I
f someone had asked me at the turn of this century
what I’d be doing in 2017, a cafe would have been
the last thing I would have imagined. I do not have
any exposure to the hospitality industry or anything
remotely associated with it. I’d not even have
imagined me to be a vegan.I have always loathed the idea of pill popping, and it was
this loathing that led me to Dr Nandita Shah and SHARAN- Sanctuary for Health and Reconnection to Animals and
Nature - an organisation devoted to spreading awareness
about holistic health and an ecologically sustainable
compassionate lifestyle. Her 21-day program introduced
me to a whole new world of healthy eating. I learnt that
an improper diet is the cause of all ailments. A proper,
balanced and natural plant-based diet helps in the
reversal of most conditions and cures some of them as
well. This revelation led to a radical change in my outlook
towards nutrition. I became vegan and it changed my life!
I felt that I was at my healthiest ever and people
noticed. My body became toned and supple, my skin
glowing and people refused to believe that I was not
using any beauty aids or services. I was feeling better,
more energetic and lighter. I felt so good about myself
that I wanted to share this with the world. It started
with my family who turned vegan along with me. If they
converted, I knew I could, in my little way, help change
the world.What had begun strictly as a pursuit for health reasons
became a mission to try and change the world in my way.
Thus, was born the idea of JustBe. A cafe that would
serve compassionate, vegan cuisine without being in your
face about it, debunking myths that healthy is boring,
vegan is only plants and salads and so on.The idea led to a lot of thought, sleepless nights, and
many hours of discussions with my family, friends
and associates. This process of reflection led to our
founding principles - Healthy, Natural, Vegan, Whole
and Guilt-free.Having realised that even cookware matters, we have
avoided the use of aluminium, non-stick cookware.We make our plant-mylk, baked our bread (we even
grind our flour in-house), dips, sauces in-house thus,
ensuring that it is free from preservatives. We also
avoid the use of refined and processed ingredients like
oil, sugar, white flour to name a few. Our menu serves
natural, delicious, wholesome food (not to forget
familiar dishes) developed on these principles. Our
dips, sauces and dressings are also made in house
and free from preservatives.We want to gift our guests a GUILT FREE experience.
We don’t want our guests counting calories. Our
intention is to break the myth that healthy food is
boring and tasteless.Our interiors are designed in a way to encourage
people to JUSTBE themselves. We have many such
corners in the restaurant for people to be cosy in,
drop their facades, have some ME time, and JUSTBE
themselves. In other words, be at home! Over and
above, by being a part of JustBe, they contribute
towards a cruelty-free world.My vision is that everyone who comes here should feel
that JustBe is something that they had been looking for
and to be inspired and motivated to become a part of
one big community brought together by compassion- a place where people come to rediscover the joys of
natural eating, regardless of the labels.
I also decided to add an organic vegan store to the
cafe, so that people who are inspired by our cuisine,
can purchase organic produce and other groceries to
get started on their journey into a healthy way of eating
at home. The store stocks only organic products, giving
a lot of focus to vegan entrepreneurs like me who too
are trying to create the change.I would love for BeCafe to be a creative space where
people come to not just partake in meals, but to
discuss, debate and create. Much like how the Indian
Coffee House has contributed to literature, I dream
of JustBe becoming a similar space for not just the
cruelty-free movement but also as a space for anyone
who comes to be able to grow.JustBe Cafe
A Beginning
Bangalore, Karnataka
- Nidhi Nahata, Founder