“The place for healing cuisine” Yashoda Naidoo opened the first location of Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine and Chai House on January 17, 2002. Annapurna (AP) is one of only two exclusively vegetarian restaurant businesses in the State of New Mexico and is in its 7th year of business in Albuquerque and its 4th year in Santa Fe. She has been planning the opening of a third location for her restaurant. This was a reality on July 6, 2009 with the opening of her third restaurant location in the Village of Ranchos de Albuquerque.

Prior to opening Annapurna, Ms. Naidoo was a successful CPA working for several Top 5 accounting firms in South Africa, Australia, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. After leaving her accounting position, she ran a small catering business for over a year, while planning the restaurant venture. She had no previous restaurant experience of any kind. In the year prior to opening the restaurant, Ms. Naidoo faced challenging personal setbacks, yet she persevered with her plan for Annapurna.

Ms. Naidoo’s Hindu lineage created in her a deep desire to heal people, and her vision has always been to serve food that is healthy and natural. She originally planned to be a physician; however, her traditional East Indian family would not allow that at the time she entered college, and pushed her into accounting. Although Ms. Naidoo tired of that work over the years, it was somewhat fortuitous, since it gave her a solid business perspective to support her entrepreneurial vision. She is extremely customer oriented, and states her purpose as “educating, supporting, and motivating the customer to heal and pursue wellness from good food.” Annapurna loyal customers will attest that it nourishes the body, mind, and soul. To support her purpose of educating and motivating the customer, Yashoda launched Annapurna’s school of Ayurvedic Cooking in the summer of 2007.

Yashoda is an excellent entrepreneur, and is a strong learner. She is excelling in an industry in which she had no previous experience, and freely shares her learning with others who seek her advice about opening their own businesses. Each location she opens demonstrates the learning she gained from previous openings, as is evidenced by a smoother opening, and a more efficient operation in each new location. She has developed strong coaching skills, and provides an excellent role model for the young men and women who work for her in all three locations.

Having a location in Santa Fe has demanded expertise beyond availability in that area. Yashoda undertook the task to train a female chef in the complex area of Ayurvedic cooking and has empowered this young woman to the position of Kitchen Manager in the Santa Fe store. Ms. Naidoo has overcome significant obstacles to pursue her vision, and subsequently blossom as an entrepreneur who serves as a strong role model for others. She is extremely focused and intensely dedicated to growing her business and educating people about the importance of healthy food as an integral part of their lives. Despite the fact that she works long hours, she is also always willing to help others by coaching them on their own business ventures, or in numerous other ways.

Annapurna serves many dishes based on an Ayurvedic philosophy (a 5000 year old medical science from India). Based on Ayurvedic principles, all food is prepared fresh daily, and no leftover food is ever served at the restaurant. Ayurvedic cooking shuns most mainstream vices, including meat, white sugar, alcohol, eggs, iced or carbonated drinks, and canned or frozen vegetables. It prescribes fresh, organic and easy-to-digest foods. The combinations of foods and spices are soothing to the body as well as the mind. This is a very different approach from most restaurants, and the enthusiastic customers of Annapurna consistently tell friends and colleagues about their dining experiences, so that word-of-mouth advertising has become the reason most frequently cited by new customers for coming into the restaurant.

“We frequently hear from customers that our restaurant is one of the few places they can eat out and get nourishing, healthy food that is prepared fresh and fits into the narrow spectrum of foods that are safe for them,” states Yashoda. “The meticulous functioning of the restaurant kitchen has been extended to the cooking school to continue to educate the public on good health through food,” continues Yashoda.

In addition, Ms. Naidoo is committed to the use of organic vegetables and other whole food products, and purchases as many products as possible from NM growers and suppliers, keeping her investment in the local community. Annapurna is frequently approached to furnish food for community events. Ms. Naidoo always willingly provides food, for such events, because it is one way she can put health back into the community. Annapurna also frequently furnishes gift certificates that are used for raffle drawings or other giveaways for local and community organizations.

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