Gauri Devidayal Pays Tribute To Ashaben Of Swati Snacks By Recollecting Her Valuable Life Lessons

Swati Snacks, Mumbai’s culinary institution, lost its second-generation owner, Asha ‘Ashaben’ Jhaveri, on June 14. Having taken over the reins of the iconic eatery in 1979, after her mother’s passing, Ashaben was a force to be reckoned with. She streamlined the operations, expanded the business beyond its one outlet in Mumbai and left behind a flavourful legacy of warmth and love. Not just her food but her attitude to life touched the hearts of the people she met, like Gauri Devidayal, co-founder of The Table in Colaba and podcaster, who shared a heartwarming tribute to Ashaben.

Restaurateur Gauri Devidayal Remembers Her Quiet Mentor Ashaben

Taking to her Instagram handle, Gauri Devidayal shared a sweet post charting the work and life lessons she learned from Ashaben. The entrepreneur recollected that Swati Snacks had been an integral part of her childhood. And she considered herself fortunate for having spent time with the legend herself. Calling Asha Jhaveri, a quiet mentor of the food industry, Devidayal charts the valuable work and life lessons she learnt from the doyen.

 

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A post shared by Gauri Devidayal (@gauridevidayal)

While working on her podcast with Jhaveri, Devidayal learnt that the Swati Snacks head always chased guest experience over scale and revenue. Over the past four decades, the Mumbai restaurant has expanded to two outlets in Ahmedabad and another one in Mumbai. Cutting down on waiting time and enhancing the guest experience were the reasons behind having multiple outlets in a city.

In an industry with a high attrition rate, Asha Jhaveri was successfully able to retain much of her team as she believed in investing in her people. While her staff don’t come from an F&B background, she believed in them and helped them to grow in their career.

Also Read: Asha ‘Ashaben’ Jhaveri, The Force Behind Mumbai’s Iconic Swati Snacks, Passes Away At 79

A Legacy Built On Empathy & Perseverance

Another life lesson that Devidayal holds dearly is when Jhaveri told her to surrender to a situation rather than react to challenges. Ashaben was a spiritual woman, and that’s where she got her resilience from, recalls the restaurateur. The Swati Snacks doyen believed in being fair and recruiting on a merit basis. Even her nephew, Karan, was interviewed before he could join the business.

Also Read:  Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma Relishes Handvo, Filter Coffee & Enjoys Mumbai Rains

For Jhaveri, Ashaben was the least insecure restaurateur whose sole focus remained on her diner and not her competition. This thought was so simple yet so powerful that Swati Snacks remains at the top of the game even after 40 years. It has fed Apple’s Tim Cook, Madhuri Dixit and continues to parcel its snacks to the Ambani household. Instead of revenues, Swati Snacks’ endeavour to be ahead of the curve when it comes to the guest experience and quality has made it what it is today.

Gauri Devidayal admired her quiet mentor, and her heartfelt post, steeped in gratitude and admiration for Ashaben, is a life lesson for us as well. With her, we toast to Ashaben, who created a legacy of success through empathy.

Cover Image Courtesy: @gauridevidayal/ Instagram