Aditi Madan - Not Trying to Be Someone Else Helped Me Navigate Comfortably Despite Heavy Competition (Founder - Blue Pine Foods)

Don’t shy away from being simple and doing simple. Have a minimalistic approach to everything!

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

One of the Top 6 contestants in Amul Masterchef Kitchen Ke Superstar Season 3 and First Season Opener of Shark Tank India and receiver of Funding.

Aditi was born & brought up in ‘Queen of Hills’ Darjeeling. Grown up in a joint family of 14 members, where three generations used to live together with a blend of Buddhist & Hindu philosophy,   She is married to Nitesh Madan, who is from a Punjabi family, Rohtak Haryana. Carrying a legacy of strong cross-cultural values, which helps her at each and every step of life to stand strong, fight with odds, by having deep faith in almighty.

Before 2016, Aditi had a few unsuccessful attempts at venturing out on her own, and finally, with her two present co-founders, she started and registered BluePine Foods Pvt. Ltd. in Delhi with offering customers healthy, affordable and hygienic momos. In 2018, the company opened its first Quick Service Restaurant, Yangkiez By Momo Mami.

2. What is your earliest memory of cooking, and who was your biggest influence in the kitchen growing up?

Since our home had diverse family & culture we as children used to enjoy all festivals and having grown up in front of Salvation Army Deaf & Dumb School & Buddhist Monastery we had diverse all year festivals to enjoy. 

Helping my grandmom to make dudh roti during Maghey Sankranti festival, helping my younger aunt in the night to make selroti during Tihar (Deepawali), helping early morning during Maghey Sankranti to get all kinds of taruls/underground root vegetables & make til mithai and fapar ko pitho (buckwheat flour) pakoras. Helping Mommy create beautiful Khapsey and kojeys for losar with neighbours also giving helping hand all day as then we used to prepare for distributing and gifting the whole village and in return also enjoy receiving during Christmas and Dussehra Deepawali in exchange. It was always earlier like community coming to cook together and prepare delicacies for each other festivals.

 We as childrens always used to help our families to cook certain dishes which needed support when it was prepared for all 14 members, I remember to this day how some dishes combines the family together to be prepared with love and emotions. When we used to make thukpas especially kaudi thukpa we all used to sit in peedha and chauki around fireplace angethi and make kaudis as that used to take lot of time , and our aunts used to narrate ghost stories from hills also maybe that we don’t  move from the place and focus in helping them .

I remember handling full kitchen only with my cousin sister to cook and serve for our Ama Baba (Grandparents) when my aunt had gone to her home during winters. 

So my influences were many, my Grandmother with her own delicacies skills and culture , my mother with her own skill sets and delicacies and techniques that she had in cooking ,  which were totally different, my middle aunt as she used to keep innovating in our simple kitchen even when resources were very less, neighbours and later on cousins & Elder Aunt who used to come from Cities to show us new dishes and make us taste it.

My mother in law Mommyji has also been a great influence in making me understand more about the dishes that she prepares and my husband too equally to understand some North Indian dishes taste and pallette.

3. What was the most challenging aspect of being a contestant on MasterChef India, and how did you overcome it?

The most challenging was the initial phase of applying to be there , during those years the world wasn’t digital enough, one would fear of many imaginations, challenges and threats but eventually overcame those fears only due to imagination applied and got selected as during the process just remained as I was. Not trying to be someone else which helped me navigate comfortably, inspite of heavy competition and comparisons. Understanding that we all are humans and by removing that societal brackets, I could blend with everyone and here my family roots and the way I was brought up helped me to adapt and adept with every participant coming from diverse regions of Bharat.

4. What motivated you to start BluePine Foods, and what were some of the initial challenges you faced as a first-generation entrepreneur?

Aditi is originally from Darjeeling brought up in a joint family of 14 members, but has been based in Delhi for most of her professional life. In Delhi, Aditi missed the authentic, traditional Himalayan cuisine on which she had grown up. She and her husband often spoke of venturing into a business that offers healthy, hygienic and affordable food but they couldn’t prioritize these ideas because of the pressures of living in Delhi. Around 2013 they moved to Jaipur and being a good cook, her husband nudged her to compete in the 2013 Amul Master Chef, which she did and was shortlisted among the Top Six. 

This experience was an eye-opener for Aditi. It brought to life the influence of culture, religion, ethnicity, regional techniques, and ingredients on cuisine. It reinforced her desire to use her culinary passion to build cross-cultural integration and promote food innovation. 

Kitchen Ke Superstar,as it was called during Masterchef Season 3 a popular cooking show in Hindi. She met the famous restaurateur and chef Vikas Khanna, who affectionately gave her the name Momo Mami, by which she is referred.

To  “Change the Way India Eats” the stigma around the product Momos and also Agro produce wastage and decay  led to a beautiful Journey of Creating Momos with my basic strength that I had and as a staple food using widest range of Agro Produce, which first choice is “steaming” i.e the healthiest form of cooking food. Something had to be corrected Hygienic, Healthy and Affordable Food that was the concept and reason behind starting and being in the food industry.

Challenges were many , we didn’t have funds to start only desire and courage, Policies weren’t so strong as it is now . Incubation centers or Accelerator programs weren’t available then or accessible before and during the Initial days when we started. We are thankful that I could discover NSRCEL IIM Bangalore Women Startup program in 2020 and apply. Similarly India Sme Forum helped me in many ways later. Everything had to be explored on our  own, learn , understand and then approach people and banks, seeking the path with tough way of self learning and failing. Nothing came to us in our hands , we had to explore and then seeked guidance. Had we had mentors back then we would maybe now have reached far ahead, but we are Grateful & Thankful Blessed that wherever we have reached now its with lot of blessings and support from everyone.

5. What was your experience like pitching on Shark Tank India, and how did it feel to be the first opener and receiver of funding in the show's history?

It still gives me goosebumps when I recall entering the Tank door to pitch in front of the Sharks. If I say my true experience- I was like in kind of a dreamland where everything was flowing like poetry. 

When I entered the door it was all about Our Organisation, Our stakeholders nothing about Myself or me as an individual. 

Shark Tank India was a Universal blessing for everyone who could or have been able to reach,  of all the hardships , pains and sorrows gone through we could share our journey through one such Pioneer Platform. It was simply one of the best days of my lifepost Covid hit and lockdown ,where the rainbow and silver lining appeared. It gave us immense courage , confidence and motivation with Inspiration from our Sharks to keep walking the path and not to quit. What we were building was right and to keep our focus on it. Never had Bharat witnessed such reality Investment Program and the Nation & Families understood what Entrepreneurs go through and post Shark Tank came a lot of support and encouragement with Respect from Families and Society. It was changing the narrative of not only being a businesswoman or man but taking the baton of True Entrepreneurship for Viksit Bharat and taking everyone together.

The Golden Moment when we received funding and forever etched in the history of Shark Tank coming to India and being the First Opener and Receiver of Funding. It was surreal and blissful, the feeling was the Universe conspired it to be so after being silent worker even after Masterchef India.

6. You have been promoting agro produce and sustainable cooking. Can you share more about your initiatives in these areas and why they are important to you?

It was very tough to keep our focus on the purpose and vision ,with less revenue as when one is doing real work with lot of values and ethics theres no money for oneself,  but thankful that now the world is appreciating and similarly everyone is focused on being and thinking sustainble and understanding. Its very tough to be sustainable, scale with Ethics and the journey has not been an easy one with the kind of Impact we wanted to create. 

Its about weaving sustainable story with momo which is associated with Culture, Tradition, Community, history. Its about bringing alive the dishes that is cooked with diversity and community coming together entwined in the tapestry of Using widest range of agroproduce and promoting Handcrafted Artisanal Momos entwined with Love & Care , by means of Steaming what best an option could be for a Healthy, Hygienic one bite meal and  Affordable at the same time. It wasn’t about Momo as a product only but the Journey the narrative of Eating & Cooking Healthy with minimal resources available and by seeking resources locally bringing Innovation at the same time without adding preservatives. Amazing! Isnt it ? We have now more than 40 variants with skin flour variations and fillings which are feelings and emotions to reach and win ones heart and soul. Its about soul warming soul nourishing Food that we speak of in BluePine Foods & Momo Mami. The Logo itself is beautiful which speaks of working in alignment with resources and living in harmony with nature. 

Authenticity, coming from the Himalayan region & the values. The Team strength ~Aditi and her co-founders are passionate about the purpose behind their venture. They aspire to contribute to many agro and social causes. For instance, using the right agricultural produce for making hygienic, healthy, nutritious, ready-to-eat momos that are preservative-free and have a higher shelf life adds value to consumers and the environment.

BluePine Foods increase convenience in consumers’ everyday life. The company believes in employing underprivileged women and in training its workforce in the HORECA segment to be future-ready. We promote handcrafted artisanal momos as that generates employment opportunity for the underpriviledged. Its about Climate , right water usage and vegetation grown locally and minimal to only one step of processing. Its about simplicity and focusing upon simple things in life in abundance that nature has to offer for everyone.  It is about the FUTURE that we want to leave our planet to for our Children.

7. You mentioned a failed venture, PVR Kitchen n Kafe. What did you learn from this experience, and how did it shape your future business decisions?

PVR Kitchen and Kafe taught me that what one believes, lies the passion,  has the intuition and has deep faith in strongly one should keep pursuing it, it might look difficult and challenging initially. 

Building something with value and true passion and right purpose- “Right Intent and Right Way “ the world eventually understand and follow.

To have team who are aligned to the thoughts and believe in the purpose and vision. 

8. What advice would you give to aspiring chefs and entrepreneurs who are just starting their journey?

The whole purpose defines you to stay focused, the baton of responsibility taken seriously and well for the Role of An Entrepreneur with discipline will help you be everywhere related to the Organisation and focused too.

Learning should never stop, In my journey of running the Company, I keep learning and building skills that I as a Founder should know or be aware of deep within.

The Founder is the soul of the Organisation from where the passion, purpose, and strength lie and begin, being aware of the very fact keeps you motivated all the time. 

You have to be mentally strong to be like a mountain and persevere.

The most important lesson is to be agile and frugal in everything you do. In today's volatile world, speed to market changes is the key differentiator in being a success or failure but being grounded with your roots is strength.

Always have empathy for everyone , be humble be grateful for everything that you have , never compare to anyone, and look around simple things and resources to start with. Don’t shy away from being simple and doing simple. Have a Minimalistic approach to everything!

Bio:

Aditi is an accomplished entrepreneur and the Founder Director of BluePine Foods Private Limited, known for the brand Yangkiez By MomoMami. She has garnered recognition as one of the Top 25 Selected Entrepreneurs in the ITC She Trades & UPS Project 2020, and was incubated at NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, being among the Top 20 in the Women Startup Program. She has also participated in notable accelerator programs under TNS India Foundation and Nidhi WEE Program Under IIT Delhi, where she received the Gold Award.

A standout contestant on Masterchef India Season 3, where she placed in the Top 6, she also opened Shark Tank India Season 1 and secured funding. Her accolades include the Enterprising Women Entrepreneur of The Year Felicitation Shakti 2021 by Sir Nitin Gadkari, Indian Women Excellence & Leadership Award 2019, and being named among the Top 75 Women Transforming India 2021-22 by Niti Aayog & the United Nations. She has also been honored as one of the Power 100 Women in Innovation by CII & CIES 2022-23, and received the Excellence Award by TIH IIT Guwahati under the Wee Foundation & Embassy of Israel.

She has been recognized for her contributions to sustainable business, winning the APAC Best Emerging Sustainable Startup Award 2021, and has received multiple ITC Go Global Front Runner Awards. She serves as a Council Member of the International Trade Council in Manufacturing and as National President for Yuukke Global in Food Processing.

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Interviewed & Edited by- Arunangshu Chatterjee