KARAN KAPUR

Karan 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. At a group level, Karan is part of the strategic decision making, business development and operations strategy roll out for K Hospitality Corp, and has played an active role is building the organizational capabilities to scale up to over 6000 employees today.

PAWAN SHAHRI

Chrome Hospitality, co-owned by Pawan Shahri, has a multi-brand portfolio that runs brands like Shy!, Demy, Eve in Mumbai. Pawan's experience across segments reflects in the business making his restaurants few of the most popular dining spots in the city. Within just three years of its launch, the group boasts of a multi-brand restaurant portfolio - It opened five outlets in 2022, while, in 2023, it launched its flagship brand Shy! In Mumbai and made its foray into luxury hospitality with its first luxury boutique hotel Kaia in partnership with Bhumi Pednekar in Ashvem, Goa.

One of India’s most promising restaurateurs, Pawan has always put a razor-sharp focus on thick bottom lines, self-sustaining stores, establishing long-term relations with key suppliers and vendors, and above all else, ensuring that his patrons are having the best time at his venues. Pawan’s big picture thinking yet down-to-the-ground approach makes him one of the most exciting hospitality entrepreneurs in the country!

Pankaj Gupta

Owner, restaurateur, and marketer amongst several others, Pankaj Gupta, Owner of Oye Kake and Taftoon Bar & Kitchen, has donned several hats in the past decade. With two successful restaurant brands, he has surely proven that Mumbai is indeed the city of dreams if you dare to dream big.

A foodie at heart, Pankaj’s biggest inspiration for flavours came from watching his own mother in the kitchen and the flavours she brought to the table. Following several failed attempts at breaking an egg to make himself breakfast as a young boy, Pankaj realized that cooking involved more than just tossing ingredients together in a pan.

After graduating with a degree in Retail and Marketing, he was offered a role at a leading bank in 2011, which he politely declined. Instead, he took time off to travel back to the city of Amritsar which had given him several fond memories of the past. A trip that was meant to be just for a few days, lasted three months and gave Pankaj the ammunition for his next steps after realizing the lack of vegetarian Punjabi food in Mumbai. Hence, despite having no background or connections in the F&B industry in Mumbai, he started working on his plans to bring Amritsar’s renowned yet humble Chole Kulcha to the city of Mumbai. In 2011, Pankaj launched the city’s first Oye Kake, the regional vegetarian Punjabi restaurant brand under the parent company - Flavour Pot Foods L.L.P. Fuelled by his passion, he also contributed to creating marketing USPs which included bringing in water from Amritsar to knead the kulcha dough. Since its inception, Oye Kake has expanded across the city with several outlets and delivery kitchens, with a few more in the pipeline.

Driven by the vision to bring new experiences to the table, Pankaj launched Taftoon Bar & Kitchen in November 2017.

When he is not at work, Pankaj spends his time keeping himself updated on the culinary trends around the world. Additionally, he keeps up with his fitness regime through regular CrossFit training and playing sports.

SYESHA KAPOOR

Syesha Kapoor is the Associate Director at Aspect Hospitality, 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.

Prashant Issar

A distinguished name in the Indian hospitality scene, Prashant Issar's journey began at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, where he helmed the Apollo Bar and The Rendezvous. Growing up in Taj culture, he moved to London where he honed his leadership and innovative spirit. While in London, he made significant contributions to the launches of esteemed venues in Knightsbridge, Soho, Piccadilly, and Chelsea. His dedication to excellence was further exemplified by his tenure managing the Michelin-starred Amaya. Working alongside the legendary Camelia Panjabi, he expanded his knowledge of Indian culinary arts and hospitality.
With an insightful vision of India's untapped entrepreneurial potential, Prashant returned to his homeland to lead renowned brands such as Hakkasan and Yauatcha. His magnum opus in the realm of hospitality came with the creation of Ishaara under the banner of Stratix Hospitality, which offers a diverse menu featuring food from across regions and is distinguished by its predominantly hearing and speech-impaired service staff.
Now, as Director of Bellona Hospitality, Prashant continues to champion progressive and novel concepts, cementing his reputation as a visionary in the industry. An alumnus of IHM Mumbai, and with an MBA in entrepreneurship from the esteemed Henley Business School, Prashant's educational background is as illustrious as his career. Beyond the confines of his profession, he's known to inspire and lead. With invitations to educational institutions across India, the US, and Germany, he has enlightened audiences as a speaker and has taken the TEDx stage twice.
Not just a business magnate, Prashant is also an avid long-distance runner, with several Half-Marathons under his belt and an impressive record of completing Six Full Marathons. When he isn't running his business and running marathons.

Ankit Tayal

Ankit Tayal started his career with Cercon group, a leading manufacturing company for the Indian Railways, having an annual turnover of 18 Million USD. Fuelled by his passion to create innovative nightlife venues he started investing in an illustrious repertoire of brands such as Auro Kitchen & Bar and Bohca, New Delhi to name a few. The success of his ventures led him to establish One8Commune in partnership with Virat Kohli, Captain of the Indian Cricket Team. Virat is one of the most globally renowned and highly paid athletes with more than 100 million followers on Instagram. With an investment of around 20 Million USD, they plan on establishing the brand in every metropolitan city of India over the next 2 years.

Sree Harsha Vadlamudi

Harsha has set up several successful entrepreneurial ventures in the last two decades. One of his most cherished ventures is Ironhill India which is today one of the largest and fastest-growing breweries in the country.
Born into a humble middle-class business family in Hyderabad, Telangana, Harsha was heavily influenced by his parents' political ideology which had a big impact on his thought process which ultimately found its way to every venture he set up. He started planning his entrepreneurship journey at 19 but understood the importance of education and the fact that it not only helps you cultivate your life goal but also shows you the path forward. He went on to pursue his engineering in VIT, after whichhe headed to Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo for his Master's. A lifelong learner, he is currently pursuing his Executive Education (OPMProgram) at Harvard Business School, from which he will graduate in 2025.
At Ironhill India he focuses on new business growth and is currently in the process of setting up new touch points for both IH Breweries (Ironhill, Prost, Beerish )and IH Hospitality Restaurants and Lounges (Asie, Purple Potato, Soul of South, Pangeo, Pi-Kitchens, Ironhill Café, Anthm) as they continue to expand and grow while adding new brand ventures under each.
Harsha finds inspiration in challenging himself to find innovative solutions to problems. Always up for fair competition, he believes it keeps the mind sharp and commitment strong. As he puts it, “Win or learn. You never loose.”

Doma Wang

Doma Wang is an award winning celebrity chef whose restaurant is consistently named one of the best restaurant in India. She is also known as the Momo Queen. Many young girls and women looks upto her for single handedly raising her two daughters and growing a successful business and being an inspiration for them.

Addite Malik

Addite Malik, known for her roles in TV shows like 'Shararat' and 'Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki', is not only a talented actor but also a successful entrepreneur in the hospitality industry. With her latest venture, Que Sera Sera in Andheri, she showcases her knack for creating cozy dining experiences with meticulous attention to detail. Over 8 years in hospitality, Addite has championed self-made opportunities, inspiring women along the way. As a co-partner in restaurants like 1BHK Mumbai (3 outlets), Homemade Cafe & Bar, and Baoji Asian Home, Sorozai (opened last month) she, along with her partners, aims to build inclusive spaces where everyone feels at home, catering to diverse tastes and age groups.

Varun Madan

Varun Madan is a seasoned entrepreneur and the Founder & CEO of Salad Days, a predominant brand in the healthy foods’ category. Inspired by his unwavering dedication to promoting nutritious and delectable culinary options, Varun's goal is to revolutionise the way Indians embrace a healthier lifestyle. Through an extensive menu offering and a steadfast emphasis on sourcing high-quality ingredients, Salad Days aims to position salads and other healthy meals as regular culinary choices in Indian households. The brand strongly believes that salads are not just side dishes, but rather satisfying and nourishing meals that contribute to one's overall health and well-being.
Varun's exemplary leadership and resourcefulness have led to remarkable team growth at Salad Days, despite the Startup being bootstrapped. Under his astute leadership, Salad Days has experienced exponential growth, establishing a cohesive network of 15 strategically located cloud kitchens throughout the Delhi-NCR, Bangalore and Mumbai regions. Guided by an unwavering commitment towards health, affordability, and community service, Varun envisions a future where Salad Days not only expands its operations, but also continues to prioritise these foundational principles.

Arpita Aditi

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.

Karan Nohria

Rager spot but make it homely’ was 24-year-old Karan Nohria’s first thought when he decided that he wants to build a place that, when you look from the outside, seems quite ordinary, but once the doors open, this place invites you in to be yourself and to embrace your silliness. The business was always Karan’s forte, one can say it’s just something he was born with, and he nurtured his skill from a really young age. At 16, Karan started assisting his father in his business. At 19, realised that he wants to do something of his own, and build something that matters. That dream, though, wasn't just dreamt. He took three things he loves: business, technology, and enjoying a good lifestyle, and at 21, he executed his plan in the form of Mumbai’s current favourite spot — Silly.
Like a true blue GenZ, Karan has learnt that being yourself is the only way to be — that’s exactly what he wanted to give people — you can dress up to come to Silly, or you can walk in your most homeless attire, the choice is yours. “Let’s be able to relax where we are,” he says. Karan’s vision is crystal clear — Silly is an inclusive space that welcomes all age groups, and all moods. At 21, he started what's now the busiest spot in Mumbai. But as a restaurateur, and the newest visionary on the block, as well as a person who is comfortable with who he is, this young businessman, at 22, he has expanded Silly to the capital — Delhi to embrace their silliness. In just two years he plans to also spread the silliness to Hyderabad, Bangalore and more

Tarak Bhattacharya

With over two decades of rich experience in the F&B industry, Tarak Bhattacharya serves as the Executive Director and CEO of Mad Over Donuts. Under his leadership, the acclaimed donut brand has grown from a 12-store set-up in Mumbai to a chain of 150+ stores across 6 cities in India, serving over 10 million delighted patrons.
Over his illustrious career, Tarak has worked with several renowned F&B companies. He headed Operations for Barista, one of India’s first and most successful coffee brands, and was later appointed as the COO for MGH Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. to lead two of their popular brands- Nando’s and Barista for their markets in Bangladesh and Nepal. Having worked across continents with diverse cultures, Tarak has a keen understanding of local sensibilities that he uses to inform business strategies.
In 2011, Tarak was named COO at Himesh Foods Pvt. Ltd. for their Singaporean gourmet brand Mad Over Donuts. He was promoted to Executive Director and CEO in 2019. A multi-faceted leader, Tarak currently manages diverse aspects of operations, planning and human resources at Mad Over Donuts India.

Hemant Oberoi

With over two decades of rich experience in the F&B industry, Tarak Bhattacharya serves as the Executive Director and CEO of Mad Over Donuts. Under his leadership, the acclaimed donut brand has grown from a 12-store set-up in Mumbai to a chain of 150+ stores across 6 cities in India, serving over 10 million delighted patrons.
Over his illustrious career, Tarak has worked with several renowned F&B companies. He headed Operations for Barista, one of India’s first and most successful coffee brands, and was later appointed as the COO for MGH Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. to lead two of their popular brands- Nando’s and Barista for their markets in Bangladesh and Nepal. Having worked across continents with diverse cultures, Tarak has a keen understanding of local sensibilities that he uses to inform business strategies.
In 2011, Tarak was named COO at Himesh Foods Pvt. Ltd. for their Singaporean gourmet brand Mad Over Donuts. He was promoted to Executive Director and CEO in 2019. A multi-faceted leader, Tarak currently manages diverse aspects of operations, planning and human resources at Mad Over Donuts India.

Anil Joshi

Anil Joshi is the Founder and Managing Partner at Unicorn India Ventures, a leading Venture Capital Fund focusing on early-stage investments in tech companies. With over two decades of experience in the field, Anil pioneered angel investments in India as the head of operations and President at Mumbai Angels, one of the most reputable and prolific Angel Investment forums in India. As an early mover in early 2000 in this segment, Anil was investing in budding companies even before venture investment had taken any formal shape in India.
Within the start-up ecosystem, Anil has been at the helm of over 100 venture-financing deals. He serves on the board of several companies in the field of Fintech, Robotic, Meditech, IOT, Bigdata, SaaS and is involved with multiple incubation centres as a board member and mentor in India as well as internationally. Additionally, he also advices the government and industry bodies on start-ups regarding policy. Young entrepreneurs draw upon his vast experience for guidance and strategic direction for their own start-ups.

Dhruv Dewan

Dhruv Dewan is the COO & Co-Founder of Thrive, a food ordering and discovery app based in Mumbai, and a B2B solution aiding restaurants in 80 cities across India with direct ordering platforms. The brand’s consumer app is aiding customers with simplified commerce and a better food discovery experience with a unique feed. Dhruv started his entrepreneurial journey with Hashtag Loyalty, a SaaS platform providing marketing automation & CRM for offline retail.The consumer app is live in Mumbai, and has 4000+ restaurants listed on it presently. The team is working fervently towards a broad vision of ‘making food commerce better for all stakeholders within the online food delivery ecosystem.’Thrive is backed by Jubilant FoodWorks, Coca-Cola India Pvt. Ltd., Whiteboard Capital, Ahimsa Capital and the Razorpay founders.

Abhijeet Anand

Abhijeet is the Founder and CEO of abCoffee. He is ardently passionate about coffee, bringing the best of Indian coffees to the Indians. He is an IIT Dhanbad graduate, with 9 years of international experience in the energy industry. Before starting abCoffee, Abhijeet worked for Schlumberger across 5 countries. He was awarded the 2021 International Young Professional Award in the Energy Industry. He holds a bachelor's degree from IIT Dhanbad, a Diploma in Law from NUJS Kolkata and aMaster’s in Political Marketing from Rome Business School, Italy.

Amrut Mehta

Amrut Mehta, Director at The Little Italy Group has been an active part since 2011. Having taken up various roles in the organization like Management trainee, Projects Associate, Marketing Head before assuming his role as Director in 2019, Amrut carries on the legacy of Little Italy with a vision to add more brands under the portfolio and expand overseas. Currently, he oversees Operations, Marketing, and R&D. As a food enthusiast, he completed his courses at the London School of Economics and Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management and is also responsible for the conceptualization of new dishes on the menu, as well as the inception of new brands under the parent company. He travels extensively to Italy and works with Italian chefs to keep up with the trends and create new exciting dishes for the brands.

Keith Menon

Keith Menon, an architect and hotelier, emerges as a trailblazer in the global architectural and hospitality landscape. His visionary journey transcends traditional career boundaries, reflecting a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. Born with a profound connection to nature, Keith's childhood experiences in a boarding school near a wildlife sanctuary laid the foundation for his passion for sustainable design. Renowned for his innovative approach, Keith Menon has spearheaded the creation of over 1000 eco-friendly restaurants and hotels globally. His influence extends beyond geographical borders, with a particularly significant imprint on the sustainable hospitality scene in India. Notable establishments like Tuski, Pune Circle, and Goa stand as beacons of eco-friendly practices, reflecting Keith's dedication to blending luxury with environmental responsibility.
In 2023, Keith Menon achieved a milestone by becoming the first and only nominee from India for the prestigious Global Alfresco International Restaurant and Bar Awards. This recognition underscores his unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable hospitality on a global scale.

Paul Noronha

Chef Paul Noronha’s tryst with culinary world started at the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology Mumbai. It was at this institute that he received a comprehensive and practical understanding of the trade.
After graduation, joined ITC hotels as a management trainee for their Kitchen Executive Training program. This duration of 24 months gave him a holistic exposure to the various facets of the hotels both in terms of hands on practical and theory. On graduating he was posted to ITC Hotel's flagship, the Maurya Sheraton Hotel and Towers, New Delhi. Here he was exposed to oriental cuisine, was also part of a core team of chef’s instrumental in launching ‘West View’- a restaurant with a chalkboard concept; the first of its kind in the country, the cuisine a juxtaposition of Asian flavours with those of the west.
The millennium brought him to Mumbai as a part of the pre-opening team that launched the ITC Grand Maratha. He was then moved as the executive chef to Sheraton Chola, Chennai followed by a brief stint at the Welcomhotel Raviz Kadavu Calicut setting up its F&B outlets and kitchen designing. After a successful innings at Calicut moved to ITC Kakatiya Hyderabad and ensured their restaurants were the top three in the city. He is currently the Executive Chef at ITC Grand Central and have catered to many heads of states and celebrities His motto: “If you never try……. You’ll never know” and Get it right the first time.

Altamsh Patel

A National Award winner Chef Altamsh is known for his love, commitment and passion for the culinary profession. He has established himself as a critically acclaimed chef and has been honored with numerous awards and accolades. He has risen from the rank of a Management Trainee to an Executive Chef in just a span of 9 years. He became one of the youngest Executive chef of five star hotel at the age of 28.
Chef Altamsh brings along an illustrious 14 years of professional experience in the industry, and focuses on the highest quality ingredients, creativity on the plate prepared with clockwise precision and abundant planning and execution. He uses his creativity and expert culinary skills to create recipes that are not only delicious and full of flavor and richness but tingle the taste buds of the connoisseur. During his career of 14 plus years he has worked with Taj Group Of Hotels, The Park Hotels, Oakwood Premier Prestige Bangalore, Hotel Sea Princess and now leads the culinary team at Hilton Mumbai International Airport. He has won most of awards in the Young Chef category. He was awarded the Young Chef of The Year 2018 Award and Star Chef of India 2019 by Indian Federation of Culinary Association. He has been actively involved in initiating diverse food fiestas around the globe, conducts various cookery shows on TV and contributed to various renowned magazines and periodicals, He has been part of judging panel at various culinary events across the country. He is advisory panel member for few leading hospitality institutes where he teaches as guest lecturer and sets up courses on culinary. He has been mentor to many young chefs who are currently working all over the globe.
He has also represented Culinary Team India at World Chefs Congress 2018, Malaysia. He is the Joint Secretary of Western Indian Culinary Association (WICA).

Nishant Kedia

Nishant Kedia is the Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head for all owned and licensed brands at Rebel Foods. With over 13 years of expertise in D2C brand building, brand management, strategy consulting, digital transformation and operations, he specialises in digital and consumer first approaches, with the aim of building world’s most loved food brands out of India for the world.
Having completed his BTech from IIT Delhi & MBA from the Indian School of Business, Nishant worked with global brands such as McKinsey & ITC. During his tenure at McKinsey, he provided strategic counsel to financial service entities across diverse topics and regions, with additional exposure across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, IT services, and energy. At ITC Limited, Nishant was involved in project management and managing supply chain operations, and made significant contributions to the setup of a greenfield plant.

Rohit Gopalani

Rohit Gopalani is currently the Senior Vice President and Head of Leasing, Marketing & Corporate Communications at Inorbit Malls. With over two decades of experience in Real Estate, he is a seasoned professional known for his strong leadership and management skills. Rohit holds a management degree with dual specializations in Marketing and Finance. In his current role, he is responsible for driving growth and revenue across Inorbit's portfolio by spearheading the leasing business, while at the same time overseeing the strategic marketing initiatives and enhancing the brand's corporate communications. Rohit's expertise lies in forging strong relationships with tenants, negotiating favorable leasing terms, and ensuring optimal tenant mix to maximize footfall and sales. Additionally, his marketing acumen has contributed towards consistently elevating Inorbit Malls' brand presence.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rohit has also gained valuable experience in the BFSI and FMCG sectors, working with prominent organizations like Citibank and HSBC, among others. In the Real Estate sector, he has contributed to the success of companies such as the Lodha Group where he was the Deputy Vice President, Commercial & Retail Transactions and Adani Realty, where he served as the Vice President and Head of Commercial Business.

Abhishek Agarwal

Abhishek Agarwal is the Founder & Managing Partner at Rockstud Capital, a leading alternative asset management firm that advises and manages funds across various schemes, including a CAT-II Venture Capital Hybrid AIF fund, a CAT I – AIF Angel Fund, and Portfolio Management Services (PMS).
He has investment experience on both public and private markets, giving him a view of evaluating two different worlds of risk mindset. He has invested over +35 startups across stages in the last 10 years through the fund including his angel investments. Rockstud's first fund had seen through its first exit last year at 18.8x return on the investment and managed him to return entire capital raised in the fund to its LP’s. Some notable names in consumer space in the portfolio include Noto Ice-cream, Stay Vista & Wellness Forever.

MVR Krishna Prasad

MVR Krishna Prasad is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in leading and managing various facets of the Food and Beverage industry in companies like Coca Cola and Suguna where her served as the National Distribution Head and Vice-President respectively. With a proven track record of success, he currently serves as the Business Head Mumbai Meat Company and Director International RTE/RTC PFD at the Allana Group, a large Processed Food Exporter.
In this role, he spearheads strategic initiatives, driving growth and innovation in the processed foods division. He is in charge of developing solutions in the red meat category especially suitable for the Indian HORECA Segment.

Shivani Sharma

Shivani Sharma, the visionary Founder of Gourmestan and Bliss Bites, is on a mission to revolutionize the way we approach food. Drawing inspiration from her global sojourns, particularly in London, Shivani has recognised a gap between everyday staple foods and elevated gastronomic experiences, propelling her to redefine this landscape. Shivani's journey unfolded through the realm of cloud kitchens and a cafe in Dubai, strategically leveraging the cloud kitchen model to perfect her offerings before establishing Gourmestan. Celebrated for its millet-based confectionery, boulangerie, and fromagerie, Gourmestan has taken the scene by storm, boasting gluten-free options at the forefront—a testament to Shivani's dedication to accommodating changing lifestyle preferences towards clean eating.
Bliss Bites is Shivani's latest venture that was launched in Dubai recently with the idea to spearhead a global revolution in healthy eating practices. With a commitment to using millets, dates, and organic coffee, Bliss Bites promises a redefined food landscape in the GCC, offering gluten-free experiences in boulangerie, pâtisserie, viennoiserie, and fromagerie. Her client roster, including high-profile figures like Karishma Kapoor, Praful Patel, Madhuri Dixit, and Masaba Gupta, reflects widespread recognition and trust in her expertise. Education forms a pivotal part of Shivani's strategy, where she aims to enlighten global consumers about incorporating millets into their diets and the profound impact of clean, mindful eating.

Shivangi Bubna

Shivangi Bubna is Executive Vice President at Mumbai Angels, a 360 ONE Wealth company (earlier known as IIFL Wealth). She is responsible for leading the investments practice, and has 20 years of experience in consulting, research, and finance. In her current role, she focuses on structuring and evaluation of investment strategy and selection and evaluation of the potential portfolio entities for investments. Prior to joining 360 ONE Wealth, she was working with Christensen as an Assistant Vice President, handling key account management, competitive intelligence etc. She started career with prominent names in banking, like Citibank and ICICI. She has a masters in Economics from the university of Mumbai, with a specialisation in Econometrics and Financial Economics.

Mohammed Bhol

Mohammed Bhol is a Co-Founder & CEO of House of Biryan, one of Mumbai's leading Biryani restaurant chain, and an entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. A graduate from the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad and West London University, Bhol was an ex Co-Founder and Co-Head Product at CharcoalEats. As Co-Founder and CEO of House of Biryan, Mohammed plays an extensive role in expanding the brand to diverse palates. Under his leadership, HOB has received vast customer and industry recognition and the brand has expanded to serve several micro markets in Mumbai with further plans to expand Pan India.

Manu Bajaj

Manu is the Founder and CEO at NuTaste which is a taste and nutrition solutions provider. He has 25 years of experience in the food businesses besides agricultural commodities. Manu holds a Bachelors degree in Chemistry from Hindu College, University of Delhi and an MBA degree in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. Trekking in the mountains is a passion and a hobby for him besides spending time over the weekends with non profits in the education, development, nutrition and poverty alleviation space. He lives in Gurgaon on the outskirts of New Delhi, India with his wife and two daughters.

Gaurav Batra

Through the course of his life and career, Gaurav Batra has endeavored to marry the Business with the Creative. It stems from his conviction that ideas, words, numbers, resources, opportunities and timing are as interlinked as their randomness. Striking the right balance between them is key to innovation, growth and ultimately, perfection.
In this re-emerging global village, his portfolio of skills as an international Indian is actively pushing him towards harnessing never-seen-before opportunities, re-wiring the universe of high-end dining & with scalable verticals and a 360-degree customer takeaway.
To quote his favorite poet, Pablo Neruda: ‘As if you were on fire from within; the moon lives in the lining of your skin’ We are created for a higher purpose - to make tangible contributions to our communities individually - and to make the world a better place than the one we inherited collectively.

Twinkle Keswani

30 year old F&B Entrepreneur Twinkle Keswani smoothly pivoted from her career in banking to emerge as a young restaurateur. Formerly, the Executive Vice President of Silver Beach Entertainment & Hospitality, she has conceptualised an array of restaurants across Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kenya and Dubai and successfully spearheaded some of the most popular brands in the country before venturing out individually. After a six year stint with Silver Beach Hospitality - venturing out as an entrepreneur ultimately led her to Toro Toro in Goa, Pisco By The Beach, Goa - ranked amongst the finest restaurants in the state, Chop in Nairobi, Kenya, Cafe Montagne in the heart of Leh, Ladakh and recently Halo Cocktail Bar & Kitchen in Hyderabad with an upcoming project in Kochi.

Ranbir Nagpal

Hailing from a family with a rich legacy in the food service industry, Ranbir Nagpal is a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to transforming the dining scene of the country. With an unwavering passion for quality food, exceptional service, and unparalleled customer experiences, he is revolutionizing the concept of hospitality. Ranbir is an accomplished individual who graduated with honors from the prestigious Rizvi College of Hotel Management in Mumbai. His passion for the hospitality industry was ignited during his training at the iconic Taj Mahal Mumbai in 2002, where he honed his skills in managing upscale restaurants with utmost precision. Following his graduation, Ranbir dedicated twelve fruitful years to his family's real estate development business, where he consistently demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction and an unwavering attention to detail. Now, as the CEO of Indus Hospitality, Ranbir leads an organization that has distinguished itself in the highly competitive industry. Their success stems from his unwavering dedication to offering innovative Pan-Asian and European cuisines that set them apart from their competitors. At the forefront of the brand portfolio are Yazu and Juliette Ristorante and Bar. Currently, Ranbir's energy and focus lie in elevating Indus Hospitality to new heights. With a strong commitment to creating employment opportunities for the youth and excelling in their business endeavours, Ranbir and his team are actively seeking to expand their presence across India. Witnessing their vision taking shape is immensely satisfying and motivates them to continue pushing boundaries in the world of hospitality.

Roger Font Roig

Spanish professional born in Barcelona Spain. Worked in Marketing and Sales of FMCG for more than 22 years in Companies like Nestle, Pepsico, Danone, Almarai and Lactalis, in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and now in India. Currently Marketing Director of Lactalis India for the last 8 months, developing the Indian Market with their beloved Brands Thirumala, President, Prabhat and ANIK Ghee, providing solutions to the retail and foodservices channels.

Rajni Soni

Rajni is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience in operations and marketing. Also have diversified experience in BPOs, E-Commerce and Food Tech industry. An alumnus of IIM Raipur, Rajni is heading Marketing for the NuTaste group. With doubling the business in the past two years, NuTaste aims to repeat the feat in the coming years by enabling customers scale through customization and standardization solutions.

Rohan Mehrotra

Rohan Mehrotra is the Founding Member at CharcoalEats Food Tech Pvt. Ltd. He leads online sales at the Mumbai-based company. Rohan is associated with the brand since 2015.Prior to this, he also owned Gourmet Rasoi.A graduate from University of Allahabad, he did his masters from IBS Kolkata.

Neeti Goel

Neeti Goel hailing from Chandigarh is the daughter of well-known industrialist, Late Mr. S.K. Gupta. She is a successful restaurateur based in Mumbai with ‘Keiba’ ‘Osttaad’ ‘Madras Diaries’ & ‘ Madras Express' and the brand 'Amore Stays' having premium staycations in Alibagh. She has been awarded the 'Restaurateur Of The Year' in 2019 at the Eiffel Tower in Paris & has ranked 2nd amongst the top 50 restaurants in the world. During the pandemic, Neeti took up a lot of relief work by cofounding the ‘Ghar Bhejo’ initiative, where they transported 1.5 lakh migrant workers back home and ‘Khaana Chaiye’ which started with 1200 meals and are at 80 lakh plus meals now.

Raj Doshi

Overall 12 year of experience across Consulting and Industry. Works primarily in consumer market domain across various sector such as FMCG, F&B and Auto assisting client in large technology enabled business transformation in areas such as revenue enhancement, cost optimisation and EBITDA improvement. He has helped marquee Global and domestic clients in enhancing operational efficiency, review and enhance operating model and business plan implementation. .

V. Vishnu Shankar

Chef Chef Ishijyot Surri

Chef Ishijyot Surri stands as a beacon in the global culinary arena. With a background rooted in the prestigious Taj Group, he has been formally trained in the culinary field at the Taj IHM-A institute with an affiliation to the prestigious University of Huddersfield, UK. Ishijyot’s stints across various restaurants fortified his understanding of different culinary traditions, allowing him to oversee a North Indian BBQ poolside restaurant early on in his career.
His accolades, such as the 'Young Chef of the Year' and 'Best Chef Led Restaurant', are a testament to his relentless pursuit of culinary perfection. The chef's vision transcended the boundaries of the traditional kitchen. By 2018, determined to perpetually evolve, Ishijyot’s entrepreneurial flair led to the inception of three distinct culinary hubs under the banner of the SJI Hospitality group: Mulk, reflecting old world North Indian charm; and Pachinco, a haven for Italian diner and coffee enthusiasts alike. Yet, it was his venture, Miniya Turk, inspired by his trip to Turkey. The newly found Outdoor Catering vertical “SJI Gourmet” has earned immense recognition and love under his leadership.
Surri's culinary expertise isn't confined to the domain of savory. He took the world by storm when he initiated Gourmet Treats in 2010, mesmerizing connoisseurs with a diverse array of Ceylon teas and flavoured dry fruits. His fervent exploration of the world of teas earned him the coveted certifications of Tea Blender and Tea Sommelier in 2023. These achievements paved the way for his forthcoming brand, Tea Leaf Time. Furthering his culinary innovations, Chef Ishijyot co-founded FMCG product ventures like 'The Pickled Chick' serving meat based pickles, 'Nutty Singh' and ‘Makhana Singh’ serving a new range of flavoured dry fruits. The 'ALPS - Always Love Peanut Spread' became another feather in his cap.
Chef has also carved a digital presence with his YouTube channel that delves into culinary arts, sharing his knowledge and passion with a wider audience. In the realm of gastronomy, Chef Ishijyot Surri emerges not just as a culinary genius but as an institution in himself.

Anand Krishnan

Anand Krishnan is Director at Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan. He did his Diploma in Hospitality Management from American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, (AH&LEI) and BA ( Hon.) in International Hospitality Management from Swiss Hotel Management School Caux/Montreux, Switzerland. As a director, he leads operations and project expansion at the brand and initiated a new concept in-house named VB WORLD global cuisine concept featuring the best vegetarian dishes from all around globe under one roof.

Chirag Chhajer

Chirag Chhajer is the co-founder of Burma Burma, India's only Pan India specialty Burmese restaurant and tea house. Established in 2014, Burma Burma is currently present in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata with twelve company owned restaurants and delivery kitchens, a growing online retail business and a robust Pan-India expansion plan.

Chirag Chhajer's interest in business management emerged as he was deeply influenced by his father, a successful businessman dealing with textile trading. After his schooling in Utpal Sanghvi Global School and Narsee Monjee Junior College of Commerce and Economics, Chirag went on to earn a degree in International Business (2008) from Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia.
In 2010, he completed his Diploma of Education, Family Managed Business Program from S.P. Jain Institute of Management, Mumbai. It was here that he learned the fundamentals of running different businesses and bringing business management to family owned and run establishments. On completing his formal education, he joined his family-run business - Chhajer Synthetics Private

Limited, a textile trading company. Starting as a trainee and moving up to becoming a director over a decade, Chirag felt there was no better alternative to learning and sharpening his business acumen than being hands on. In 2013, he was approached by childhood friend Ankit Gupta with the idea of opening a specialty Burmese cuisine restaurant in India. Chirag was keen to explore the business opportunity in the food and beverage sector driven largely by his deep love for different global cuisines and the narratives that come with it. In 2014, after considerable consumer research and several trials through pop ups, Chirag and Ankit formalised their partnership. In 2018, Chirag was featured on the Forbes India 30 under 30 list and was also invited to speak at the TEDx Youth Summit at Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai in the same year.

Akshay Bector

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

Anahita 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

Some 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

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Karan Kapur

Karan 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

Television 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.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, Chennai 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

Indian 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

Saransh 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

With 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

The 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

Entrepreneur 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

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

Mr. 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

Hospitality 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

Saby, 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

Rakesh 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

Moksh 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

Syesha 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

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

Thomas 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

He 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

An 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

Raghav 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

Parthiv 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

Director, 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

‘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

Vineet 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

Two 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

Farman 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

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

Experienced 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.