RA 2025 PASSRestaurant India Summit - South India Edition Speakers 2025
Abhijit Saha
Chef-Entrepreneur, Restauranteur and Author
Abhijit Saha
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.
Shakir Haq
CEO, NKP Empire Ventures
Shakir Haq
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.
Anand Ramanathan
Partner & Leader, Consumer Products & Retail Sector, South Asia, Deloitte
Anand Ramanathan
Partner & Leader, Consumer Products & Retail Sector, South Asia, DeloitteAnand 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.
Gaurav Pande
Executive Vice President & Business Head- Popeyes, Jubilant FoodWorks
Arpita Aditi
Founder & CEO, Dil Foods
Arpita Aditi
Founder & CEO, Dil FoodsArpita 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.
Biraja Rout
Founder, Biggies Burger
Biraja Rout
Founder, Biggies BurgerBiraja 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.
Sundeep Singh
Founder & CEO, Bogmalo Foods and Hospitality LLP
Sundeep Singh
Founder & CEO, Bogmalo Foods and Hospitality LLPSundeep 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.
Prashant Issar
Managing Director, Bellona Hospitality
Prashant Issar
Managing Director, Bellona HospitalityPrashant 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.
Mahesh Reddy
CEO, GoPizza India
Mahesh Reddy
CEO, GoPizza IndiaMahesh 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.
R S Dharmendra
COO of Gilly’s Chain of Restobars
R S Dharmendra
COO of Gilly’s Chain of RestobarsR 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.
Teja Chekuri
Founder- Full Stack Ventures
Teja Chekuri
Founder- Full Stack VenturesTeja 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.
Abhijeet Anand
Founder & CEO, abCoffee
Abhijeet Anand
Founder & CEO, abCoffeeAbhijeet 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.
Arun Prasanna
CHO - Chief Heart Officer, Byg Brewski Brewing Company
Arun Prasanna
CHO - Chief Heart Officer, Byg Brewski Brewing CompanyArun 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.
Chef Mohammed Eliyaz
Executive Chef, Conrad Bengaluru
Chef Mohammed Eliyaz
Executive Chef, Conrad BengaluruChef 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.
Chef Nishesh Seth
Executive Chef, Shangri-La Bengaluru
Chef Nishesh Seth
Executive Chef, Shangri-La BengaluruA 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.
Bobby Patel
Co-Founder & Culinary Director, Thyme & Whisk
Bobby Patel
Co-Founder & Culinary Director, Thyme & WhiskBobby 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.
Zain Khwaja
Managing Director, U.S.Pizza
Zain Khwaja
Managing Director, U.S.PizzaZain 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.
Priyank Singh Chouhan
Director – Culinary & Operations, JSM corporation
Priyank Singh Chouhan
Director – Culinary & Operations, JSM corporationChef 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.
Navaj Sharief
Founder & Managing Director, Sharief Bhai Biryani
Navaj Sharief
Founder & Managing Director, Sharief Bhai BiryaniNavaj 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.
Rajesh Roy
Executive Chef, The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru
Rajesh Roy
Executive Chef, The Leela Bhartiya City BengaluruHis journey in the culinary world began in the kitchens of Grand Hyatt Mumbai, where he
developed a
strong foundation in luxury hospitality. He then took on the responsibility of leading the
expat-led
kitchen, Riverside restaurant at The Leela Goa as its first Indian chef, where culinary
talents from
around the globe converged, marking a significant milestone in his career.
He further enhanced his skills while working at The Oberoi Mumbai, known for its commitment
to
refined luxury. His culinary exploration also took him to Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in
Riyadh, where
he navigated diverse culinary landscapes, creating dishes that resonated with local tastes
while infusing
international flair. His time at Trident Jaipur was particularly memorable, as he delved into
the rich
history of Jaipur’s cuisine, known for its intricate flavours and royal heritage, mastering
the art of
preparing traditional dishes that celebrate the region's rich cultural legacy.
During his tenure as the Executive chef at Le Meridien Gurgaon, he honed his skills in
kitchen
management, overseeing large teams and ensuring that quality remained at the forefront of
every
culinary creation. With a career marked by excellence and versatility, he has transitioned
seamlessly
through some of the most prestigious kitchens. Currently serving as the Executive Chef at The
Leela
Bhartiya City Bengaluru, where he continues to showcase his culinary expertise and leadership
Zaid Haroon Sait
CEO, Zed The Baker
Zaid Haroon Sait
CEO, Zed The BakerZaid Haroon Sait is a tech-turned-culinary entrepreneur who has seamlessly navigated a
journey from information technology into the world of artisan baking. He grew up witnessing
his Family’s 35-year-old bakery businesses expand from a small bakehouse into a large
industrial bakery, instilling in him an early understanding of the food industry.
Initially, Zaid pursued a career in cyber security, but found little joy behind a desk and
was continually drawn toward creative pursuits. After spending year training in the pastry
kitchens of JW Marriott in Bengaluru to refine his baking skills, he embraced his true
calling. In 2018, Zaid founded Advanced Baking Concepts Pvt. Ltd. marking the beginning of
his entrepreneurial foray into the culinary world. Today, he is the visionary force behind a
growing F&B empire, leveraging his unique blend of tech acumen and culinary passion to craft
memorable gastronomic experiences.
As the Founder & CEO of Advanced Baking Concepts Pvt. Ltd., Zaid has spearheaded the creation
and growth of three successful food ventures – Zed The Baker, Le Chocolat, and Le Melt. He
launched Zed The Baker in March 2018 with a mission to make high-quality, preservative-free
baked goods accessible to Indian consumers. What began as a single artisan bakery-café in
Bengaluru has steadily expanded into a chain of over 10 outlets across the city.
Sourish Bhattacharyya
Senior Consultant, We The Chefs, and Co-Author, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine
Sourish Bhattacharyya
Senior Consultant, We The Chefs, and Co-Author, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian CuisineA journalist with 40 years in the profession behind him, Sourish Bhattacharyya is now a
senior consultant with We The Chefs, a platform for home chefs, and the co-author of The
Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine. Most recently, he launched the Food Writers and
Influencers Collective to promote a continuing exchange of ideas among authors, editors,
influencers and visual storytellers.
Previously, Sourish has served as the Managing Editor, IANS; Executive Editor, Mail Today
(India Today Group); Editor, HT City; and National Features Editor, The Indian Express.
A foodie and writer, he has also co-curated the Tasting India Symposium, Asian Hawkers
Market, Top Chef Awards and the Delhi Gourmet Club.
A History Honours graduate of the University of Delhi, Sourish did his Master's in Journalism
in the United States, where he was inducted into the National Journalism Honors Society
(Kappa Tau Alpha).
Tejasvi Suresh Bala
CEO, Swirl Lifestyle
Tejasvi Suresh Bala
CEO, Swirl LifestyleTejasvi Suresh Bala is the CEO of Swirl Lifestyle headquartered in Chennai with a portfolio of brands in F&B, and hospitality sector such as The Mayflower and Woco Spaces. Swirl aims to specialize in curating premium brands in the food and dining scene, enriching lives through diverse culinary experiences, cutting-edge technology, and unwavering commitment to sustainability. The company's vision is to be a forerunner in creating brands in the space of FMCG, F&B & hospitality industry across India that are sustainable, ethical, research and analytics led. A first generation entrepreneur, Tejasvi is a problem solver, a thought leader and an executioner. With over a decade of hands-on experience, his role is to keep the vision of Swirl Lifestyle intact, tackle new and unforeseen challenges and build lasting relationships with the customers.
Sangeetha Maruthapandian
Director, Anjappar Chettinad Restaurant
Abhinav Mathur
CEO and Managing Director, Something’s Brewing
Abhinav Mathur
CEO and Managing Director, Something’s BrewingAbhinav Mathur, CEO & Managing Director of Kaapi Machines and Something’s Brewing, is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience in scaling businesses. Since 2017, he has redefined Kaapi Machines as a full-service coffee innovation powerhouse, introducing cutting-edge solutions like Tone, Kaapi IoT, Rancilio I- Steam and La Marzocco Modbar to name a few. Passionate about democratizing quality coffee, Abhinav launched Something’s Brewing India’s first coffee-focused e-commerce platform, fostering a community of home brewers. With an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and expertise across FMCG and consumer durables, Abhinav continues to revolutionize India’s coffee landscape, driving growth, innovation, and talent development nationwide.
Chef Ritik Mathur
Corporate Chef, Cremica Food Industries Ltd
Chef Ritik Mathur
Corporate Chef, Cremica Food Industries LtdRitik Mathur is a highly accomplished culinary professional serving as PAN India Corporate Chef at Cremica Food Industries Ltd, New Delhi. With nearly two decades of experience, Chef Mathur brings a unique blend of creative flair and a profound passion for food, complemented by strong business acumen and exceptional interpersonal skills. As an alumnus of IHM Lucknow, Chef Mathur has honed his expertise through illustrious tenures at renowned 5-star super deluxe hotel properties like The Oberoi’s & The Leela Palace, Udaipur, Carnival Cruise Lines, USA & Emirates Airlines, Dubai. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a natural ability to foster an enthusiastic and productive working environment, leading customer-oriented professionals with finesse. His zeal to learn and acquire skills led him to train under world renowned father of molecular gastronomy Chef Ferran Adrià. Chef Mathur currently leads the innovations & the culinary developments for Cremica now from the front.
GopiChand Cherukuri
Founder, Indian Craft Brewery
Sanjay Kumar Singh
Chief General Manager & OIC, GAIL Gas Limited- Bengaluru
Previous Edition Jury & Speakers
Akshay Bector
Chairman & Managing Director, Cremica Food Industries Limited
Akshay Bector
Chairman & Managing Director, Cremica Food Industries Limited
Mr. Bector started his career in 1987; post completion of B.E. in Industrial & Production Engineering. His initial endeavours included the establishment of a modern bread plant which was soon followed by a world class biscuit plant. His focus remained on expanding the business which saw him soon joining hands with Mc Donald's to become one of their biggest suppliers in India. Mr. Bector's efforts led to a JV with two companies- Quaker Oats Company (USA) for manufacturing of ketchup, mayonnaise and other liquid condiments and the other with EBI Foods (UK) for manufacturing of battering and breading pre-mixtures. Currently he is Chairman of CII NR Agriculture Council and Member of various Punjab Government Committees. In the 3rd National Convention on Entrepreneurship 2013, he was awarded 'Entrepreneur of the Year' and in 'Mc Donald's APMEA 2013 Supplier Business Forum' the Company received 'Mc Donald's Asia Pacific Award for Innovation
Anahita Dhondy
Chef Partner, SodaBottleOpenerWala
Anahita Dhondy
Chef Partner, SodaBottleOpenerWalaAnahita N.Dhondy is the Chef Partner at SodaBottleOpenerWala. After studying at IHM – Aurangabad, Anahita worked in four different hotels in three different cities before she took off to pursue her dream to gain the Le Grand Diplome from Le Cordon Blue. Bakery and confectionary is her passion and her adventurous journey with food gets a homecoming with SodaBottleOpenerWala to be close to her Parsi roots. Says Anahita N. Dhondy laughingly, “We Parsis are a hard lot to get. I’ve been confused most of the time as I’m still pretty young, but they are complex characters, with highly developed senses, from humour to food! I come from a family of creative people (and crazy like any other Parsi home), where there is always something hustling and bustling and never a quiet moment. Like every household in India and across the globe, women hold a special place, and this is not because they cook, it’s because they care and thus cook for the family. My mother and grandmothers were more ambitious. They know lots and lots of dishes, different cuisines and been increasing their knowledge bank for years with magazines and books…Parsi cuisine is simple as its complex. I could go on and on, but simply it comes down to “say a small thank you everyday’ and ChaloJumwaChaloJi! – (come let’s have a meal). It has become the most important and popular chant at any Parsi celebration–we look forward to serving you
Chef Koushik
Chef
Chef Koushik
ChefSome people know their calling almost as soon as they are born. Some people realize it when they turn five – like Chef Koushik, or The Mad Chef. In fact, for him the urge to cook and create was more than a passion: it was a compulsion. School done, he went straight to IHM, Bangalore. He was in the right place at the right time. Indians were just beginning to explore new flavours and culinary experiences. Restaurants were THE ‘thing’. The Mad Chef was on a roll. Small kiosks, wayside bakeries, fine dining restaurants, or 100 seater casual diners sought him out. His magic at the stoves quickly became legendary. Today, his company, Eatitude has the right attitude towards food and hospitality. Chef Koushik’s projects span India, his expertise touches all aspects of food. Projects he’s worked on include restaurants and cafes such as Fromage, The Tickle Truck (an Ice Cream Truck concept)Maplai-Savour SouthIndia, Jonah’s Bistro, Cleo’s Grill, Koala Joes, Sloppy Joes, Illusions-The Madras Pub,Peaches, Gokulams, Java Green, Dewberry’s, Soup and Salad Café, the Bayleaf, Mash atBesant Nagar, and several others. His current projects include a revamp of the menu at The Mayflower in T. Nagar, Chennai where he has introduced a variety of Pan-Asian dishes, thin crust pizzas and more, and a new south Indian restaurant, Aadhirai which offers traditional vegetarian and meat dishes with a contemporary spin. With several exciting projects in the pipeline, his repertoire is increasing and his demand grows.
Harshvardhan Neotia
Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group
Harshvardhan Neotia
Chairman, Ambuja Neotia GroupWorld is committed to making participation in the event a harass ment free experience for everyone, regardless of level experience gender, gender identity and expression
Karan Kapur
Executive Director, K Hospitality
Karan Kapur
Executive Director, K HospitalityKaran Kapur has been with K Hospitality Corp since the past decade, and is part of the strategic decision making, business development and operations strategy roll out for the group. With an expertise in business administration, finance and economics, backed by his education in various universities abroad, Karan believes in being a hands-on leader and believes in actively participating in the operations of the group to facilitate growth and expansion. Karan Kapur is the Executive Director of K Hospitality Corp, one of India’s largest home-grown hospitality and food service corporations. A graduate from Northwestern University in Economics, and from Kellogg School of Management, where he received a Certification in Finance. After setting up new businesses for the organization, Karan returned back to the US to acquire his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He played an active part in the setup and launch of Travel Food Services, the travel retail vertical under K Hospitality Corp. Karan currently heads the Indian and International food services verticals of K Hospitality Corp which include some of the acclaimed brands – Copper Chimney, Bombay Brasserie, Punkah House, Bombay Borough, Blue Sea Banquets, Pavitra Catering, amongst others; along with the recent foray into International QSR growth with the launch of Domino's Pizza in the African subcontinent.
Ranveer Brar
Celebrity Chef
Ranveer Brar
Celebrity ChefTelevision celebrity, Masterchef India judge, author, restaurateur, food film producer and benefactor, chef Ranveer Brar is one of the most celebrated chefs in the country. He has set up restaurants in India (including a heritage hotel, Alila Fort Bishangarh) and abroad and curated the menu of many more (including cruise kitchens aboard Royal Caribbean). His popularity on television is matched by his tremendous fan following on social media as well. Getting the basics right and revering the kitchen as an artist would his/her studio, are mantras he lives by and propagates to others as well. He also pioneered the first ever Twitter video show called Ranveer On The Road, covering new destinations each season and exploring their cuisines and cultures. For someone who propounds the theory of cuisine being an extension of culture, he strongly upholds the belief of travel making a good chef better. An avid photographer with a keen eye for details, his love of art flows into his food styling and photographs as well. With a bestseller in his kitty, a popular host and judge on television and an artist both in and out of the kitchen, chef Brar calls himself a food-sufi on a constant culinary quest.
Sahil Jain
Co-founder, Dineout
Sahil Jain
Co-founder, DineoutCo-founder, Dineout.Co.In Sahil Jain is the Co-Founder at dineout with special focus on building innovative & scalable tech products. Sahil is responsible for the complete product development and growth/retention strategies at dineout. He co-founded dineout in early 2012 and positioned it as the premier table reservation service in India. Since then dineout has grown multifold, raised a round of angel investment in late 2012 and in April 2014 it was successfully acquired by Times Internet. Currently, dineout is the largest table reservation platform in the country and has grown to 8 cities with more than 200,000 diners on a monthly basis. Sahil is a Bachelor in Electronics & Communication Engineering from B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bengaluru and later completed his MBA in Finance, Marketing and Strategy from IIM Kozhikode. He has explored diverse avenues like web analytics, call centre analytics and business forecasting for Fortune 500 technology and telecom clients in the US, before exploring his entrepreneurial side.
Sanjeev Kapoor
Celebrity Chef
Sanjeev Kapoor
Celebrity ChefIndian celebrity chef, entrepreneur and television personality. Kapoor hosted the TV show Khana Khazana, the longest running show of its kind in Asia which was broadcast in 120 countries and in 2010 had more than 500 million viewers. He is also the first chef in the world to own a 24X7 food and lifestyle channel
Saransh Goila
Celebrity Chef
Saransh Goila
Celebrity ChefSaransh Goila is a young and dynamic Indian chef who has become famous with his dish “Goila Butter Chicken” with a guest appearance on MasterChef Australia. Goila Butter Chicken is a cloud kitchen brand with its foot print in India and the UK. He is also the founder of Covid Meals for India that helped 400k people in the pandemic. Some of his accolades include being a part of the prestigious Forbes Celebrity 100 of 2019, and was recognised as one of the Top 10 chefs in the country.
Tarak Bhattacharya
Executive Director, Mad Over Donuts
Tarak Bhattacharya
Executive Director, Mad Over DonutsWith rich experience in the field of F&B, Tarak Bhattacharya has to his credit the growth of Mad Over Donuts from a mere 12 store set-up in Mumbai to a chain of 60 stores across the country today. A multi-faceted personality, Tarak is at the helm of activities at Mad Over Donuts handling diverse aspects of operations, planning and human resources. Under Tarak’s leadership, Mad Over Donuts has won many awards and accolades across various platforms with over 10 million delighted guests. Having started his career at RKHS as a Management Trainee, Tarak then moved to one of India’s first and most successful coffee brands - Barista where he then went on to Head Operations for India and International Business. He was later appointed as the COO by MGH Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. to handle 2 of their popular brands Nando’s (South African Peri-peri brand of Restaurants) and Barista for their Bangladesh and Nepal markets. In the year 2011 Tarak took up the position of COO at Himesh Foods Pvt. Ltd. for their Singaporean based gourmet brand, Mad Over Donuts which is one of the first entrants in the donuts industry in India. He recently got promoted to Executive Director, a complete people’s person, Tarak loves networking and is always up to date with the latest in the Industry. An avid traveler, Tarak’s favorite destinations include Dubai & Langkawi.
Vicky Ratnani
Celebrity Chef
Vicky Ratnani
Celebrity ChefThe name, sure, does ring a bell loud and clear! Love to eat took him into corners of the home in the kitchen where children rarely venture. But, it was this 'wanderful' attitude that Vicky owes his initiation into food to. His sails manouvered him to engage with various global culinary traditions on his premier appointment aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2. Six world cruises and cruising through many markets of the world along the way, Vicky went to live and learn in Genoa, Italy. Vicky is now an independent consultant and has also launched Speak Burgers, a gourmet burger delivery venture during the pandemic. His Youtube channel Vickysworld will see a fresher avatar as he actively partners with Tourism Australia, NDTV Good Times and Living Foodz in a show that features Aussie Chefs and produce. He has recently produced a web series around Lima Peru and plans to produce more such culinary expeditions. He is now looking to franchise his brand 'By VR' to various smart casual gourmet eateries. Vicky's popularity has quadrupled with shows like Vickypedia, Gourmet Central, Vicky Goes Veg amongst others. His cookbook Vicky Goes Veg has won the Gourmand Award for Best Vegetarian Cook book 2015. Music, writing, learning and researching flavours help Vicky unwind after long work hours in the kitchen.
Vikrant Batra
Owner, Café Delhi Heights
Vikrant Batra
Owner, Café Delhi HeightsEntrepreneur Vikrant Batra, an established stalwart in the Indian Food and Beverage Industry, is the mind and force behind the ingenious concepts of his stand-alone ventures. A graduate from Hindu College, Delhi University, Vikrant has completed a Restaurant Management course from the University of California. He completed his MBA from Fore School of Management. Starting off by working in his inherited business at Batra Banquets, Vikrant opened his first Delhi Heights Restaurant in Rajouri Garden in 2009. In 2011, he inaugurated Café Delhi Heights, which currently has nine outlets across Delhi NCR. In his words, 'Delhi has witnessed the rule of many Emperors from varied cultures and regions of the world. Therefore it has adopted all kinds of traits in its culture. Food being an integral part of that adaption, we at CDH have tried to encapsulate all those flavors giving you the look and feel of the capital in its totality.” He plans to take this legacy forward by making it a global venture. Under his guidance, Cafe Delhi Heights has been recognized by various fraternities in numerous times. Recently , Vikrant won the 'Restaurateur of the Year - North Region' at the Indian Restaurant Awards 2017. Vikrant Batra is a passionate Entrepreneur, who enjoys making people happy with his food and loves when people leave his outlets with a fulfilling contended smile on their faces.
Zorawar kalra
Founder & Managing Director, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd.
Zorawar kalra
Founder & Managing Director, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd.Perfecting the science of molecular gastronomy with India’s spice and flavour, Zorawar Kalra is a name that commands respect in the Indian hospitality industry. The face of Massive Restaurants, Zorawar Kalra proudly tells the tale of a brand that majestically owns and operates trendsetting and critically acclaimed brands. Spearheading Massive Restaurants that includes Farzi Café, KODE, Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Made In Punjab, BO-TAI and PaPa Ya under its wing, it has been an adrenaline-charged journey for him as he watches it grow exponentially. Owing to its success stories, the brand has recently raised INR 160 crores from Gaja Capital for the purpose of expansion. With strong foresight, he is a visionary who aims to launch properties in 10 new cities within this year end. Spread over 10 outlets in India, Farzi Café gets ready to spread its wings to London and 6 other cities in the Middle East. Extending to 5 outlets in the country, PaPa Ya sets the Asian notes right, while other brands like KODE and Made in Punjab are in the nascent stages for an international launch soon enough. With USA, UK and the Middle East on Kalra’s radar for international expansions, it is safe to assume that Massive Restaurants is going the right way. Considered as the ‘Man with a Vision on a Mission’ &‘The Prince of Indian Cuisine’, he has been recognized amongst the 50 Most Influential Young Indians by GQ India(thrice);GQ Men of the Year – Restaurateur of 2017;Economic Times 40 Under 40; Forbes Tycoons of Tomorrow; Restaurateur of the Year Award, 2014 & 2017,Times of India & Vir Sanghvi Awards; a Finalist in E&Y Entrepreneur of the year 2017; HT Crystals, 2014 and Entrepreneur of the Year in Service Business - F & B Services, Entrepreneur India Awards, 2014. December 2012 was a milestone for him, as it saw the launch of his latest venture Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., which in its first year of operations won over 19 prestigious awards under various categories. Zorawar Kalra has also been a judge on Masterchef India Season 5.
Rajeev Varman
CEO, Burger King India
Rajeev Varman
CEO, Burger King IndiaMr. Rajeev Varman is the Chief Executive Officer at Burger King India Limited. Prior to this, Rajeev was the Senior Vice-President & General Manager North Western Europe of Burger King Worldwide. He brings over 2 decades of rich and diverse experience in F&B operations to Burger King Corporation. Rajeev has been associated with Burger King Corporation for 18 years and has held numerous positions in the Canadian and European operations. Most recently, Rajeev was responsible for Burger King’s turnaround in the UK market and was also spearheading the North Western Europe division. Previously, Rajeev held various senior management positions in Canada, where he implemented a ‘Value’ strategy, new product development, led strong franchise growth and improved the operations matrix. Rajeev holds an MBA from the Golden Gate University, California, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bangalore University.
Amit Bagga
Co-founder, Daryaganj Hospitality
Amit Bagga
Co-founder, Daryaganj HospitalityHospitality success stories are often dominated by those strongly associated with the industry. However, Amit Bagga, with his roots in a family business of automobiles, is an exception. He has cemented his place, one successful venture after the other since 2010 through sheer business acumen and love for excellence. Today he is CEO and co-founder of Daryaganj Hospitality, which owns the much-loved brand Daryaganj - By the Inventors of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani. From a single restaurant in April 2019, it grew to 4 outlets across top locations in Delhi-NCR in just 1 year and is growing further. It also recovered fast from COVID-19 implications and has proven to be resilient. International locations like Sydney, Dubai and Toronto are planned for 2021. Amit’s enterprising nature has helped him find success in other industries as well. He is the co-founder of a digital out-of-home (DOOH) media business called EyeTalk Media Ventures which owns 2,500-plus digital displays in 30 cities across India and around the globe. He has been venerated as Fastest Growing Entrepreneur by a leading publication in India, while the India Today Group has featured him in a list of Top 50 Young Leaders of Delhi in their Mail Today newspaper. He has also been awarded as the Entrepreneur of the year for the F & B industry by Indian Achievers Forum to name a few. A forward-thinking and visionary individual, Amit Bagga is, without a doubt, a restaurateur to watch out
Sabyasachi Gorai
Chef and Restaurateur
Sabyasachi Gorai
Chef and RestaurateurSaby, who has a cult following in the culinary world, hails from a mofussil town in West Bengal – Asansol. As the President of the Young Chefs’ Forum of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), the dynamic Chef also happens to be the youngest Indian Chef to don the hat of a Corporate Chef while at Olive Bar and Restaurants. Armed with the knowledge that he has gathered over the years, Saby is almost an institution in himself. Chef finds reminiscent of his contribution to the profession, though his biggest reward comes from “cooking for a fellow human being.” Incidentally, he has wowed the likes of the Ambani's and the Bachchan’s with his culinary skills. A philanthropist, an educator and mentor to young Chefs, this dynamic Chef-entrepreneur is the founder member of prominent Indian Chef’s associations – IFCA, WICA (West India), SICA (South India) – and is also a member of and mentor in the Indian Culinary Federation (ICF). Promoting sustainable food and slow food brings him on the global Slow Food alliance – Craft Chef’s Guild. Featured prominently in all contemporary electronic and print media – Fat ya Fit Chef (CNN-IBN), a culinary judge on MasterChef India, among others – Chef Saby has wowed audiences with his new age cookery show – The Urban Cook (Zee Khanna Khazana, which is now Living Foodz). Chef Saby is the only recipient of the most coveted National Tourism Award, for “Best Chef of India”, awarded by the President of India. Through Fabrica by Chef Saby – his restaurant solutions venture – he has curated some of the most-talked about restaurant brands now running successfully across the length and breadth of the country.
Rakesh Ranjan
Chief Sales Officer, Zomato
Rakesh Ranjan
Chief Sales Officer, ZomatoRakesh Ranjan is Chief Sales Officer at Zomato. Earlier, he was Vice President - Food Delivery Business at Zomato. He joined Zomato as the Global Sales and Operations Head for the food delivery business. Before joining Zomato, Rakesh worked with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as the project leader and worked across multiple sectors with a focus on business turnaround, growth, portfolio strategy, and large-scale organization-wide transformation. He has also been associated with two portfolio firms of Blackstone as the business manager where he was responsible for growth (horizontal across the value chain) and new markets. Rakesh has also worked as a Principal Consultant with the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) in its strategy vertical. A post graduate from Indian School of Business in Finance and Marketing, Rakesh has been a receiver of scholarship of merit. He has his bachelor’s degree in electronics from Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology.
Moksh Chopra
CMO, KFC India
Moksh Chopra
CMO, KFC IndiaMoksh has recently taken over as the CMO for KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) in India. He is an experienced marketer with over 14 years of experience across FMCG and Food retail. Having spent almost eight years at Yum! Brands, he started off in Innovation – leading a slew of successful new product and platform launches, before moving onto the Brand Activation role – leading the Business Calendar and Campaigns. Prior to this, Moksh worked in CavinKare India - in both sales and marketing. He has done his MBA from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and his graduation from St. Xaviers, Kolkata. Passionate about music, loves cricket & tennis and is enjoying fatherhood with his 5 year old son & 2 year old daughter – those are some more nuggets about him beyond his work profile!
Syesha Kapoor
Associate Director, Silver Beach Entertainment & Hospitality
Syesha Kapoor
Associate Director, Silver Beach Entertainment & HospitalitySyesha Kapoor is the Associate Director at Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. She spearheads the Marketing, Sales, Communications, Content, Creatives and more with over 10 brands across 18 restaurants under the company. She has worked for over 10 years and gained knowledge and experience in the Hospitality industry. After pursuing her bachelors at at London School of Marketing, Syesha applied to Les Roches School of Hotel Management for MBA in Hospitality. After completing her education, she pursued her passion for the Hospitality sector, working at JSM, where she spearheaded Shiro, California Pizza Kitchen, Pinkberry & Trader Vics and also was part of the pre-opening team for a few restaurants involving herself in all the aspects for gaining knowledge in the field. In 2014, she moved to Dubai and worked with Zomato as a key accounts Manager. She has worked with some of the key mega corporates like Starwood, Whistle Group, Namshi & Dubizzle whilst her stint in the UAE. Towards the end of 2014, she came back to Mumbai and joined Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality full-time. Her passion for the industry is so strong that she single handedly looks into most of the work at all the restaurants. Some key restaurants are Opa Kipos, Estella, Radio Bar, Nom Nom (Bandra and Versova), Silver Beach Café (Juhu, Lokhandwala and Dubai), Copa, Ministry of Salads to name a few. She looks into every detail from the menu to the sales to the promotions and offers at each outlet. Her innovation and love for food has been the core to her success as her vision for the company stays strong with quality and creativity.
Akshay Jatia
Chief Strategy Officer, McDonald’s India (West and South)
Akshay Jatia
Chief Strategy Officer, McDonald’s India (West and South)Akshay Jatia is leading Business Strategy, Consumer Technology and Innovation for the company. Akshay joined McDonald’s India in 2015 and over the last 7 years has worked cross-functionally to understand the nuances of strategy, operations, marketing, IT and synergized them to grow the brand and has successfully led many business critical projects. Akshay’s McDonald’s journey started as General Manager – Business Extension and he played a key role in growing and consolidating the company’s brand extensions - McDelivery, McCafé and McBreakfast. He led the launch of the digital delivery business for McDonald’s, in early 2015, when the Online Home Delivery Market in India was almost non-existent. Akshay set up a ‘digital delivery’ team at HRPL that comprised a group of cross-functional experts across customer insight, analytics, operations, logistics, digital marketing and technolog and launched the McDonald’s digital delivery platform – McDelivery app in 2016. Akshay’s also spearheaded the project to offer customer a new McDonald’s experience and thus launched the ‘Experience of The Future’ (EOTF) restaurants. These new restaurants gave customers a dramatically different McDonald’s with the contemporary design and the cool, new look integrate technology across all customer touchpoints. These restaurants had self-ordering kiosks, tablets and air chargers and a table tracker to enable table service – a first for a QSR in India. During the pandemic, while McDelivery ensured business continuity, Akshay also led the launch of an innovative new channel – On-The-Go, that enabled customers to order food on the McDelivery app and collect it from a pre-designated spot close to the restaurant. This new format became a key growth driver during the lockdown and grew 3 times in 3 quarters, bringing new customers to the brand fold. Akshay holds a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in Finance and International Business from Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, reading, and keeping himself fit while indulging in food. He has been recognised as the 21st century Inspirational Icon and bagged the Dedicated Stalwart Award for bringing in the tech revolution at Westlife and McDonald's
Thomas Fenn
Co-Founder, Mahabelly
Thomas Fenn
Co-Founder, MahabellyThomas Fenn is an Economics graduate from St Stephen's College and has worked as an analyst with an infrastructure consultancy for two years before handling operations, marketing & business development for the Stellar Children's Museum, Ambience Mall Gurgaon since its inception in 2012. He co-founded Mahabelly with Zachariah Jacob and Prem Kiran in March 2015. Mahabelly is a specialty restaurant serving authentic Kerala cuisine located at DLF Avenue Saket, New Delhi & Gurgaon. Thomas is also Member, Managing Committee of the NRAI overseeing their interests in E-Comm Policy, Online Ordering & Logistics.
Pawan Shahri
Managing Partner, Chrome Communications & Media India LLP
Pawan Shahri
Managing Partner, Chrome Communications & Media India LLPHe is currently a partner at some of the most popular casual dining bars in the city such as Butterfly High, The Bigg Small Cafe + Bar, Oi Lat-Am Kitchen & Bar and LILT. It was during his education at the HR College Of Commerce & Economics, at the age of 16 years when his passion for food, urge to try new cuisines & new restaurants drove him to start his own company – Chrome Asia which was an events & marketing consultancy agency. Operating with Chrome for over 9 years now, it was soon enough that Pawan saw a huge gap in the market where a lot of great concepts couldn’t sustain themselves. Pawan’s first restaurant venture ‘Butterfly High’ started with an instant connect between him and food industry veteran Narayan Poojari (20+ Outlets Of Shiv Sagar & Mahesh Lunch Home). It was Mr.Narayan’s existing outlet Fish’n’Bait in BKC which was rebranded and re-launched as Butterfly High – An All Day Casual Dining Bar where Pawan was roped in as Managing Partner. In early 2019, Pawan started Oi Kitchen & Bar in Khar, which was an ingredient focussed & Chef Driven casual dining bar. A zero-waste concept where all ingredients that come to the restaurant are reused across multiple areas to produce no or minimal waste from the kitchen or the bar. Over the last 9 years of being in business, Pawan’s entrepreneurial journey has been nothing short of a mountain hike with a learning curve on each step. These experiences have been recognized by many from and outside the industry who have invited him to be a guest speaker and panelist at various events, including the Chef’s Connect 2017, DY Patil College Of Hospitality in 2018, TiE Smash Up At ISDI in 2018, RD National College in 2019 & many more. He was also awarded the Mid-Day Young Achievers award in 2019.
Rajneet Kohli
President & CBO, Domino's Pizza
Rajneet Kohli
President & CBO, Domino's PizzaAn MBA from University of Wales, UK with an entrepreneurial bent of mind and successful in shaping winning Strategies. Raj has over 24 years of rich experience in FMCG & Retail industry with 6 yrs. at Asian Paints, 14 yrs. at Coca-Cola & now 3.5yrs.+ at Jubilant FoodWorks. He successfully heads the largest Domino’s market outside US, and manages 1450+ Domino’s restaurants in India, leads a large team of 30,000+ people and all functions of Operations, Marketing, Business Development, Projects, Training, Ops HR, Business Financeetc. i.e. end to end P&L responsibility. Raj has successfully turned around Domino’s business during tough Covid pandemic and has consistently delivered over 25% EBITDA in the last 5 Quarters. Jubilant market Cap has increased 5X to $7 Billion in last 3 years. He has sharp knack for Digital &known for Customer Obsession. His vision is to make Domino’s a Food Tech Powerhouse.
Raghav Verma
Co-Founder, Chaayos
Raghav Verma
Co-Founder, ChaayosRaghav Verma is the co-founder of Chaayos, India's biggest Chai cafe, with 75+ cafes across India. He is also an IIT alumni. Raghav has been selected as one of the Forbes Asia '30 Under 30' in the Retail and E-Commerce Category in 2016. Under his leadership, Chaayos has also been felicitated for multiple awards including '25 Most Promising Entrepreneurial Brands' by WPP, 'Most Innovative Concept' by Restaurant India Magazine and 'Greatest Startup of the Year' by DM Asia.
Parthiv Patel
CEO, Petpooja
Parthiv Patel
CEO, PetpoojaParthiv is an engineer and an IIM-L alum by education. He started his career with Wipro Technologies in a technical role post which he moved to GFL as the AVP of investments. Post GVFL, Parthiv joined PremjiInvest where he lead public market investments. Prior to founding Petpooja in 2014, Parthiv worked as a senior team member at an energy analytics startup, Ecolibrium. At Petpooja, Parthiv is responsible for strategy, product management, partner ecosystem, and finance. In his free time, Parthiv enjoys reading fiction.
Jasper Reid
Wendy's & Jamie's Italian India
Jasper Reid
Wendy's & Jamie's Italian IndiaDirector, Wendy's & Jamie's Italian India & Owner IMM Mr. Jasper Reid is an entrepreneur and the founder of International Market Management Ltd (IMM), a London firm specialising in setting up international consumer brands in Asia and India. Mr. Jasper is a director of the holding companies of Wendy's and Jamie's Italian in India and of IMM in the UK. IMM has supported a range of brands with their international expansion including PizzaExpress in India and China, John Lewis, Busaba Eathai, Whittard of Chelsea and Agent Provocateur. Graduated from University of Oxford Jasper joined the Swire Group, one of Asia's leading business houses. He held a range of management roles including with Cathay Pacific Airways in Mumbai in 1997. There he established one of the first data centre BPO operations. Jasper writes a column for the Wall Street Journal on living in India.
Jimmy Mistry
Entrepreneur, Hotelier & Designer
Jimmy Mistry
Entrepreneur, Hotelier & Designer‘If a great business is a coin, innovation and social impact must be its two sides.’ These words by Jimmy Mistry resonate with his three-decade-long entrepreneurial journey. Synonymous with the brand Della, Jimmy is the founder of Della Group. He is an avid Designer, Hotelier, and Social Entrepreneur at heart, he started his journey in 1991 with a pest control company, not afraid of taking up challenges and facing failures and today, he has formed his 25 year legacy across various verticals. In 2021, he founded Della Leaders Club (DLC) –and innovated the World's 1st Business Platform that is currently present in 15 major Global cities such as New York, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and plans to expand in 120 chapter cities in the next 5 years, currently having its offices set up in 7 countries across the world. With 25 years of unmatched experience and expertise in research, design, manufacturing, supply and execution his designs are created with the commitment to human centric approach to design, his passion, purpose, sensitivity and humility. It is with this belief that he has conceptualized one of India’s largest high-end turnkey luxury design concept and complete supply solutions for Home, Offices and Hotels. His adroit edifices have let no room for doubt. With no background in real estate or hospitality, he is a pioneer in experiential hospitality and won several accolades and awards for it. Today, Della Resorts ranks #1 on Trip Advisor in India and #2 in Asia as ‘Most Valued Luxury Resort’ With over 150+ features and 25+ awards in his name, Jimmy Mistry is indeed a multi faceted man.
Vineet Manocha
Sr. VP- Culinary, Lite Bite Foods
Vineet Manocha
Sr. VP- Culinary, Lite Bite FoodsVineet Manocha, Sr. Vice President – Culinary at Lite Bite Foods Pvt. Ltd., has tapped his global experience to make signature dining a reality in all his endeavours. His interests and achievements go beyond simply a Chef’s normal kitchen profile. An alumnus of IHM Pusa, Vineet’s experience of over 25 years includes management tenures at renowned hotel chains like Oberoi, Hyatt and Radisson; flight kitchens and restaurant companies. Besides Delhi, he has also worked in Bahrain, Goa, Mumbai, Liverpool-UK, Philippines, Jeddah and Daman. Vineet also worked with Saudi Arabian Airlines, heading their menu planning and development worldwide catering to more than 60000 meals per day. Setting up F&B retail projects is Vineet’s strength. He is adept in F&B concepts, menu planning, designing new kitchens, managing PnL and heading large operations across the world. Thorough knowledge of ingredients, the science behind cooking, their application and adaptability, make his culinary creations, unique. He is also an avid trainer, F&B strategist and team builder. A HACCP trained internal auditor, has been a core team member for 5 ISO certifications in his career. He has several media articles to his credit and has recently been conferred the “Rashtriya Gaurav Award – 2017” for outstanding services, achievements, and contributions to Culinary.
Sagar Daryani
CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! Momo
Sagar Daryani
CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! MomoTwo young friends from Kolkata transformed a simple dumpling to a national phenomenon and cooked up an amazing success story within a span of 10 years. Established by Binod Homagai and Sagar Daryani, alumni of St. Xavier's College, Wow! Momo, a 280-crore company was built out of sheer passion and love. In their college, these two passionate individuals shared one more thing other than their classrooms; their love for the Tibetan dumpling. Sagar owed his love to a momo seller outside his school where he sampled a number of dumplings. When they discussed about their future plans, the idea to turn their favourite dish into a business model appealed to them. Although they were both offered lucrative jobs, they wanted to try their luck in business. Initial hiccups included the raising of funds where the respective families came to their rescue and the business started with an initial investment of Rs 30,000. Today Wow! Momo sells 2 lakh momos across the country every day with a whopping 85,000 being consumed in Kolkata alone. They have employed 1500 people in various outlets across India of which about 60% are specially-abled people from different NGOs. Variety and vision go hand in hand in Wow! Momo and by 2021, the brand aspires to go global with outlets in US, UK, Canada and other countries. A passionate speaker, Sagar has given business & motivational talks at various Business Schools & Entrepreneurship Cells across the country
Farman Beig
Founder & CEO, Wat-a Burger
Farman Beig
Founder & CEO, Wat-a BurgerFarman Beig is the founder and CEO of Wat-a-Burger a dynamic burger joint, incepted and run by young minds with a sole mission to take fresh, delicious, yet affordable burgers to people. He takes care of the overall growth strategy at the brand and also manages the day-to-day operations. He ensures that the brand is firmly marching towards growth while ensuring quality, taste and uniqueness. Under the leadership of Farman, the brand has become the largest homegrown Burger Brand of India, spreadacross 16 cities and 9 states serving 8,000+ delicious burgers on a daily basis With a B.Tech degree from Amity University Delhi, Farman went on to bag a Master’s Degree in IT Business from Alliance Manchester Business School, England. After completing his education, Farman joined Sigma Enterprise in 2013 as a partner. He always knew that being into business is his true calling, but he still felt a little gap. As it is said, one needs to explore to find the right fit. Farman wanted to begin something from the scratch to global. After spending considerable time in research, a junk food lover Farman along with his friend Rajat decided to build a burger chain that would not only offer unique burgers but also maintain quality within the means. The idea was to build largest home-grown food chain. Apart from being an entrepreneur, Farman has also been on advisory board of a number of startups. He has also been an angel investor to a NCR based, supply chain automation startup- Adcount Technologies.
Kabir Suri
President, NRAI & Co-Founder & Director, Azure Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.
Kabir Suri
President, NRAI & Co-Founder & Director, Azure Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.Kabir Suri is the Co-Founder & Director, Azure Hospitality, currently serves as the President of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI). Kabir has been associated with NRAI since 2017 and was appointed as the Vice President in 2019. Pivotal in the growth and success of one of the fastest growing hospitality companies with popular brands under its wing such as Mamagato, Dhaba1986, Sly Granny and Foxtrot to name a few, he has been part of the industry for over a quarter of a century. Kabir believes that the F&B Industry is now at the cusp of a major change and he is excited to be a part of this. He strives to lead the Indian F&B Industry into a new era of prosperity, participation and positive perception which advances and safeguards the entrepreneurial spirit.
Sameer Bhasin
CEO, Nando's India
Sameer Bhasin
CEO, Nando's IndiaExperienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. Strong business development professional skilled in Catering, Food & Beverage, Hospitality Management, Multi-Unit, and Menu Development.
