District, Larimer Square, Wash Park, and more
– Make a day trip down south to do whitewater rafting or visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park
– Make a trip to Breckenridge for great hiking, skiing, and find an Airbnb with a hot tub to soak with great views
– Go to local, unique restaurants and hole-in-the-wall type places. I recommend Tuti Grill and Jerusalem Restaurant for the best baba ganoush and Mediterranean, Samosa Shop for a creative, fusion take on a humble Indian pastry, Las Tortas for finger-licking Mexican sandwiches, and MoCha for the best soft serve you’ve ever had. My business partner recommends Kiké’s Red Tacos for birria tacos and birria ramen and La Merise French Bistro for delicious French food.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have so many people to thank that it’d be difficult to name them all. I am surrounded by friends and family who push me hard to succeed. However, I want to mention a specific book that changed my worldview: Sometimes Brilliant by Larry Brilliant.

Larry Brilliant wrote a memoir about his journey from hippie doctor to key physician who helped the World Health Organization eradicate smallpox from India. In his adventure, he met a guru, or spiritual teacher, in India who declared that it was his destiny to help the WHO eradicate smallpox. It was random and maybe even crazy, but Larry decided to take a risk and have faith in the guru’s words.

Larry approached the WHO many times, asking to join the effort, and was repeatedly turned away. But he never stopped trying until, eventually, history was made.

It’s difficult to say anymore without spoiling important parts of the book, but the book inspired me because it helped me believe nothing is impossible. I’m an engineer, and I believe people like me tend to overthink and over-analyze. We second-guess ourselves a lot and spend so much time thinking of reasons why something may not work instead of just putting one foot in front of the other and working towards success.

His faith in himself, and in others, especially the guru who believed in him, motivated me. It’s a story of someone who manifests his success through faith and persistence, and it spoke to me.

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