— Tucked inside a romantic courtyard on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill is Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe, the spot for authentic Indian food.

When you walk into Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe, you enter a haven of welcome aromas. Owner and chef Vimala Rajendran is usually in the kitchen working on a customer favorite -- samosas!

She talked with WRAL about the the namesake of her restaurant and about her unusual journey to become a chef and community builder.

Rajendran's famous samosas are stuffed with spiced peas and potatoes.

"I just practiced and practiced and experimented with the crust and got it very much like a pie crust," she said. "Folks who have eaten the samosas in Bombay say it's very close to the same samosas."

The restaurant's menu features food Rajendran grew up eating in her native India.

As a political science major who had thought about becoming a lawyer, she never thought the kitchen would be a career path.

For 18 years, Rajendran hosted community dinners from her home. The food was a hit -- and so was the camaraderie.

"We wanted a sense of freedom and joy," she said.

Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe opened in 2010. Rajendran says her recipe for success is local, organic produce, fair trade ingredients and happy employees -- she's proud to offer them fair wages and flex time.

At the heart of the restaurant is the motto, "When Vimala cooks, everybody eats."

At Vimala's, even if you can't afford to pay, everyone is still served a delicious healthy meal. That's because Rajendran says delicious food is a human right.

Once, she brought food to a man who lost his teeth after he was hit by a bus.

Her charity is a throwback to her community dinners -- just now in a bigger venue. "You're bringing people together, because breaking bread breaks down barriers," she said.