# Pooja Tripathi
**Pooja Tripathi** is a first-generation Indian American actor, writer, and content creator based in New York City, known for creating and starring in the satirical social media series *Brooklyn Coffee Shop* (2023–present), in which she plays the disdainful barista Thyme.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) She came to entertainment from a corporate fashion career, co-created the Dutch-American dramedy series *Amsterdam Ave.* (2019), and has been featured in [Business Insider](https://www.edgepedia.org/business-insider) and in New York Magazine's 2023 "Reasons to Love New York" issue as one of the most influential TikTokkers.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Background | First-generation Indian American; grew up in Pittsburgh and New York City; studied Business Administration and Violin Performance at Carnegie Mellon University[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [2](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/) |
| Pre-entertainment career | Buying and digital marketing at Fendi, Bloomingdale's, and Dior; video producer for Videofashion covering New York Fashion Week[2](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/) |
| Early series | Co-creator and star of *Amsterdam Ave.* (2019, 6 episodes), a dramedy set in Amsterdam and NYC made by a 90% female crew; co-creator of the vegan musical comedy web series *Kombuchachacha* (2018), playing Apricot[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [3](https://nriwoman.com/amsterdam-ave-pooja-tripathi-62/) |
| Signature work | *Brooklyn Coffee Shop* (2023–present), a scripted, character-led satirical series on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube; she plays Thyme opposite Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr. as Cale[4](https://adagecreatorbrief.substack.com/p/advertising-week-new-york-wants-to) • [5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) |
| Recognition | 2026 Webby Award winner, Video & Film, Comedy, for *Brooklyn Coffee Shop*[6](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2026/video-film/series-channels/comedy/365115/brooklyn-coffee-shop) |
| Audience | 110k+ TikTok and 126k+ Instagram followers per her own site; other 2025–2026 profiles report roughly 200,000 to 242,000 Instagram followers as the show grew[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [7](https://www.vogue.in/content/the-viral-internet-coffee-shop-where-every-order-is-a-social-critique) • [8](https://www.thewrap.com/commentary-analysis/columns/creatorverse-how-child-safety-cases-will-impact-creators/) |
| Brand partners | Starbucks, Instagram, Eventbrite, Kiehl's, and Lyft[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) |
## Early life and education
Tripathi grew up in [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) and New York City in a South Asian household where, she has said, medical school was the expected path; she switched from pre-med to business as an undergraduate at [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.edgepedia.org/carnegie-mellon-university), where she studied Business Administration and Violin Performance.[2](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/) • [5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) She has played the violin since age three but said she grew up thinking she would have a stable corporate career and keep the arts as a hobby.[3](https://nriwoman.com/amsterdam-ave-pooja-tripathi-62/)
## Fashion career and move to film
After graduating she worked in buying and digital marketing at top fashion brands including Fendi, Bloomingdale's, and Dior, and entered film production as a producer of video content for Videofashion covering [New York Fashion Week](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-fashion-week).[2](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/) She has described the corporate world as a poor fit, and left it to work in film with the help of her friend Dionne van den Berg.[3](https://nriwoman.com/amsterdam-ave-pooja-tripathi-62/) • [9](https://winniethepooj.substack.com/p/welcome-to-my-new-substack) She later became Executive Producer at the female-focused production company Fountain Avenue Productions and founded The Affairs, an event series showcasing emerging classical and jazz musicians in New York.[2](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/)
## Amsterdam Ave. and Kombuchachacha
While still at her desk job, Tripathi co-created *Amsterdam Ave.* (2019), a six-episode dramedy set in Amsterdam and New York City, with van den Berg, who also funded it.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) The show was made by a 90% female crew, an intentional choice Tripathi attributed to the industry's lack of opportunities for women in filmmaking, and featured Catherine Curtin of *Stranger Things* and *Insecure*, music directors Coco & Breezy, and the Dutch actor Beau Schneider.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [3](https://nriwoman.com/amsterdam-ave-pooja-tripathi-62/) It was covered by Elle, Marie Claire, Grazia, and Brown Girl Mag, and Tripathi and her co-creator staged a tour of more than 30 screenings at venues including [Harvard Business School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-business-school), Carnegie Mellon University, LinkedIn, Scholastic, Soho House, and the Dutch Embassy.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) The show landed her a manager, and she began auditioning regularly while juggling odd jobs for five years.[5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) She also co-created the vegan musical comedy web series *Kombuchachacha* (2018), in which she played the role of Apricot, and wrote the 2018 short *Bergarde's Mystery Guest*.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8726659/)
## Brooklyn Coffee Shop
Tripathi began making comedy videos for social media in 2021, playing satirical characters of New York City, Los Angeles, and other major cities; her manager suggested making videos to hone her comedic voice.[1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) • [9](https://winniethepooj.substack.com/p/welcome-to-my-new-substack) For about two years she shot sketches alone on her phone, often using green screens and playing both barista and customer. The concept became a series when the cinematographer Eyal Bau Cohen suggested filming in a real café; she wrote four episodes, cast friends, and cold-emailed coffee shops until one agreed.[11](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life) *Brooklyn Coffee Shop* debuted in 2023.[4](https://adagecreatorbrief.substack.com/p/advertising-week-new-york-wants-to)
**Format and characters.** Each episode runs about a minute but is scripted and character-led, closer to a sitcom than an interview show.[12](https://indialive.net/pooja-tripathi-too-cool-for-coffee-orders-at-brooklyn-coffee-shop/) Tripathi plays Thyme, an unbothered, anti-authority barista who reads provocative books and rarely looks up from them, alongside her longtime friend Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr. (DJ) as Cale, a Juilliard-trained actor who improvises much of his material.[5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) • [11](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life) Each episode brings an eccentric customer through the door, played on rotation by actors and comedians including [Padma Lakshmi](https://www.edgepedia.org/padma-lakshmi), Kumail Nanjiani, season regular Benton McClintock, and the singer [Becky G](https://www.edgepedia.org/becky-g).[5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11) The satire targets café culture, wellness influencers, finance bros, anti-capitalist baristas, and performative authenticity; Tripathi has said her South Asian heritage informs the show's running critique of how Indian cultural practices are referenced, warped, and monetized in [Western culture](https://www.edgepedia.org/western-culture).[11](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life) A seven-episode science-fiction miniseries within the show, co-written with Benton McClintock, moves the café 100 years into a post-humanist future.[11](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life)
**Reach and business.** Early episodes drew millions of views, one reaching 8 million on Instagram and another 3 million on TikTok, and the series has accumulated over 50 million total views across Instagram and TikTok.[11](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life) • [1](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html) By the premiere of its 100th episode, Tripathi had spent 18 months turning the show into a business: weekly releases, a 25-person crew, and a brand partnership pipeline.[4](https://adagecreatorbrief.substack.com/p/advertising-week-new-york-wants-to) The director and head editor Nitay Dagan, who joined the production, reported 420,000 Instagram followers and celebrity guests by around 80 episodes.[13](https://www.nitaydagan.com/works/brooklyn-coffee-shop) The series won the 2026 Webby Award in Video & Film, Comedy, with Tripathi credited as creator, writer, and producer under her Mint Chutney Productions banner.[6](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2026/video-film/series-channels/comedy/365115/brooklyn-coffee-shop) She has said she views the short-form social series as a valid medium in itself, and plans to expand with supplemental YouTube content, merchandise, a possible live experience, and a branded Brooklyn Coffee Shop coffee.[12](https://indialive.net/pooja-tripathi-too-cool-for-coffee-orders-at-brooklyn-coffee-shop/) • [5](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11)
## Other work
Her screen credits beyond the café include the 2024 short *Behind the Line* (as Maya), a 2025 appearance as Thyme in the series *Playwrights*, and the 2026 miniseries *Dating the Devil*; IMDb lists 3 wins and 1 nomination in total.[10](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8726659/) She has discussed her career on podcasts including Creators Lunch and That Sounds Like a Podcast.[14](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-pooja-tripathi/id1724788556?i=1000648799026)
## Namesakes
The name Pooja Tripathi is shared by several unrelated public records. A separate IMDb entry (Pooja Tripathi III) describes an Indian television and theater artist from Varanasi known for the serial *Ek Mahanayak - Dr BR Ambedkar*.[15](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16488664/) Indian corporate registries list multiple directors of the same name, and the name also appears in Indian civil-service and academic records.[16](https://www.zaubacorp.com/POOJA-TRIPATHI-08847964) The subject of this article is the New York-based actor and creator behind *Brooklyn Coffee Shop*.
## References
1. [Pooja Tripathi – About, winniethepooj.com](https://www.winniethepooj.com/about.html)
2. [Pooja Tripathi: The Auteur, The Passion People Podcast / Know Your Star](https://www.knowyourstar.com/pooja-tripathi-the-auteur/)
3. [Amsterdam Ave.: Pooja Tripathi #62, N.R.I. Woman podcast](https://nriwoman.com/amsterdam-ave-pooja-tripathi-62/)
4. ['Brooklyn Coffee Shop' creator Pooja Tripathi on crafting a lasting social media series, Ad Age Creator Brief](https://adagecreatorbrief.substack.com/p/advertising-week-new-york-wants-to)
5. [Meet Pooja Tripathi, the internet's rudest barista, Cosmopolitan India](https://www.cosmopolitan.in/amp/life/features/story/meet-pooja-tripathi-the-internets-rudest-barista-1436341-2026-08-11)
6. [Brooklyn Coffee Shop, Webby Winner 2026, The Webby Awards](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2026/video-film/series-channels/comedy/365115/brooklyn-coffee-shop)
7. [The viral internet coffee shop where every order is a social critique, Vogue India](https://www.vogue.in/content/the-viral-internet-coffee-shop-where-every-order-is-a-social-critique)
8. [Meta and Google's Child Safety Cases Will Impact Creators, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/commentary-analysis/columns/creatorverse-how-child-safety-cases-will-impact-creators/)
9. [Welcome to Pooja's new substack!, Pooja Tripathi on Substack](https://winniethepooj.substack.com/p/welcome-to-my-new-substack)
10. [Pooja Tripathi (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8726659/)
11. [Turmeric Lattes & Millennial Marxism: In Conversation With Pooja Tripathi Of Brooklyn Coffee Shop | Homegrown](https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/pooja-tripathis-satire-laced-indie-web-series-unpacks-the-absurdities-of-modern-life)
12. [Pooja Tripathi, too cool for coffee orders at Brooklyn Coffee Shop, India Live](https://indialive.net/pooja-tripathi-too-cool-for-coffee-orders-at-brooklyn-coffee-shop/)
13. [Brooklyn Coffee Shop, Nitay Dagan – Director / Editor](https://www.nitaydagan.com/works/brooklyn-coffee-shop)
14. [#10 – Pooja Tripathi, Creators Lunch, Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-pooja-tripathi/id1724788556?i=1000648799026)
15. [Pooja Tripathi (III), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16488664/)
16. [POOJA TRIPATHI (DIN 08847964), ZaubaCorp](https://www.zaubacorp.com/POOJA-TRIPATHI-08847964)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames T to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license