When Madhavi Dhall first arrived in Shanghai just before Chinese New Year in 2019, she had no grand plans to start a business. Armed with a background in business marketing and a degree in interior design – and a part-time stint as a commis in one of the kitchens in Singapore's Raffles Hotel – she simply began bringing artfully-styled cheese and charcuterie platters to gatherings as a way to break the ice. What started as a thoughtful gesture quickly became a word-of-mouth sensation, and by October 2020, her boutique catering brand Salver was born. Today, Madhavi – or Sumi to those who know her – is the founder and food artist behind a company that's not just serving food, but crafting memorable, sensorial experiences in the ever-evolving cultural landscape of Shanghai.
Madhavi Dhall is the founder and food artist behind boutique catering brand Salver, crafting memorable, sensorial experiences in the ever-evolving cultural landscape of Shanghai.
Before we talk about Salver,would you please introduce yourself?
I'm Madhavi Dhall, founder and food artist at Salver, a boutique catering startup where I curate, compose, and cater bespoke grazing platters and tables for both private and professional events.
The company came into being in Oct 2020. Having just arrived around the 2019 Chinese New Year, I would bring cheese and charcuterie platters to gatherings to break the ice, and soon after, everyone would encourage me to make platters for them too. As simple as that, though my only experience with food was working part-time as a commis in one of the kitchens in Raffles Hotel, Singapore, while studying business marketing. I also happen to hold a degree in interior design, hence sprinkling a sense of aesthetic and styling into my work.
About my make, I was born in India, raised in Singapore, started my adult life in Indonesia and found myself in Shanghai. Shanghai is home to me at the moment, where I live with my twin fur babies, Shanti and Tara and surrounded by friends like family who call me Sumi.
Madhavi curates, composes, and caters bespoke grazing platters and tables for both private and professional events.
Why, after living in Shanghai for a few years, did you decide to strike out on your own to build your own company?
I was unsure of continuing my stay in Shanghai mid-2020 (was learning Chinese at the time), just as I was unsure of how cheese would fare in a very dairy-intolerant demography; however, I noticed the gap in the market. It was a niche potential. If a tea country can go coffee crazy, you can sell anything with the right strategy.
I partnered with a couple of small events at the start to broaden my network and feel for the ground. It was an opportunity that was waiting for someone who had nothing to lose, and I seized it, so I looked into setting up a WFOE and that's that.
Salver's grazing table was created for Paper Crane's inaugural International Women's Day (IWD) event: 'I AM' in partnership with Le Wagon.
What makes Shanghai's business environment so remarkable?
I call Shanghai the land of opportunities, if you can think it, you can do it. With the convenience of reaching out to agents, friends, and fellow entrepreneurs, you have no reason to sulk and be clueless. Everyone, almost everyone, is so driven and has so much to share with their rich, varied experiences. The community is so global, yet so local. I must add, the ease and speed with which you can ideate, customize and source anything is a great motivation too. Imagine what we would all be without Taobao and the kuaidi system!?
Salver's grazing boxes were created for a client's birthday picnic
What were you trying to bring to the local community?
With our Shanghai lifestyles and communities being extremely transient in nature, we are constantly at gatherings. Having everyone crowd around a grazing table, makes it a fun and nonchalant way of breaking ice. Also considering how socials, conferences and events have become shorter and fast paced, it makes entertaining guests a breeze. A piece of cheese here and a slice of cold cut there, a few sip of bubbles and WeChat handshakes are done.
A grazing table offers a relaxed, engaging way to bring people together – a casual yet elegant icebreaker.
What are the biggest challenges setting up a business here? How do you stay motivated?
I can't complain too much, except for language discrepancies and inadequate information in English on how to set up a company. But I quickly realized finding the right agent made all the difference, albeit at a cost. The rest is fairly simple; you, of course, do your due diligence prior.
One of my constant challenges are till date, that people compare what I offer to buying a block of cheese from the local deli. It's inevitable, and it is honestly an extremely imitable business, but it's a lot more than just 'playing' around with cheese and charcuterie to turn it into a business.
Salver credits its growth entirely to the referrals my clients have made over the past 4 and a half years. It is the best form of brand building and trust. The greed to do better never dies. If that isn't motivation enough, then what is!?
What was the moment made you most proud?
A lot of the time, when I set up at hotels or restaurants, the chefs come out to watch and take photos; they would at times call out their team, too. You do not know how nervous and humbled I feel, but a good feeling nonetheless.
Just about when I am done with my installs/set up and I am walking out of event spaces, I would overhear guests complimenting the host or bosses patting the colleague's back, that's when my heart smiles. These are the moments when it feels like a win.
Grazing table was created for Marriott Hotel group's head office team's thappy hour in July 2024.
What are you working on?
I am a constant piece of WIP myself. Professionally, I am trying to equip Salver with a mini-program to bridge the retail and service aspects of our offerings. This will also enable better outreach, digital presence and potentially grow the business to cater not only cheese/charcuterie but other kinds of hors d'oeuvres as well.
I am also looking forward to creative collaborations to socially integrate better with the locals to make cheese more palatable and fun.
Who is the female role model who inspires you?
No one in particular, but women who keep themselves busy, stand their ground and can laugh at themselves. A little extra awe to those who are moms in addition to that. This may just about sound like most of the women I have chosen to surround myself with in Shanghai. There's just so much to learn from everyone actually, inspirations don't have gender.
Do you have any advice for women entrepreneurs?
Advice is meant to be given by old trees to young saplings. I am still on my path of learning, and I tell myself this: Always ask! and Ask why not! If you're not learning and unlearning, you aren't evolving.
Secondly, I am striving to build something organic and sustainable in growth. I don't think it is a great idea to overpromise and underdeliver. Being a woman, you know, you control the pace best.
Lastly, we are already halfway there by being a woman, now go be an entrepreneur. Your suppliers don't give you a discount for being a woman, you pay the same tax, work the same hours and your clients pay you the same. So, stay consistent, persevere and avoid mediocrity.