The man behind Greenr--VAIBHAV NAGORI--has a vision for healthy living. Food is just a part of it. He is about to launch a pioneering lifestyle brand based on Ayurveda in the heart of diplomatic Delhi.
By MIHIR SRIVASTAVA
Vaibhav Nagori, 38, is an entrepreneur par excellence. A good man who wants to do well in life. A doer who knows how not to overdo the doer part is a rare quality. He has set high standards for himself, and tries to live up to them. It’s not just about work but life in general. He runs multiple businesses, and one of them is Greenr, a chain of restaurants that serve vegan food.
He epitomises: Green is the new sexy.
Sitting in Greenr gives a fair idea of the man Viabhav is. Though he is not the one who founded it, him joining hands has given it a new lease of life. His business acumen and the concept of the Greenr, hit off famously. The result: Greenr is fast expanding with new branches opening all over India.
Vaibhav is from a traditional Jain business family and is not the odd one out in terms of food he eats. He being a travel enthusiast (who has been to all five continents of the world, multiple times) and a proud vegetarian, the two attributes adds an interesting dimension to his travels.
There are places in the world where finding vegetarian food is akin to treasure hunting. To his credit, he finds good vegetarian food in most unlikely places and cultures. And his varied experiences on this count is a testimony to the fact that good food is not about limiting binaries of whether it’s meaty or leafy. That’s what he has set out to prove in Greenr.
I, carnivore to the core, must confess, I'm fairly convinced that Greenr serves the best burgers in the town, is my hot favourite. And it’s healthy, and not harsh on the digestive system, and feels good after a meal here, not just because I minimises my carbon footprint. It's simply tasty.
The whole idea is that taste and health can be, and should be, bedfellows. Also is about rejecting human centric approach to life, and seeking solace in nature, and its denizens, and how we--the naked apes who wear clothes--have infringed the life on earth and held it to ransom by criminal exploitation of natural resources to satisfy our greed, vanity and fetish–—meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, lanolin, wool, fur, silk, suede, and leather. And more.
I cannot get over this feeling that the naked ape is the most dangerous species in the world, by proliferating has made it difficult for flora and fauna to survive. Ultimately, they'd be the worst victim of their own success–I pontificate sitting here while sipping smoothie by the name of Love Yourself (a refreshing concoction of celery, cucumber, pine apple, orange, mint, spinach, jaggery and plant milk) that Vaibhav recommended to me.
I’m a regular, and there’s something new happening all the time. The ambiance is soothing, and welcoming, and organic, and every minute detail has been carefully considered to create this space with its quintessential 'green' character. This careful attention to detail is a treat for a careful observer.
It’s nice to see Vaibhav here–in Greenr. He walks around and talks to the staff in a way that he’s in sync with them, the processes, doesn’t boss around but also makes his concerns ample clear. He gives people a conducive environment to work, encourages them to think out of the box and bring about change for the better. That’s why Greenr is evolving while improving. Last few months, he’s been working hard, coordinating minute details, to operationalise the biggest Greenr outlet in the N block, Greater Kailash-1.
Vaibhav knows the ingredients and the recipes and how a dish tastes and how it looks, and if something is askew, he’s the first person to notice, and quick to point out. “The colour is off. Tell the chef,” I heard him say to a waiter carrying a dish as he passed by him. He just had a momentary glimpse. The chef, who was standing at the counter, behind the glass, lost colour on his face. An expression of someone caught with his pants down. Vaibhav does it all the time, though his forte is business--not a chef. How come he so immaculate in his observation? Because he’s interested, curious and a good learner. And, over the years, has become a connoisseur and a food cognoscente.
What I like about him is that he lets things affect him, sort of internalise it in some measure, and that helps him think better to deal with issues. It's not a job for him but an existential engagement.
It’s easier said than done. “I bite off more than I can chew,” he concurs. And that he goes about doing things one after the other, day after day, and things start to take shape. And small actions add up to big results. I have a feeling, it’s just the beginning.
"Time spent with my son, Varin, is a quality time," he says. Despite the pulls and pressures of multitasking, he has set his priorities right. His night life starts after he puts his son to bed. And to maintain the essential balance, in the modern context–sanity–he also parties once a week with friends and make sure he's away on a vacation with people he loves, mostly family.
Money gives choices–who can deny it? But it comes with a cost. Time is finite. He knows the tradeoff. Viabhav wants a host of choices in life. And he’s not apologetic about a certain lifestyle that he’s used to, and wants to better it, not as a family charity but by the dint of his effort. And that does mean that he indulges in short term projects that might not be fulfilling but definitely swell his coffers.
To sum up, about the man and his initiatives, I borrow words of a Turkish playwright Mehmet Murat ildan, “Our green valleys will be greener once we fully grasp the infinite vitality of the green!”
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