Sanskriti Geete’s culinary dream ‘The Imlee Jar’ brings warmth, collaboration and meaning to Goa’s food landscape.
Sanskriti Geete’s journey from an investment banker at a leading global bank in Mumbai to a creator in the culinary world is truly inspiring.
Her café, The Imlee Jar was a dream that she was nurturing for years and something she spoke about often, with her family. “When I got married and moved to Goa in 2021, something inside me shifted. Life here felt calmer, more grounded, and it gave me the space to finally listen to that little voice that had been telling me to cook, create, and build something of my own. Goa just felt like the right place to bring it to life; its warmth, its people, and its love for food made it feel like home.”
In January this year, that dream finally turned into reality and The Imlee Jar Café opened its doors, born out of love, faith, and the courage to start again.
The Imlee Jar is a space where vegetarian food is celebrated and not sidelined. “Coming from Indore, a paradise for vegetarian food lovers, I wanted to bring that same excitement here,” adds Sanskriti. It’s all about giving locals something fresh, yet familiar; with flavours from across India and beyond. While she understands the love for good fish curry rice, her idea is to create something alongside it, which is just as comforting and delicious in its own way. “For local caterings we have created dishes like Rechado Shroom Cigarittos, Fooled Pork (Jackfruit) Rissois to bring the meat-free flavours.”
The name ‘The Imlee Jar’ connects to Sanskriti’s personal memories of food. “Imlee holds a lot of nostalgia in my life, and the name was born. I remember my grandmother keeping imlee, pickles, and chutneys in jars, everything done with love and a personal touch, which is exactly what I wanted to bring to the table. Jar connects that nostalgia with something more modern which is just like our food. Our dishes have traditional roots but carry a modern twist, whether in texture, presentation, or pairings.”
As a chef and business owner Sanskriti faced her fair share of challenges. “Doing something unconventional is always challenging. I came from a completely different background, so everything; from dealing with local authorities and learning Konkani, to finding the right space, it was challenging.One of the biggest challenges, adds Sanskriti, was building a team that shared the same belief: that vegetarian food can be equally exciting.“There was a time when it was just one team member and me; I was the chef, service staff, cleaner, and manager all at once. That phase taught me to let go of things beyond my control, to forgive myself, and most importantly, darne ka nahi. The right people will stay, and you are always enough to work things out,” she says.The menu at The Imlee Jar is a blend of tradition and innovation; from Dahi Mousse Papdi to Jackfruit Cafreal and Sanskriti strikes an excellent balance between comfort and creativity.“I wanted to do something exciting, something that brings a little wow factor to vegetarian food. I wanted to create dishes that make people stop, smile, and say, ‘Wait, I’ve never had this before!’ Our Dahi Mousse Papdi is one of those dishes; it is innovative yet so comforting and flavourful that people keep coming back for it. The Jackfruit Cafreal is another special one. I wanted people to experience this Goan classic without feeling like they are missing out just because it’s meat-free. We make our cafreal masala completely in-house, using the same authentic technique; only here, we pair it with jackfruit and also mushrooms to give it that perfect depth and texture,” elaborates Sanskriti.
The menu is a fine balance, keeping the soul of traditional flavours alive while adding a modern, playful twist that makes vegetarian food exciting again.
The Imlee Jar is famed for their signature dishes and the Imlee chutney, while crowd favourites include the Dahi Mousse Papdi, Cigar Rolls, Mushroom Keema Quesadilla, Zaffrani Rajma Chawal, Dabeli Bruschetta made with their in-house dabeli masala, Avocado and Homemade sour cream Crostini, Sassy Imlee and Saunf Cooler, and refreshing Jamun Shots.
“Our Imlee Chutney is thick, tangy, and balanced; not too sweet or runny. We keep a jar on every table, and people often end up finishing it before their food! It is one of those small things that is now become a signature part of the Imlee Jar experience,” says Sanskriti.
The Imlee Jar is small and cozy and gives that favourite living room comfort. “The warmth was always intentional,” adds Sanskriti. There are board games to keep people engaged while their fresh food is being made.
Sanskriti personally tries to meet and chat with almost everyone who visits just to know them and their lives. “For me, The Imlee Jar isn’t just a café; it’s my personal life now. The people I meet, the stories we share, the food we serve, that is what a happy home looks like.”
Sanskriti shares that social media is a window into their world at The Imlee Jar. “It is where we share not just the food, but the people, process, and emotions behind it. Our page reflects who we are; playful, a little chaotic, but full of warmth. You will see the laughter in the kitchen, the BTS madness, and the small moments that make our day. People connect not to perfection, but to intent. We keep it real, because that’s what The Imlee Jar is.”
Running a café solo can be demanding and for Sanskriti it is all about passion. “Passion, to me, isn’t about letting yourself win, it is about letting it win. Everything at The Imlee Jar revolves around people; my team, my vendors, my guests, and everyone who supports what we do. Their energy, loyalty, and laughter keep me grounded and motivated. I genuinely believe that when the people around you are happy, everything else eventually falls into place.”
Through it all, having their families and most importantly her husband by her side, as both her biggest supporter and quiet mentor; make even the toughest days lighter. “Having the right people around you truly changes how you face challenges, and I have been lucky to have that.”
For Sanskriti, it is never a solo journey; it is about unity, small wins, shared achievements, and the joy of doing things together. She believes that when work is done with love, intent, and faith, the universe always finds a way to reward it.
Sanskriti shares her vision for Goa’s culinary scene rooted in collaboration and community. “It is simple; everyone’s doing beautiful work, and there is always something to learn from each other. Goa’s food scene is full of passionate, creative people, and collaboration only makes it stronger. At The Imlee Jar, we love connecting with chefs, creators, and artisans who believe vegetarian food deserves its space. When the intent is right, community naturally follows; that is what makes Goa’s culinary heart so special.”
