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Nalla's Indian Cuisine Enters Star Lane's Wine Caves
Shekar Sathyanarayana brings his immersive experience to the Santa Ynez Valley.
Feb. 9, 2026 at 12:31pm
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Shekar Sathyanarayana, a lapsed entertainment lawyer, has launched an event company called Nalla that hosts immersive experiences pairing Indian cuisine with local wines. After realizing the wine industry had not done enough to reach out to the South Asian community, Sathyanarayana started hosting dinner parties and public events that bring the flavors of India to wine country, including an upcoming collaboration with Star Lane Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Why it matters
Sathyanarayana's Nalla events aim to introduce Indian cuisine and culture to a wider audience, particularly in the wine industry which has traditionally overlooked the South Asian community despite their high disposable incomes. By creating these immersive experiences, Nalla is helping to bridge the gap and expose more people to the depth and versatility of Indian flavors.
The details
Nalla's upcoming event at Star Lane Vineyard on February 21 will feature a four-course Indian meal paired with the winery's wines, accompanied by live sitar and tabla music as well as traditional and Bollywood-inspired dance performances. This is the second time Nalla has collaborated with Star Lane, whose winemaker Tyler Thomas has become intrigued by pairing Asian flavors with wine after his travels in Japan.
- Nalla's first public event was in 2021 at Brecon Estate in Paso Robles.
- In 2025, Nalla put on 30 events and has at least 50 planned for 2026.
- The next Nalla events are at Star Lane Vineyard on February 21 and Beckmen Vineyards on March 14.
The players
Shekar Sathyanarayana
The founder of Nalla, an event company that hosts immersive experiences pairing Indian cuisine with local wines. Sathyanarayana is a lapsed entertainment lawyer who grew up in Kansas City as the son of Indian immigrants.
Tyler Thomas
The winemaker at Star Lane Vineyard, who became intrigued with pairing Asian flavors to wine during his many trips to Japan.
Nalla
An event company founded by Shekar Sathyanarayana that hosts immersive experiences pairing Indian cuisine with local wines.
Star Lane Vineyard
A winery in the Santa Ynez Valley that has collaborated with Nalla on events featuring Indian food and wine pairings.
What they’re saying
“Our conventions around non-Western cuisine often reveal our ignorance of the depth and breadth of those cuisines, their versatility, and their ability to go nicely with a variety of wine.”
— Tyler Thomas, Winemaker, Star Lane Vineyard
“I am fully an entrepreneur now, trying to build this business that brings the wine industry and South Asian cuisine together.”
— Shekar Sathyanarayana, Founder, Nalla
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
Sathyanarayana's Nalla events are helping to introduce Indian cuisine and culture to a wider audience, particularly in the wine industry which has traditionally overlooked the South Asian community. By creating these immersive experiences, Nalla is bridging the gap and exposing more people to the depth and versatility of Indian flavors.
