Arjun Gopal Dalvi, the proprietor and chef of ‘Sai Mauli’, located in the picturesque village of Nachinola in Goa, has a fascinating story of how he became an entrepreneur in the food industry.

As a child, he grew up in Kantunbe, a village on the Goa-Karnataka border, where his father worked as a daily wage farmer. Arjun used to accompany his father to harvest the fields in Goa until his family decided to settle in Nachinola. Despite not being inclined towards formal education, Arjun managed to get a job in a restaurant in Goa as a cleaner and eventually worked his way up to becoming a cook at Fiesta, Calangute, where he met Gautam Singhania.

When offered the opportunity to become the personal chef of Gautam and Nawaz Modi Singhania, he jumped at the chance and worked with them for 7 years. However, Arjun eventually felt the desire to become his own boss and start his own business, which is a common entrepreneurial emotion in India.

In 2010, Arjun was able to start his own ‘wada pav’ shop in Nachinola. Over time, he rented out additional space to create a kitchen and started serving a variety of delicious dishes. Despite his success, Arjun remains humble and grateful for the opportunities that have come his way. He firmly believes that when you work with positivity and good intent, you are always rewarded.

Arjun’s simple yet effective approach to business has earned him a loyal customer base and helped him extend his business with a new branch in Sanquelim.