Choolaah

Choolaah is a participating restaurant of the America To Go (ATG) program. America To Go is a University-wide Contracted Supplier which is available for catering orders through a punchout in the PantherExpress System. This fantastic restaurant is located at 6114 Centre Ave and has a menu consisting delicious and authentic Indian cuisine.  

Choolaah's co CEOs, Raji Sankar and Randhir Sethi, met in 2001 at a tech startup in Pittsburgh. After successful careers in their white-collar professions, they knew that they wanted to do two things: exercise their entrepreneurial spirit and make a difference in people's lives. After extensively examining 6 industries that they were familiar with, they found themselves gravitating towards the Restaurant industry, of which they had no experience. They started by building a business plan that would bring the culture and flavors of their hometowns in India to the US, but decided to shelve the idea when they realized they didn't have enough industry knowledge. Instead, they opted to be franchisees with Five Guys at a time when Five Guys only had 6 or 7 locations. After spending years learning with and from Five Guys, and after more years of extensive research and development, Raji and Randhir decided it was finally time to launch Choolaah Indian BBQ!      

 Choolaah’s first location opened in Beachwood, OH in 2014. Since then, they have expanded to seven locations across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia! 

When we asked what their mission behind the restaurant is, Choolaah stated:  

“Our mission is to delight every guest, every time creating raving fans! From crafting our recipes to how we prepare each meal to the design of our restaurant spaces full of vibrant colors from local artists, our Guests and Team Members are always at the forefront of what we do!”            

 The carefully curated menu came from the co-CEO's goals to bring the tradition and culture of Indian cuisine across the globe in an authentic and accessible manner. They combine the traditional tandoor cooking technique with their own family recipes for everyone to enjoy! 

Community is very important to those at Choolaah’s. They have a fundraising program called “Choolaah Gives” that provides 30% of sales back to the organization. They also enjoy participating in community events such as fairs and sporting events. They have even hosted community yoga days for those in the area to participate in. Extending their appreciation for the Pittsburgh area, Choolaah says they love to hire Panthers! The current Sr. Manager of Strategic Projects is a fellow Pitt Alumni along with another Pitt graduate in their East Liberty location.  

A fan favorite menu item at Choolaah is the “Choolaah Bowl” with chicken, tikka masala and white rice. Their menu is packed with items that are full of flavor but not spicy and they have a line of signature hos sauces for those who like to add a little kick. They also offer an array of options including vegan, gluten-free, high protein and low carb. 

Sounds delicious!  

Choolaah can be easily accessed and ordered through Pitt’s PantherExpress System utilizing the America To Go punchout. All suppliers within ATG offer local and/or diverse catering options, providing users with a variety of excellent catering service options. Please note that you must first be a PantherExpress System user to access the ATG punchout, visit this page for more information.