Man From Village Opens Vegan Restaurant In Jalgaon

Even as we witness the growth of veganism globally, its roots are still very local.

Mr. Rup Singh Chowdary, an ex-armyman from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, has proved that all it takes to be vegan is awareness and compassion. A vegan since 2018, he established a 100% vegan restaurant in a small village called Avhane. He undertook this endeavor all by himself, and the restaurant has now become a popular eatery in the locality.

How did it start?

Mr. Rup Singh considered going vegan after a moment of realization he had at a dairy. He used to visit it with his army colleagues, and noticed only cows tied up in the shed, with no calves. After learning the consequences calves have to face in the industry, he looked at the glass of milk in his hand and knew something wasn't right.

Also inspired by the videos of Acharya Prashant, author and spiritual teacher, Mr. Rup Singh realized the cruelty humans inflict on animals and the planet for the sake of taste. He adopted veganism while he was in the army, and made up his mind to open a restaurant to share veganism and vegan food with the community.

Starting with only Rs. 1.5 lakhs in funds, he built the place up from the ground, which is now a successful ethical business.

The Vegan Restaurant

The 100% vegan restaurant has an elaborate menu of delicious starters, main courses, Indian mithais and even cakes made with non-dairy soy cream. It also offers plant-based meat alternatives from Gooddot, including a vegan scrambled egg. They use soy milk as a dairy alternative and usually make tofu in house.

Their head chef, Mr. Manoj Dhangar, now a vegan himself, has 28 years of experience in the food industry.

The food is priced at a reasonable rate, and attracts people from all over the area. Mr. Rup Singh also shares that many non-vegan customers often try the food, learn about the concept of veganism and decide to go vegan themselves!

Looking Forward

This endeavor by Mr. Rup Singh has inspired his friend, Mr. Jagat Singh. Hailing from Mathura, Jagat Singh has been vegan for a year and plans to open a vegan restaurant in Mathura with his cousin.

Mr. Rup Singh will be expanding his restaurant in Jalgaon with two new branches opening within this year. He has always been inclined towards owning an ethical business. He believes that his goal in life is to spread veganism to every household. This vegan restaurant in Jalgaon is his contribution to take the movement forward in the country.