In a series of short profiles, Capital Current introduces some of the people working hard to improve life in Ottawa.
Who is he?
Devinder Chaudhary is the owner of Aiana, a fine dining establishment in downtown Ottawa, and a director with the Ottawa Board of Trade. In addition to his business ventures, Chaudhary is involved with several local charities, including Shepherds of Good Hope and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.
What’s his background?
Chaudhary was born in India and immigrated to Canada 30 years ago. He is a chartered professional accountant (CPA), and started his business career here by opening a financial consulting firm. In 2020, he founded Aiana Restaurant Collective where his son, Raghav Chaudhary, is the executive chef.
What is he known for in Ottawa?
In addition to his business ventures and involvement with local charities, Chaudhary also campaigns for living wages in the restaurant industry. In February 2023, he treated donors of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation to dinner at his restaurant, and during the “freedom convoy” in early 2022, Chaudhary founded and contributed to a fund that supported local restaurants affected by the occupation.
Asked by Capital Current what inspires him to get involved with the community, he said that after arriving in Canada “I was embraced with open arms, an average Canadian went out of his or her way to help me out — I saw the charity that was being done by an average person.” He also said he strongly felt that all businesses should be responsible corporate citizens and support the community in which they operate.
What do people say about him?
The owner of Bar Robo, Scott May, collaborated with Chaudhary earlier this year while organizing South of Parliament (SoPa), an effort to revitalize downtown Ottawa’s restaurant scene. May said in an interview that Chaudhary is “a visionary businessman, generous in nature and supportive of the community.”
What’s a lesser known fact about him?
Though he owns a fine dining establishment, Chaudhary said that he is “terrible when it comes to cooking,” and knows much more about wine than ingredients. Aiana carries around 500 different wine labels, and has received the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, an achievement of which Chaudhary said he is “very very proud.”
