I really love connecting with my friends in community. I also love when we can have open, honest, difficult and real conversations. Tune in to this episode of The Culture of You with Sangeeta Lakhani. Sangeeta’s story is a dynamic and brilliant one and I guarantee you will want to listen. Below is some information about Sangeeta’s story, but you definitely want to tune in and hear all the wisdom that comes with her lived experience!
Sangeeta Lakhani grew up in Mumbai, India where she was surrounded by a vibrant array of spices and diverse foods. Being raised in a family of avid travelers instilled in Sangeeta the importance of experiencing many different cuisines across the globe.
After moving to the U.S. at the age of 17, Sangeeta studied at The Columbus College of Art and Design, followed by The Columbus State Culinary School. She has been in the restaurant business for over 25 years.
Sangeeta was instrumental in the expansion of a popular campus restaurant, Hounddog’s Pizza and the bar adjacent to it, Ravari Room, before co-founding Bodega in 2005. Bodega won several awards over the years from publications such as The Alive, The Other Paper, 614 Magazine, Columbus Monthly, etc. before Sangeeta successfully sold the brand in early 2015.
In 2014 she co-founded and created the menu for The Table, a prominent farm to table restaurant in the Short North District of Columbus, Ohio.
In March of 2020, Sangeeta leveraged her network to pivot her existing restaurant into Service! A relief effort for hospitality workers. She has since then, put out over 11,000 free meals and writes weekly grants for service industry workers financially effected by the ongoing pandemic. In her role as Executive Director, Sangeeta plans to keep growing Service! to provide resources and training opportunities for service industry workers.
Service started Cafe Overlook, a workforce development program at The Franklin County Courthouse in 2022 that provides training for citizens with barriers and helps place them in stable careers in the hospitality industry. Sangeeta plans to keep working within the industry by sharing her knowledge and concept ideas.
Sangeeta lives with her husband and two sons in Columbus, Ohio.
