Maneet Chauhan

I love animals, but I don't think I can have pets.

I literally just do whatever I want to do.

When I went to Nashville, everyone was so nice. Even the TSA agents are nice there.

Beer is such an integral part of the Indian culture.

Everybody tries so hard to pair wines with Indian food, and it has never been a natural marriage.

I make a Bloody Mary at home with a dash of fish sauce, a little bit of coconut, and some lime juice. It gives the cocktail some South Asian flair.

Restaurants are a much easier way to introduce Americans to a culture than getting them into museums.

A lot of people are still very afraid of spice. A lot of them don't know how to use the full potential of spice. I hope to make them more comfortable using spice and able to add it to their cooking.

I think food and love go hand and hand.

If I have the perfect meal and I'm with the person I love most - what more can you want out of life?

I usually always cook all the chutneys that I serve in the winter.

Summer chutneys, to me, are those that are light and usually involve almost no cooking.

For my first restaurant, I wanted to do something very special and close to my heart. Nashville felt like the place.

I was really impressed with the dining scenes and how amazing the culinary scene is in Nashville.

My decision to open my first restaurant in Nashville was born from my heart. From the moment I stepped foot in Music City, I have had a love affair with the people and burgeoning culinary scene.

Becoming the first Indian woman to compete on Food Network's 'Iron Chef' and 'Next Iron Chef' was really a great accomplishment and led to my spot as a judge on 'Chopped.'

I always wanted to be a chef. Flavors and food were always of interest to me, but it was how those things brought friends and family together to celebrate not only the special occasions but everyday life. It has been a blessing that I have been able to pursue a career that creates a product that brings people together.

This may sound corny, but I really admire my husband, Vivek Deora, as a businessman because I am amazed by how he conducts business internationally.

If there is a situation, I try to take a step back, cool down, and solve the problem. Flipping out, freaking out, and being very rude about it is not going to help.

One of the biggest things about being an entrepreneur is discovering your own management style. You can learn from others and try to emulate what they are doing, but at the end of the day, your inherent personality - how you deal with events and situations - comes to the forefront.