CADILLAC — Claims of mismanagement as a Northern Michigan restaurant is shutting down less than a year after it opened.
Indian Spice opened up on Mitchell Street in Cadillac, at the former location of the Cast Iron Kitchen in mid-January. There was a lot of excitement from locals about the opening. But fast forward to now, the restaurant said it’s a far different story, forcing the restaurant to make a difficult decision.
“When we opened, there was no proper management, there was no proper training. So, people just came and sat, and they were waiting for two hours, and they had no food. So, the first month we did really well and then every month after that it started to go down,” said Chugh.
Dave Chugh owns Indian Spice along with his dad Sam. He said he was brought in a few months ago to try to turn things around, but it was too little, too late.
“The employees were not trained. They were not fairly treated. So there were a lot of things happening, under his management. I came in two months ago, but it was already a sinking ship. People quit. They were not happy. I’m talking about this before I came in, but after I joined, I have retained certain employees, and they are okay now. But again, now the business is so much slow that you want to retain them. It’s an issue,” said Chugh.
He said they were forced to make the heartbreaking decision to close because of fewer customers, and a lack of kitchen staff from India.
“We need proper authentic food. So, we need staff from India for that, because only they can make that kind of food. We had one chef who had a heart issue, and he had to leave,” said Chugh.
Chugh said he wishes things were different.
“To all the people, employees and customers, those who have been hurt. I’m sorry. From the bottom of my heart. And I’m sad that I was not here when that happened. Otherwise, I could have done things very differently. And, you know, whatever has been done, has been done,” said Chugh.
He said he can’t change what happened, but they did learn valuable lessons, having never owned a dine-in establishment before.
They are now looking to the future, and a new business venture surrounding the same food from Indian Spice, called CurrySome.
“We are selling right now in three stores. One is in Hansen Foods of Sutton’s Bay, one is Leland Mercantile, and one is Anderson’s Glen Arbor Market,” said Chugh.
He said they hope to expand and sell online down the road for big catering orders.
Cynthia Sorenson has been a regular since March and she said she was sad when she found out the news about the closing from her waiter when they came in earlier in the afternoon.
“I think it’s horrible. I think it’s typical of Cadillac, which I have been around for 80 years, and it’s a blue-collar town. People like things to be not too disturbing, not too different. And I understand that. But it means that restaurants like this are rare and I think special,” said Sorenson.