Plural's Vedant Shah Wants To Change The Way We Eat Southeast Asian Food

The restaurateur gets chatty about pivoting Mumbai's thriving F&B scene through the concept of clean eating

- Pooja Prabbhan Srijith

For most of us, the idea of mouthing a spoonful of veggies isn't exciting by a large mile. However, reasons of health, environmentalism, morality, and safety have led a legion of devout meat eaters onto a path of vegetarianism, whether temporarily or otherwise. Given the burgeoning trend of vegetarianism and veganism over the recent years, and more so in the year 2024 (several trend predictors have underscored the longterm sustainability aspect of the meatfree trend, with consumers becoming increasingly aware of their food choices), entrepreneur Vedant Shah embarked on an experiential culinary pursuit- Plural, Mumbai's first contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant, in the year 2021, with the focus on coming up with culinary renditions made using freshly sourced vegetables. "Our ethos at Plural is to celebrate vegetables, putting them at the forefront. Rather than attempting to come up with able meat substitutes, we came to highlight the freshness of locally sourced vegetables," shares Shah, whose most recent offering showcases fine-tuned Vietnamese classics such as the Summer Roll, Banh Mi, Pho' by sticking to the book and yet coming up with novel creations of its own.

What inspired you to transition from a career in industrial engineering and healthcare to becoming a restaurateur? Vedant Shah: I have always been very passionate about food and beverage. Even whilst studying industrial engineering and spending a year working in healthcare, I spent most of my time perusing through menus and travelling for the love of food.

I had one eye on the family business but increasingly felt that food was my calling and as a result decided to move back with the view to pivot to the F&B space. Shortly after my moving back, we were struck by the first pandemic and the rest of course, is history.