Molly Irani
Chai Pani Restaurant Group
Expert panelist for AVLmeetup's "Rebuilding Hospitality in WNC - Lessons and Leadership After Helene." (February 4th, 2025)
Molly Irani is the Co-founder and Chief Hospitality Officer of the James Beard Award–winning Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville, NC. She manages a team of more than 300 people across five restaurants and a spice company and is responsible for Chai Pani's groundbreaking culture, management style, community engagement and “mindblasting” hospitality.
Their flagship restaurant, Chai Pani, won the James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2022. The Chai Pani restaurant family has continued to flourish by building strong teams, and focusing on meaningful growth as they expand their mini food empire.
Molly also oversees the design of their restaurant spaces, ensuring that they tell vibrant stories reflective of the culture of the food they serve. Molly grew up in the restaurant business with parents who owned a restaurant on the Carolina coast.
Molly and Meherwan, her husband and business partner, call Asheville home where they’ve raised their daughter, Aria, and her two siblings (aka Goldendoodles) Rosie and Teddy.