Chef Rishim Sachdeva hits £150,000 crowdfunding goal within day of launch

The Chefs' 'mostly vegan' concept Tendril has secured funding for a permanent London location within a day of the campaign going live

The crowdfunding campaign launched on Seedrs at the end of May on the back of the chef's recent residency at Soho's Sun & 13 Cantons - the starting ground for notable restaurant success stories including Sambal Shiok, Sarap, and Asma Khan's Darjeeling Express.

Tendril's menu will focus on fresh, seasonal produce to make plant-first dishes taking inspiration from Rishim's kitchen experience in London and India and from the food he likes to eat at home - as he has been a (mostly) vegan himself since early 2019.

Signature dishes expected to return when Tendril opens include Tostada with muhammara, winter squash and chard kimchi, and Chipotle mushroom, barbecue kale, walnut, crispy potato, and gremolata.

The Soho residency attracted positive reviews from customers and critics alike, with Sunday Times food critic Marina O’Loughlin writing: "Seriously Impressive (mostly) vegan food - their description - at Tendril. Can't wait till they get their own place: 'soon' we're told. Rishim does magically delicious things with vegetables: the sticky purple potatoes - gobsmacking!" on Instagram after her visit.

Explaining the concept behind Tendril, Rishim said: “Tendril is the result of a deeply personal journey for me, from being a hardcore carnivore to a (mostly) vegan convert. I still eat some dairy and would find it almost impossible to give up cheese altogether, hence the (mostly) vegan menu at Tendril."

"By cooking plant-first food that’s not specific to a cuisine or nationality, I want to recreate my most evocative memories of flavours and textures that have influenced me through my travels around the world, not just in the UK and India.

"We were blown away by the success at the Sun & 13 Cantons and I’m now hoping with this crowdfunding that I can finally realise the dream of opening a permanent restaurant home for us in London.”

Crowdfunding

Chefs and restaurateurs often turn to crowdfunding to get projects off the ground as an alternative to (or alongside) private backing. Participants contribute money which is later returned to them in kind - in the form of a voucher for a meal, experience, or merchandise, for example. 

In a recent campaign, chef Lee Skeet used the money to purchase new equipment for his restaurant, Cora, while Tommy Heaney raised £40,000 to open his eponymous Cardiff restaurant in 2018. When Great British Menu 2019 chef Lee Smith launched his campaign, he offered rewards including a set lunch for two, a ticket to attend a chef guest event with fellow chefs Paul Foster and Adam Reid and a home dining 5-course experience for 6 people.