Alumnus Randhir Sethi co-created Choolaah Indian BBQ and has tips for business success

During the lunch hour rush at Case Western Reserve’s Tinkham Veale University Center, a long line regularly stretches from Choolaah Indian BBQ’s counter.

The fast-casual restaurant is a staple for CWRU students, beloved for its fresh, healthy ingredients and easily customizable menu. 

It’s the type of dining experience Choolaah co-founder Randhir Sethi (CWR ’96) craved when he moved to the United States from India to attend Case Western Reserve—but one that would take years to come to life.

As a student, Sethi dove into computer engineering. But, eager to explore the tech world, he took a temporary leave during his senior year, gaining work experience with a startup before funding the remainder of his education alongside his brothers Rahul (CWR ’96) and Sachin (CWR ’97).

A subsequent job in investment banking led Sethi to Pittsburgh, where he met Raji Sankar, a fellow “foodie” from India who shared a dream of building a global food and beverage company. In 2003, the pair drafted their first business plan for Choolaah Indian BBQ, aiming to celebrate traditional Indian cuisine in a format easily understood and embraced by unfamiliar customers. 

But Sethi and Sankar didn’t feel the market was ready yet. They instead put their fast-casual ideas to practice in other ways, including building franchised Five Guys Burgers & Fries restaurants in Pittsburgh and Northeast Ohio.

By 2012, the time felt right for Choolaah. That year, Simran Sethi—Randhir’s wife and now the company’s chief product officer—joined as co-founder, and the family moved to India for several years to gain crucial insights and values that would shape the Choolaah concept. Since opening the flagship restaurant in Beachwood, Ohio, in 2014, the business has grown to nearly 40 locations across 18 states.

The 2023 launch of the location at CWRU marked a particularly fulfilling moment. 

“It was a joy to put Choolaah on CWRU’s campus,” Sethi said. “Here, I found avenues and loving souls who helped me find success. This was one tiny thing I could do to give back.” 

Randhir Sethi and his co-CEO, Raji Sankar, shared tips on leading a successful business.

1. Embrace failure. It is inherent for innovation. “You have to fail quickly, then get back up and try again,” Sethi explained. One example? The journey to Choolaah’s signature tikka masala recipe involved more than 100 iterations by Simran Sethi and her team. 
2. Always be learning. The co-CEOs credit that as essential to their success. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek out mentors,” Sankar said. “The people who have walked that path before are kind and generous with their time.” 
3. Build a distinctive product. “The goal is to create something authentically yours  that’s not easily copied,” Sethi said. Operating around five core values—integrity, candor, joy, excellence and growth— is the key ingredient that makes Choolaah special. 
4. Keep your sights on your values and mission. Choolaah’s success is  as much about its people as its products. “Everybody on our team has a right to come in and call us out if we’re not living our values,” Sethi explained. “We don’t want them to feel like they’re working for Choolaah. It’s their company.”