Pooja Bavishi, with a background in urban planning and civil rights, launched Malai, a South Asian-inspired ice cream brand, in 2015. The brand aims to change how ice cream is experienced in the U.S., celebrating cultural identity through unique flavors like chai and saffron. Growing up as a first-generation Indian American, Bavishi found inspiration in her childhood memories of food as a source of comfort and hospitality. Malai now has scoop shops in several cities and a summer pop-up in Manhattan, enhancing the dessert landscape with cultural richness.
Bavishi is using ice cream as a cultural connector, a way to honor memory and identity in one bite, introducing ingredients like chai, saffron, and rose.
Malai, a brand launched by Bavishi in 2015, revolutionizes the dessert world by combining South Asian flavors with traditional ice cream.
Bavishi's upbringing as a first-generation Indian American greatly influenced her culinary approach, where food served as a source of comfort and community.
The dream of starting Malai emerged from Bavishi's passion for dessert making, alongside her years of advocating for civil rights and urban planning.
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