Recognizing the best restaurant with delectable food and a delightful ambience.
RA 2025 PASS
Restaurant India Summit is a premium event in India's food and beverage sector, dedicated to advancing the restaurant industry through knowledge sharing and networking. With 19 successful edition, the 20th edition of Restaurant India Summit 2025 - South India Edition attracts a diverse group of stakeholders including restaurateurs, chefs, foodpreneurs, suppliers and hospitality experts. The agenda is packed with informative sessions on the latest industry trends, consumer behaviour, and cutting-edge technologies, complemented by a showcase of 40+ food brands.
Restaurant Awards premium focus is to create recognition for various industry experts.
01The conference brings new perspective on Scaling up your Restaurant Business.
02Influential restaurateurs , thought leaders, innovative suppliers and industry titans join the show. They’re all here.
03Exhibit your product and services to the premium F&B community. Connect with top Buyers, Influencers and Operators.
04Chef-Entrepreneur, Restauranteur and Author
He is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Ace Hospitality & Consulting and has
recently
opened his Neo Indian Fine Dining Restaurant ‘Ammakase’ at 1 Raffles Place, Singapore and
LYFE Restaurant & Pizzeria in Whitefield, Bangalore.
Abhijit Saha was awarded “Chef of The Year 2023’ at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards.
The
coach and mentor of Team India for Bocuse d’Or Asia-Pacific 2018; Guest Judge of MasterChef
India and Senior Judge of Young Chefs Olympiad – Abhijit Saha was inducted as a fellow of the
‘IIHM International College of Distinguished Fellows’ by International Hospitality Council,
London in 2021. As the Principal F&B Consultant of Bangalore Airport, he has been leading
the
Food & Beverage Development work for Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 during the last five
years.
As founder-director of Avant Garde Hospitality from 2008 to 2020 he conceptualized, executed
and managed award-winning and critically acclaimed restaurants such as Caperberry (Modernist
European Cuisine), and Fava (Mediterranean Cuisine) in Bangalore. His Michelin recommended
Signature Indian Restaurant ‘SAHA’ (2014-18) in Singapore was awarded the Epicurean Star
Award for Best New Restaurant, 2014 by the Restaurant Association of Singapore. He has
provided consulting services and technical knowhow to several Red Rhino Craft Brewery, The
Pizza Bakery, Tamara Resorts, Serai Resorts and Dream Cruises Hong Kong. Three of his recent
projects Glass Kitchen & Bar, The Pet People Café and Over Coffee have won the ‘Times
Food
Award’ for Best Modern Indian Restaurant 2022, Best Plant Based-Healthy Restaurant 2022 and
Best Cafe 2024.
CEO, NKP Empire Ventures
Shakir Haq is the CEO of NKP Empire and is steadfast in his business principles and strategy, Shakir is a big proponent of learning from constant experimentation. His extensive knowledge of restaurant business management and strategic acumen, nurtured by his education at IIM Bangalore, fuel constant pursuit of growth and innovation at NKP Restaurants. A 3rd Gen Entrepreneur, his vision is to create a Global Food Company.
Partner and Leader, Consumer Products & Retail Sector, South Asia, Deloitte
Anand has around 16 years of experience from both an industry and consulting perspective. Anand is currently a Partner with the Strategy & Operations practice in Deloitte based out of Bangalore. He is a graduate from BITS Pilani and has completed his MBA from IIM Indore and PhD from IIM Bangalore. Anand started his career with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. He has been in sales and brand roles for nutritional food brands such as Horlicks & Boost. Prior to Deloitte, Anand has been a part of the management consulting practice at KPMG for the past 8 years and has worked on over 90 engagements. His work has primarily been in the consumer markets domain across various sectors such as Retail, FMCG, Agribusiness, and Education. Anand led the channel and salesforce effectiveness solution for the practice.
Executive Vice President and Business Head- Popeyes, Jubilant FoodWorks
Founder & CEO, Dil Foods
Arpita Aditi is the founder and CEO of Dil Foods, a company launched in March 2022, aiming to harness the underutilized potential of small to medium-sized food businesses across India. Dil Foods is a virtual restaurant operator based in Bangalore. A Biotechnical Engineer, from the Manipal Institute Of Technology, Arpita’s career trajectory shifted towards the food industry, starting with a role at Swiggy as the National Partnership Manager, where she gained firsthand experience in the challenges faced by food businesses. This led to co-founding Nutnbolt in May 2020, a precursor to Dil Foods, focusing on enhancing the online presence of small restaurants. Dil Foods and Arpita's efforts were recently recognized on Shark Tank India Season 3, highlighting their commitment to transforming the food industry landscape. Her vision encompasses building a profitable ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders within the restaurant industry, focusing on sustainability, and scalability.
Founder, Biggies Burger
Biraja Rout is the founder of Biggies Burger. Being an entrepreneur with a passion for global food, Biraja was appalled to see the sordid state of affairs especially in the Indian grilled burger segment. With global chains serving up fried burgers, he took it upon himself to provide customer with healthier, grilled burgers. With the country fed up with the taste of fried burgers, Biggies Burger came up with the grilled burgers. Having over 6 years of experience in automation, Biraja aims to utilize his experience to standardize the systems and processes so as to build India’s very own QSR chain that revolves around standardization and SOPs. He observed that there was a demand for grilled burgers in the QSR market. Biraja started the first Biggies Burger unit at Electronic City, in the year 2011, with the brand currently operating 120+ stores in 23 cities across 15 states. Biraja has since undertaken constant innovations and product development, ensuring uniformity in quality and taste across all locations. Not only in burger making, Biraja is also striving to ease the burger store franchising process for those that want to explore the QSR business opportunities. Adding to it is that Biggies Burger has enabled its franchisees that come from varied backgrounds, comprising of government officials, army personnel, IT professionals etc. to become successful in QSR business.
Founder & CEO, Bogmalo Foods and Hospitality LLP
Sundeep Singh is the CEO and Co-founder of Uncle Peter’s Pancakes with 40 outlets across 15 cities in India. Sundeep has a rich experience in the food industry and aims at delivering the best food experience to customers through his brands under Bogmalo Foods & Hospitality LLP. Sundeep is an engineer from BITS Pilani Goa and started his journey in the food industry from college itself. He is extremely passionate about this industry and is also a foodie. Considering his deep rooted interest in this industry, he launched a corporate catering company in 2014 and delivered homely means to 100+ companies in Bengaluru for 3 years. This experience helped him to understand supply chain, operations and customer needs in depth. Post this stint, Sundeep then planned to foray into the B2C food industry along with his Co-founder, Akash by launching key brands like Uncle Peter’s Pancakes, Chainama and Sub Spot through Franchise model. Sundeep has a clear vision of delivering differentiated food experience to his customers. He is passionate about building brands from the ground up, has an eye for detail, is extremely determined and specializes in strategy and ops to bring his ideas and vision into existence. Three key building blocks for this vision are Operational excellence through curating SOPs, leveraging technology to drive great experience and strong brand building to drive brand awareness and customer reach.
Managing Director, Bellona Hospitality
Prashant Issar is a seasoned hospitality professional with over two decades of experience, seamlessly blending operational expertise with entrepreneurial vision. A graduate of IHM Mumbai with an MBA from Henley Business School, he has built an impressive career spanning some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and restaurants. His journey in the hospitality industry began at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, before leading Michelin-starred Amaya in London and holding key leadership roles at globally recognized brands such as Hakkasan and Yauatcha. His greatest accomplishment is Ishaara, renowned for its inclusive service model, employing predominantly hearing and speech-impaired staff—an initiative that reflects his commitment to socially responsible hospitality. Prashant joined Bellona Hospitality - a subsidiary fully owned by The Phoenix Mills Ltd, as Director in 2021 and ascended to Managing Director in 2024. Under his leadership, the company continues to pioneer innovative dining experiences while upholding excellence in service and operations. Beyond his professional achievements, Prashant is an avid long-distance runner, having completed numerous half and full marathons. His dedication to endurance sports mirrors his professional ethos—resilience, discipline, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As a thought leader, he has shared his insights at educational institutions across India, the US, and Germany and has twice been featured as a TEDx speaker.
CEO, GoPizza India
Mahesh Reddy is the CEO of GOPIZZA INDIA, Korean Pizza chain having over 60 outlets across South India and has a vision to have 100 operational outlets by the end of 2024 across India. He is a graduate from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, USA and Christ University, Bengaluru. With 24+ years of experience in the QSR industry handling pivotal roles across brands like Pizza Corner and Café Coffee Day, he is winner of coveted awards like “Business World 40 under 40”, “India’s Top 35 upcoming Retail Leaders”, “Retail Startup of the year – QSR”, “Best International QSR brand”, “Business Growth award”, “New comer QSR award” and many more.
COO of Gilly’s Chain of Restobars
R S Dharmendra, a seasoned professional with a rich background in Sales, Retail, Entertainment, and Hospitality, currently serves as the COO of Gilly’s Chain of Restobars. His remarkable track record includes a pivotal role in expanding Toys Kemp Retail to 28 stores across India during a time when the retail landscape was in its infancy in the country. Subsequently, his leadership at Amoeba, India's largest chain of Family Entertainment Centers (FECs), fueled unprecedented growth, elevating the number of centers to over 50. With a proven ability to drive success in diverse industries, Dharmendra is a dynamic leader contributing significantly to the success of the organizations he serves. In addition to his extensive industry achievements, R S Dharmendra has showcased his resilience as a bounce-back expert. During the challenging times of the pandemic, he navigated Gilly’s through turbulent waters, ensuring the company not only survived but thrived despite the formidable obstacles. Under his leadership, Gilly’s has emerged as one of the largest chains of restobars, boasting 14 operational outlets that have been serving Bangalore for over a decade. Dharmendra's ability to overcome adversity and steer Gilly’s to success reflects his unwavering commitment to excellence in the hospitality sector.
Founder- Full Stack Ventures
Teja Chekuri is a global restaurateur who has set up unique restaurant chains across the
world. While he holds the position of the Managing Partner at Ironhill India and holds
several board level positions in different companies, he has consolidated all his brands
under the umbrella of ‘Full Stack Ventures’ this year.
After completing his degree in MS – Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Gannon
University Teja worked in various startups and IT companies. He started his entrepreneurial
journey with technoSecure as the President in 2006 which was later acquired by another
company. Soon after he started Vertical Focus Inc in 2010 which is still in operation in US.
But he kept coming back to food – his first love.
He co-founded the Godavari Group of Restaurants in the US and continued to explore more in
the segment. Under this group he launched Madras Dosa Co (Boston), 1947 -Truly Indian
(Boston), Vaanga (Boston) and launching an Indian Gastrobar “Don’t Tell Aunty” in Boston
along with establishing the flagship brand Godavari in 21 locations (Delaware, Toronto,
Tampa, Jersey City, Minneapolis, Orange Country, Atlanta, Columbus, Woburn, Philadelphia,
Naperville, Houston, Schaumburg, Kansas, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Edison, Hartford, Herndon,
Morrisville and Rhode Island). After having established a robust empire on international
shores, he turned his attention to India.
He pioneered the concept of craft beer in India with the launch of Prost in 2012. That’s how
Ironhill India came about. Since its launch, the brand has established multiple footprints at
a rapid pace under his leadership and is still in expansion mode. The Ironhill India group
then created top brands that have found loyal patronage amongst the target audience that
include Prost apart from the hugely popular Ironhill properties. His team is now working on a
new concept 'Beerish' that is set to launch soon.
Founder & CEO, abCoffee
Abhijeet Anand is the visionary behind abCoffee, India's highest-rated and first tech enabled
specialty coffee chain. His journey began in a small town in Bihar, where he rose above
humble beginnings to become a trailblazer first in the global energy industry and now in the
India retail-tech and coffee industry.
Prior to founding abCoffee, he had a distinguished 8.5-year career with Schlumberger, where
he worked across 7 cities in 3 countries and won numerous accolades for his exceptional
contributions. In 2021, he was awarded International Young Professional Award (first Indian
ever) and then in 2024 he was awarded International Public Service Award by SPE International
(youngest ever).
In 2022, Abhijeet transitioned from a decorated corporate career to entrepreneurship,
establishing abCoffee. Within 26 months, he scaled the business to 80+ outlets across Mumbai,
Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
abCoffee today is the largest coffee brand in business parks in India and has strategic
partnership with some of the largest brands and developers in the country.
CHO - Chief Heart Officer, Byg Brewski Brewing Company
Arun Prasanna is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in the
food and beverage industry. As a humble leader, Arun has played a pivotal role in building
and expanding successful brands across India, Europe, and the Middle East. With a strong
foundation in hotel management, he has worked with prestigious international hotel chains
such as Hilton, The Leela Palace, IHG, The Park Hotels, and Dusit Thani.
Arun is the visionary behind the creation of Byg Brewski Brewing Company, where he currently
serves as Corporate General Manager. His leadership philosophy centers on fostering more
leaders within the industry rather than just managers, emphasizing growth and innovation.
Educated at Annamalai University with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Arun has
also pursued specialized certifications in whiskey connoisseurship, craft beer techniques,
and spirits mixology. His accolades include being a runner-up in the World Class Bartender
competition and receiving honors for Best Buffet Setup.
Arun is fluent in English, Tamil, and Hindi, with limited working proficiency in Spanish. His
passion for the hospitality industry, combined with his expertise in food and beverage
management, makes him a dynamic and influential leader in the field.
Executive Chef, Conrad Bengaluru
Chef Mohammed Eliyaz is the Executive Chef at Conrad Bengaluru. Chef Eliyaz holds a BSc
degree
in Hospitality and Catering Management from IHM Meerut and has had the privilege of training
under renowned chefs at Hotel Hassler, Rome.
In his career spanning 15 years, he has collaborated with some of the finest Michelin Star
chefs. He served as the Executive Chef at Nadodi in Kuala Lumpur, a noteworthy
Michelin-starred
restaurant. He also held the position of Group R&D Chef at Cinnamon Group, where he
spearheaded
the introduction of new ventures and directed food and beverage development strategies.
Executive Chef, Shangri-La Bengaluru
A passionate culinary artist with over fifteen years of experience in luxury hospitality,
Chef
Nishesh Seth, Executive Chef at Shangri-La Bengaluru, believes that food is more than just a
meal –
it is a journey that tells a story from the first bite to the last. An alumnus of the
Institute
of
Hotel Management Mumbai, Chef Nishesh has spent over a decade honing his craft at some of
India’s
most iconic luxury hotels, including Rambagh Palace Jaipur, Taj Palace Hotel New Delhi, and
Umaid
Bhavan Palace Jodhpur, before finding his home at Shangri-La Bengaluru.
His culinary philosophy, "Go local, cook global," reflects his commitment to celebrating
local
produce while showcasing global techniques. This philosophy resonates deeply with Bengaluru’s
vibrant dining scene and its focus on sustainability. Under his leadership, Shangri-La
Bengaluru’s
eight restaurants and bars have flourished, offering guests creative dining experiences
rooted
in
authenticity and innovation.
Co-Founder & Culinary Director, Thyme & Whisk
Bobby Patel is a Culinary Director, certified baking and culinary chef, and entrepreneur with
a passion for redefining dining experiences. As the co-founder and Culinary Director of
renowned brands like Thyme & Whisk and Mad Doh, she has brought innovation and authenticity
to the food and beverage industry.
Certified by City & Guilds London, Bobby has mastered the art of plant-based, vegetarian, and
vegan cuisines, championing health-conscious and sustainable dining. Her flagship venture,
Thyme & Whisk, founded in Vadodara in 2018, has grown into a beloved restaurant chain with 16
locations. Mad Doh, based in Mumbai, is poised for expansion into Delhi, Hyderabad, and
Bangalore, reflecting her entrepreneurial vision.
Bobby’s culinary journey began with her childhood love for cooking shows and experimenting
with flavors, especially baking. Despite an engineering background and a 5-year stint at L&T
as an Assistant Manager, her passion led her to pursue a degree in culinary arts and baking,
cementing her place in the culinary world. As a visionary chef and entrepreneur, Bobby Patel
combines creativity, sustainability, and innovation to craft dining experiences that inspire
conscious living and celebrate the richness of plant-based cuisine.
Managing Director, U.S.Pizza
Zain Khwaja is the man behind US. Pizza, the third largest pizza chain in India, which has 87
franchised pizza restaurants in India and just entered the African market with an outlet in
Luanda, Angola and one in Dar-e-Salam, Tanzania. U.S.Pizza is known for their unique
products, exceptional service and impressive design.
Born and raised in Bengaluru, Zain attended Mallya Aditi International School and went on to
study Economics, Finance and Astronomy at Queen's University in Canada. He has a Masters
degree in Finance from the London School of Economics, where he developed
a keen interest in franchising to drive economic growth and social development.
After his post graduation, he worked with a hedge fund for three years before coming back to
India to explore franchising as a tool to grow a brand profitably and asset-light. As well as
to uplift the hardworking but opportunity-poor population in India. This led him to launch
US. Pizza, which has now become a successful national chain.
As an entrepreneur, his journey has been full of ups and downs, but he has learned a lot
along the way. 'One of the biggest milestones for him was overhauling the business model of
US. Pizza into a franchising one.
Director – Culinary & Operations, JSM corporation
Chef Priyank Singh Chouhan is the Director – Culinary & Operations for JSM corporation. He
has been associated with JSM Corporation Private Ltd from past 16 years handling multiple
brands in India & West Africa and heading Pan Asian brand Shiro as Director Culinary as well
as Operations.
He holds a Degree in Hotel Management. Chef Priyank started his career almost 24 years back
with the Oberoi Group and later Days Inn. He joined Carnival Cruise Lines and was associated
with them for 8 years. During this period, he was honored to be a key team player for
inaugurals, openings and culinary development teams. After having undergone training under
Michelin Chef Gorge Blanc as a Skill development programme, he handled different assignments
as being part of culinary development team and assisted in developing new recipes, menus and
setting up new restaurants as well as his culinary skills in various cuisines.
In 2010, Chef Priyank joined Shiro- JSM’s in-house Pan Asian restaurant at Bangalore. The
restaurant has won critical acclaim consecutively for many years in India and abroad and is
ranked among the best dining destinations in India.
Founder & Managing Director, Sharief Bhai Biryani
Navaj Sharief is a visionary entrepreneur and the driving force behind Sharief Bhai Biryani,
one of South India's most beloved and rapidly growing biryani brands.
With a deep-rooted passion for the Dakhni cuisine, Navaj has successfully expanded Sharief
Bhai from a single outlet to 65+ locations across South India and expanded to Dubai &
Sharjah, winning the hearts of food lovers with his commitment to quality, tradition, and
innovation.
Under his leadership, Sharief Bhai has redefined the biryani experience by offering
authentic, slow-cooked recipes that preserve the rich heritage of Dakhni flavors. His
expertise spans restaurant expansion, cloud kitchens, brand partnerships, and food
innovation, making him a key voice in the evolving F&B landscape.
As an industry leader, he is passionate about scaling brands through strategic partnerships,
digital innovation, and menu curation, aligning with the evolving needs of modern consumers.
Chef-Entrepreneur, Restauranteur and Author
Chief Business Officer, Myntra
CEO, JioMart – Reliance Retail
Senior Vice President & Managing Director, (SAMEA), Levi Strauss & Co.
Recognizing the best restaurant with delectable food and a delightful ambience.
This Category recognises Night Clubs/Bars that demonstrates the best ambience,food & liquor.
This category recognises the best bakeries which offers outstanding value, excellent food and appropriate service.
This category recognises a Restaurant/Bar/Bakery that has the best interiors
This category recognises caterers/unique concepts/customer experiences and cloud kitchens.
This category recognises restaurateurs/chefs/sommeliers who have demonstrated outstanding qualities.
Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur India & Asia-Pacific
Ritu Marya is the Editor- in- Chief for Entrepreneur India-Asia-Pacific and Franchise India Media, a group company of Franchise India Holdings Limited. She is the Group Editor and leads the editorial desk which comprises business magazines including Entrepreneur, The Franchising World and Retailer together with the Digital media arm of Entrepreneur.com, Franchiseindia.com, wellnessindia.com, indianretailer.com and restaurantindia.in. In her tryst with Business Journalism over the last 16 years, Ritu is regarded as an authority on Startups, Entrepreneurship, Technology, Fintech, AI, Blockchain, Consumer Businesses, Retail, Luxury to Education, Restaurant, Funding and more. In her role as the Group Editor she meets and interacts with Leading Indian and Global Entrepreneurs and thought-leaders while tracking Startup and Entrepreneurial and consumer business landscape in India and Asia-Pacific.
Chef-Entrepreneur, Restauranteur and Author
He is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Ace Hospitality & Consulting and has recently
opened his Neo Indian Fine Dining Restaurant ‘Ammakase’ at 1 Raffles Place, Singapore and
LYFE Restaurant & Pizzeria in Whitefield, Bangalore.
Abhijit Saha was awarded “Chef of The Year 2023’ at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards. The
coach and mentor of Team India for Bocuse d’Or Asia-Pacific 2018; Guest Judge of MasterChef
India and Senior Judge of Young Chefs Olympiad – Abhijit Saha was inducted as a fellow of the
‘IIHM International College of Distinguished Fellows’ by International Hospitality Council,
London in 2021. As the Principal F&B Consultant of Bangalore Airport, he has been leading the
Food & Beverage Development work for Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 during the last five years.
As founder-director of Avant Garde Hospitality from 2008 to 2020 he conceptualized, executed
and managed award-winning and critically acclaimed restaurants such as Caperberry (Modernist
European Cuisine), and Fava (Mediterranean Cuisine) in Bangalore. His Michelin recommended
Signature Indian Restaurant ‘SAHA’ (2014-18) in Singapore was awarded the Epicurean Star
Award for Best New Restaurant, 2014 by the Restaurant Association of Singapore. He has
provided consulting services and technical knowhow to several Red Rhino Craft Brewery, The
Pizza Bakery, Tamara Resorts, Serai Resorts and Dream Cruises Hong Kong. Three of his recent
projects Glass Kitchen & Bar, The Pet People Café and Over Coffee have won the ‘Times Food
Award’ for Best Modern Indian Restaurant 2022, Best Plant Based-Healthy Restaurant 2022 and
Best Cafe 2024.
Partner and Leader, Consumer Products & Retail Sector, South Asia, Deloitte
Anand has around 16 years of experience from both an industry and consulting perspective. Anand is currently a Partner with the Strategy & Operations practice in Deloitte based out of Bangalore. He is a graduate from BITS Pilani and has completed his MBA from IIM Indore and PhD from IIM Bangalore. Anand started his career with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. He has been in sales and brand roles for nutritional food brands such as Horlicks & Boost. Prior to Deloitte, Anand has been a part of the management consulting practice at KPMG for the past 8 years and has worked on over 90 engagements. His work has primarily been in the consumer markets domain across various sectors such as Retail, FMCG, Agribusiness, and Education. Anand led the channel and salesforce effectiveness solution for the practice.
Restaurant Industry Ahead: Knowing the Future Trends
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