Founder | Saffron Valley Restaurants & RISE Culinary Institute
At 23, Lavanya Mahate moved to the U.S. from India on a dependent visa. She started her career as an intern for two years before obtaining her work permit, an experience that taught her the importance of following her passions, serving the community, recognizing the power of women in business and fostering lasting relationships. By the age of 33, she felt compelled to pursue her love for food. Starting with spice blends at the farmers market, Lavanya eventually opened her first restaurant without any formal culinary training or prior restaurant experience. She successfully started 10 different food establishments in a decade, sharing her passion for Indian cuisine and culture with countless individuals. In the past few years, Lavanya has discovered a renewed sense of purpose through her nonprofit organization, the RISE Culinary Institute. This initiative provides free culinary training to refugees and facilitates their placement in restaurants, offering them opportunities for fulfilling careers and self-exploration.
How do you view your role as a woman in your sector or industry?
As the first Indian immigrant female entrepreneur to be recognized as the Utah Businessperson of the Year by Gov. Spencer Cox, I bring unique perspectives, experiences and skills that contribute to innovation and success in our community. I embrace my expertise and leadership potential and advocate for gender equality, diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. By being confident, assertive and supportive of other women in business, I hope to help break down barriers and challenge stereotypes.
What community projects or charity work are you involved in, and why are they important to you?
The objective of the RISE Culinary Institute is to help refugee and low-income immigrant women successfully acquire no-cost culinary skills and employment that fosters economic autonomy and upward mobility. We are aiming for a graduation rate and living-wage job placement rate of 100 percent — in turn, decreasing the number of refugee families relying on state assistance and increasing the number of trained food industry professionals in the state. As a restaurateur, I understand the problem of shortage of labor. As an immigrant, I understand the struggles of integrating into the community. RISE addresses both demographics, providing a creative solution to a large problem. To Main Page