Recognizing the best restaurant with delectable food and a delightful ambience.
RA 2025 PASS
Restaurant India Summit is a premium event in India's food and beverage sector, dedicated to advancing the restaurant industry through knowledge sharing and networking. With 20 successful edition, the 21st edition of Restaurant India Summit 2025 - Maharastra & Goa Edition attracts a diverse group of stakeholders including restaurateurs, chefs, foodpreneurs, suppliers and hospitality experts. The agenda is packed with informative sessions on the latest industry trends, consumer behaviour, and cutting-edge technologies, Complemented by a influnecial collab of 200+ Brands.
Celebrating excellence by recognising visionary leaders, innovators, and game-changers shaping the future of the F&B industry.
01A hub of ideas and expertise, delivering strategies and market insights to accelerate restaurant growth and hospitality Landscape.
02Bringing together the most influential minds and brands to create high-value connections and collaborations.
03Hear intriguing insights on the latest insights on Food Industry and visionary experts. Sit back and learn as Restaurateurs.
04Executive Director, K Hospitality Corp
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.
Founder
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!
Owner, Flavour Pot Foods LLP
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.
Associate Director, Aspect Hospitality
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.
Director, Bellona Hospitality Services Limited & Stratix Hospitality Pvt. Ltd
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.
Co-Founder, True Palate Hospitality
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.
Managing Partner, Ironhill India
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.”
Celebrity Chef & Founder, The Blue Poppy Restaurant
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.
Actor & Co-Partner, Green Turtle Hospitality
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.
Founder & CEO, Salad Days
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.
Founder and CEO, Dil Foods
Arpita Aditi is the founder and CEO of Dil Foods, a company launched in March 2022, aiming to
harness the underutilized potential of small to medium-sized food businesses across India.
Dil Foods is a virtual restaurant operator based in Bangalore.
A Biotechnical Engineer, from the Manipal Institute Of Technology, Arpita’s career trajectory
shifted towards the food industry, starting with a role at Swiggy as the National Partnership
Manager, where she gained firsthand experience in the challenges faced by food businesses.
This led to co-founding Nutnbolt in May 2020, a precursor to Dil Foods, focusing on enhancing
the online presence of small restaurants.
Dil Foods and Arpita's efforts were recently recognized on Shark Tank India Season 3,
highlighting their commitment to transforming the food industry landscape. Her vision
encompasses building a profitable ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders within the
restaurant industry, focusing on sustainability, and scalability.
Owner, Silly
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
Recognizing the best restaurant with delectable food and a delightful ambience.
This Category recognises Night Clubs/Bars that demonstrates the best ambience,food & liquor.
This category recognises the best bakeries which offers outstanding value, excellent food and appropriate service.
This category recognises a Restaurant/Bar/Bakery that has the best interiors
This category recognises caterers/unique concepts/customer experiences and cloud kitchens.
This category recognises restaurateurs/chefs/sommeliers who have demonstrated outstanding qualities.
Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur India & Asia-Pacific
Television Celebrity, Masterchef India Judge, Author, Restaurateur
Award-Winning Chef & Restaurateur
CEO, Mumbai Angels
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