Ex-Supreme Court Lawyer Turns Chef & Builds a Farm-to-Table Food Café Run Entirely by Women

For years, Meenakshi Kumar walked the imposing corridors of the Supreme Court of India, dressed in black robes, building arguments and assisting her father, also a lawyer, in high-stakes legal cases. As a criminal lawyer, she thrived in the profession.

Yet, somewhere between case files and hearing dates, a quiet longing stirred — one that had nothing to do with verdicts or judgments.

In 2011, she took a sabbatical to pursue a Master’s degree in Law at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. But life had other plans. Away from home, in the dormitory kitchens of her university, she found herself cooking for friends. What began as survival cooking soon became an unexpected passion.

A chance encounter with a Singaporean chartered accountant-turned-pastry student sparked an idea: one could take a break, not just to study, but to learn a skill purely for joy.

That thought led her to Bangkok, where she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. What was meant to be a nine-month course stretched into seven years in Thailand’s thriving hospitality world, including an unforgettable apprenticeship under Chef Gaggan Anand, Asia’s most celebrated Michelkin-starred chef.

When the world paused, seeds took root

By late 2019, burnt out, Meenakshi returned to India, intending to take a short break before heading back to Bangkok. Then COVID-19 struck.

Confined at home, she began growing vegetables on her terrace — from broccoli to basil, and lettuce. “I realised how much produce you could grow in even a small space if you nurtured it right,” she says. Soon, her family’s one-acre farm in Noida became her canvas for organic farming.

What began as a personal experiment grew into a larger purpose. By 2022, she had a flourishing supply of seasonal, chemical-free produce.

Roots Cafe: Where women get empowered

One morning, while walking her dogs near home, Meenakshi spotted a vacant corner property. It had once been a pizza joint. “I thought maybe I’d open a small vegetable shop there,” she recalls. However, she narrowed down on a cafe.

She built Roots Café — a farm-to-table space that serves food crafted from the vegetables she grows on her farm.

The café’s concept is simple but radical: everything is cooked fresh, nothing is pre-prepared, and the menu changes with the seasons.

Instead of following the stereotypical ‘farm-to-table equals salad and smoothies,’ she created a global menu tailored to the Indian palate. Think Thai curries made from scratch, Vietnamese rolls paired with rasam, mushroom risotto infused with chilli oil, and millet-based dishes.

Building a team of women

What makes Roots Café stand apart is not just the food, but the team. Every single person in her kitchen and service staff is a woman.

“When I first started, I realised women who had never worked before were more eager to learn, more reliable, and more dedicated,” Meenakshi says. “So I made an intention: this will be an all-women café.”

Word spread. One by one, homemakers, former salon workers, and even college students looking for pocket money walked through her doors. Most had never set foot in a professional kitchen. Meenakshi trained them from scratch — how to chop, cook, serve, bill, and even engage with customers.

Over time, she saw something magical. “Their confidence blossomed. They weren’t just earning money; they were discovering themselves.”

For Madhu, joining the café was her first job after 17 years as a homemaker. “After Covid, we had financial troubles. I was desperate to work, but who hires a 40-year-old woman with no experience? I had completed a beautician’s course years ago, but my husband never allowed me to work. By the time I finally got his permission, I had no work experience and a lot of fear. I didn’t even know how to face an interview,” she says.

Her fears melted away in the warm, respectful interview process at Roots Café.

It’s now been four months since she joined. “For the first time in my life, I am earning. I take home around Rs 20,000 now. Before this, it was zero. My children are so proud of me. Earlier, I never imagined they’d look at me with this kind of respect. They say, ‘Mamma is doing something.’ That makes me feel very strong.”

Her biggest takeaway? “I realised how far behind I had stayed. Here, I’ve discovered a whole new world and my own potential.”

For Neha too, this café marks her very first job, which she joined three months ago. The 28-year-old has been married for two years and has a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. “This is my first job,” she smiles. “I had never worked before. My husband suggested I should step out, and I’ll feel good, I’ll enjoy it.”

For Neha, working at the café has been a source of joy and confidence. “I love interacting with people here. We all work together like family members, not colleagues, but as if we’re part of one household. That makes it so special. Also, I can financially support my family. That feels fulfilling.”

Beyond a café

Today, Meenakshi runs three food spaces in Delhi and is preparing to open two more by the end of the year, all run entirely by women. The model has also expanded to include street food carts, high-end coffee programmes, and experiments with regional cuisines.

But she insists the café is about more than food. It’s about financial independence, dignity, and community. “My own marriage taught me how crucial financial independence is,” she reflects. “Even if it’s just Rs 20,000 a month, that money gives a woman freedom, voice, and dignity.”

But Meenakshi doesn’t sugarcoat the struggle. “Taking the first step will be the hardest. You’ll feel alone, judged, even broken at times. But once you take that one step, the fear disappears. After that, you will never stop,” she says.

Her advice to women who dream of starting something but feel shackled by responsibilities? “Do it for yourself. It won’t be easy, but if you don’t, you’ll regret it forever.”

For Meenakshi, running a café entirely led by women is deeply satisfying. “If you can wake up every morning excited to go to work, you know you’re on the right path. Of course, there are tough days: sometimes there are no customers, sometimes finances get tricky, and I still have to make sure salaries and investments are managed. But even then, I feel driven to keep going,” she shares.

“What makes it all worthwhile is seeing the women grow. I’ve watched them transform; they talk confidently to customers, they can explain dishes, plate food beautifully, and even understand how to set up photos. They’re no longer shy; they’re proud and capable,” adds Meenakshi.

Back at Roots Café, as the women stir curries and serve steaming cups of coffee, it’s clear this is no ordinary eatery. It’s a story of second chances — for Meenakshi, who left behind courtrooms for kitchens, and for every woman who found her voice.

Edited by Vidya Gowri; all images courtesy: Meenakshi Kumar