What We Do

Sangeeta Lakhani grew up in Mumbai, India where she was surrounded by a vibrant array of spices and diverse foods. Being raised in a family of avid travelers instilled in Sangeeta the importance of experiencing many different cuisines across the globe. After moving to the U.S. at the age of 17, Sangeeta studied at The Columbus College of Art and Design, followed by The Columbus State Culinary School. She has been in the restaurant business for over 25 years. Sangeeta was instrumental in the expansion of a popular campus restaurant, Hounddog’s Pizza and the bar adjacent to it, Ravari Room, before co-founding Bodega in 2005. Bodega won several awards over the years from publications such as The Alive, The Other Paper, 614 Magazine, Columbus Monthly, etc. before Sangeeta successfully sold the brand in early 2015. In 2014 she co-founded and created the menu for The Table, a prominent farm to table restaurant in the Short North District of Columbus, Ohio. In March of 2020, Sangeeta leveraged her network to pivot her existing restaurant into Service! A relief effort for hospitality workers. She has since then, put out over 11,000 free meals and writes weekly grants for service industry workers financially effected by the ongoing pandemic. In her role as Executive Director, Sangeeta plans to keep growing Service! to provide resources and training opportunities for service industry workers. Sangeeta plans to keep working within the industry by sharing her knowledge and concept ideas, through projects like Cafe Overlook.

In addition to co-founding Service!, Matt also co-owns Preston’s: A Burger Joint. Trained in DC, his Columbus resume includes Ambrose & Eve, The Rossi and the late, great Swoop! Food Truck. His involvement with Service! stems from a lifelong call to serve, which he will be able to share further through Cafe Overlook.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Letha graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelors’ Degree in Nursing and has lived in Columbus, Ohio since 2001. Letha began down the path of entrepreneurship with a consulting business in 2003, a home health care agency in 2008 and her latest ventures are in the food industry. She co-founded Bake Me Happy, a wholesale/retail, gluten free bakery located in Merion Village, with a second location in Dublin with her wife, Wendy, of 15 years, and their 10-year-old daughter. Letha is also a founding member of Muse Hospitality, a newly formed restaurant group whose current project includes Preston’s Burger, located in the Historic North Market and Honeys Fried Chicken, opening in Groveport, Ohio next year. She is co-founder of two non-profits: Service! A relief effort for hospitality workers displaced during the COVID 19 pandemic, which is now an umbrella for projects like Cafe Overlook, and Black, Out and Proud, an organization that advocates, inspires, and educates the Columbus Black LGBTQ+ community. Letha is also a Commissioner for the City of Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation, Secretary of Board for The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio and an Ambassador for the Goldman Sachs 10 Billion Dollars for 1 Million Black Women Initiative and a member of the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Voices Advocacy Group.

Shelley first started making connections in the restaurant industry as editor of Crave magazine, covering the Columbus restaurant industry. From there, she launched Umami Consulting, a marketing and public relations company that works with independent restaurants and food brands to help tell their stories more effectively. She has served as executive director of Dine Originals Columbus, a nonprofit organization supporting the city’s independent restaurant scene, and in addition to serving as board secretary for Service! also serves on the board for Independents’ Day, Inc.

Georgia is a front-of-house nerd with a passion for guest services and learning about food. Originally from Yellow Springs, Ohio, she earned her bachelor’s in journalism and master’s in Latin American studies from Ohio University. Since graduating, she’s always worked in the hospitality industry in some way or another, and has had experience working as a corporate administrator and manager for Corso Ventures, and as a quality assurance manager and general manager for A&R Creative Group. Along with her role as project coordinator for Service!, you’ll currently find her working with Cafe Overlook.