This Chennai brand offers plan-based charcuterie boards and vegan bakes

For baker-chocolatier-chef Shalini Padmanabhan, 2020 was not just the year the world shut down — it was the year her life took an unexpected turn. The pandemic forced her to part ways with Piece of Cake, her bakehouse in Chennai specialising in artisanal breads and cakes.

“I suddenly found myself with time, ideas and nowhere to channel them,” says Shalini, “I was completely at a loose end.” The turning point came in the form of a conversation with Shiny Surendran, sports nutritionist and founder of city-based Art of Eating Clinic. A mentor and close friend, Shiny urged Shalini to explore vegan food tailored for both diabetic and non-diabetic consumers: food that was clean, organic, and free from heavy processing.

A vegan grazing board by Shalini
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“That’s when The Veganator came into being,” says Shalini, “Shiny had seen first-hand how cutting out dairy and gluten helped her clients heal, even people suffering from chronic arthritis.”

Armed with that insight, Shalini began experimenting in her kitchen, eliminating rice, wheat and maida altogether. Instead, she worked with alternative flours such as almond, coconut, amaranth, oat, ragi and jackfruit, creating baked goods like like pizza bases, crackers, pita bread, wraps, bread and fusion snacks that were vegan, gluten-free and nutrient-dense. “It was a challenge to get the right mix of ingredients in the correct ratio and getting the perfect consistency. Also, the availability of flour and starches was not easy,” says Shalini.

As her line of baked products found acceptance in Chennai, Shalini noticed a recurring sentiment among her customers: despite dietary restrictions, people still craved cheese and crackers. That observation sparked her next venture — Gourmet Graze by Shalu, a vegan take on the charcuterie board. “I kept thinking of why should cheese be reserved only for parties. Grazing tables are beautiful, but expensive. What if you just want a light, healthy snack for yourself or to share with a partner?” Her answer was a range of compact, affordable grazing boxes designed for everyday indulgence. “Instead of reaching for a fried snack or a heavy sandwich, this gives you fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and healthy crackers — all in one box,” she says.

A vegan charcuterie board
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The diabetic-friendly cheese box, which is both vegan and gluten-free, includes protein- and fibre-rich kale and seed crackers paired with plant-based cheeses such as almond feta, roasted garlic cream cheese, sunflower seed cheese and ricotta. The signature cheese box offers a more indulgent spread: potato cheese sticks, roasted garlic cream cheese, cranberry cheese balls, cashew mozzarella, nachos dip, salsa and premium gluten-free crackers.

Shalini, who runs the brand single-handedly, is in no rush to scale-up. “These foods are meant for people with specific dietary needs. Quality and consistency are non-negotiable.”

While some products can last over a week, she prefers working in small batches to ensure freshness. Shalini is also experimenting with aged vegan cheeses, though sourcing authentic vegan cultures remains a challenge. “Once I’m able to get the right cultures from the US or Europe, that will open up a whole new direction.”

For now, Shalini plans to cater to a close circle of loyal customers, referrals from Shiny, and social media inquiries, and all orders are taken in advance.

“It may be slow and demanding,” she says, “but that’s the only way I know how to do this right.”

Boxes start at ₹300 and go upwards of ₹7,000. To order, call 9840875555.

Published – March 31, 2026 04:44 pm IST