The Leela Palace Chennai has announced the 7th edition of Shefs at The Leela, in collaboration with Rupali Dean and Akanksha Dean of Dean With Us. This initiative recognizes and highlights the contributions of Indian women chefs who are shaping the future of gastronomy. The event reflects The Leela’s ongoing focus on diversity, inclusion, and advancing female talent in hospitality.
Building on the success of the 3rd edition previously hosted at the property, this year’s program brings together four women chefs: Sambhavi Joshi, known for her sustainable Italian-inspired cuisine; Sehaj Ghuman, recognized as India’s top pastry chef; Taiyaba Ali, who emphasizes the overlooked contributions of women to Awadhi cuisine; and Bunuma Patagiri, an expert in Asian cuisine and mentor at The Leela. Together, they will create a curated dining experience on 20 July 2025, combining global techniques with Indian traditions.
Ahead of the dinner, a panel discussion will take place on 19 July 2025, where the chefs will share their perspectives and experiences in an open, authentic dialogue. The dinner and the overall experience will be executed entirely by an all-women brigade, including the culinary and service teams at The Leela Palace Chennai.
“It is both a privilege and a responsibility to host a platform of this magnitude—one that not only showcases culinary innovation but also initiates a meaningful dialogue on gender inclusivity in luxury hospitality,” said Mr. Nishant Agarwal, Vice President and General Manager, The Leela Palace Chennai. “Shefs at The Leela resonates with our belief that excellence thrives in diversity, and this edition is particularly close to our hearts for the way it celebrates the silent grit, creativity, and brilliance of women shaping the future of our industry.”
The initiative, envisioned and curated by Rupali and Akanksha Dean, has already seen successful editions in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Chennai, and Jaipur. It was conceptualized under the guidance of Mr. Madhav Sehgal, SVP - Operations, South and Head of Sales, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, with the aim of giving more visibility to women chefs, a group often underrepresented in professional kitchens.
The multi-day event reinforces The Leela’s commitment to fostering inclusivity, supporting artistic excellence, and creating meaningful impact in the culinary and hospitality sectors.
The 14th edition of the Indian Restaurant Congress & Awards (IRC), India’s premier platform for food entrepreneurship and innovation, starts on August 5–6, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The two-day event is organised by Franchise India and Restaurant India. IRC 2025 brings together over 1,000 industry leaders—from restaurateurs and chefs to investors and foodpreneurs—driving the evolution of India’s F&B sector. It is co-located with Coffee & Tea Asia Summit 2025.
Since 2011, IRC has grown into the country’s most influential restaurant conclave. This year’s event, chaired by Anil Chadha, MD of ITC Hotels, promises bold conversations, cutting-edge ideas, and game-changing partnerships.
Whether it’s Michelin-star insights, AI-powered kitchens, or the next plant-based breakthrough, IRC 2025 is where culinary innovation meets business impact—defining what’s next for India’s vibrant food landscape.
Launch of Entrepreneur Restaurateur
IRC 2025 also debuts Entrepreneur Restaurateur—a print publication spotlighting the founders and creators reshaping India’s culinary landscape.
On the cover of the inaugural issue, there will be Anjan Chatterjee, the creative force behind Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta, and Riyasat, Kallol Banerjee, Co-Founder of Rebel Foods, pioneering the global cloud kitchen movement along with Chef Vicky Ratnani, the charismatic culinary storyteller bringing soul and sustainability to the modern Indian plate. Together they embody the modern restaurateur's ethos traditional at heart, revolutionary in approach, and primed for growth.
Voices That Shape the Industry
IRC 2025 welcomes 150+ speakers from across the culinary and entrepreneurial spectrum:
• Atul Kochhar – Two-time Michelin-starred chef blending global precision with Indian soul
• M. Mahadevan – QSR pioneer and CMD of Hot Breads & Advantage Foods
• Kunal Kapur – Celebrity chef and TV host who makes innovation accessible
• Dr. Chef Parvinder Singh Bali – Mentor and hospitality educator training India’s next culinary leaders
• Keith Menon – Sustainability-forward designer and restaurateur
• Chef Saby (Sabyasachi Gorai) – President, Young Chefs Association of India
• Rakesh Sethi – National award-winning chef and TV personality
They are joined by decision-makers and other visionaries like Akshay Bector (Cremica), Ajay Singhal (Gourmet Investments), Tapan Vaidya (PJP Investments), Avantika Sinha Bahl (Kikass Hospitality), Sukul Kundan (PF Chang’s), Suvir Saran, Chef Dhruv Oberoi, Chef Dheeraj Mathur, Mayank Tiwari (PVR), and Kavita Devgan, among many others.
Introducing: Coffee & Tea Asia Summit 2025
Running alongside IRC is the debut of the Coffee & Tea Asia Summit 2025—a fresh platform spotlighting India’s fast-growing beverage culture. From tea estates and roasters to café chains, startups, and equipment innovators, the summit brings together the full beverage ecosystem. Expect live tastings, product launches, and thought-provoking sessions that prove India is emerging as a global hub for coffee and tea innovation.
The CTA session has visionary speakers like Rajat Agarwal, CEO, Barista, Sana Bector Parwanda, Co-Founder & Director, Zoet, Shivam Shahi, Co-Founder & COO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Kazem Samandari, Founding Chairman, L'Opera, Gaurav Kanwar, Founder, Harjuku Tokyo Cafe, Gaurav Wadhwa, Founder & Director, Theos Foods, Mohit Malik, CTO, Chaayos and many more.
Celebrating the Bold & Brilliant
Two marquee award ceremonies will headline this year’s conclave.
Culinary Innovation Awards 2025
Judged by legends like Atul Kochhar, Manisha Bhasin, and Raghav Joshi, the awards will honour breakthroughs in Plant-based cuisine, Kitchen automation, Beverage innovation, culinary mentorship, Supply chain tech. Categories include Best Chef, Pastry Chef, Young Chef, F&B Innovator, and more.
Indian Restaurant Awards 2025
India’s most coveted foodservice recognitions will spotlight: Restaurant of the Year, Best QSR / Café / Nightlife Concept, Marketing Leader, Digital Influencer of the Year, Woman Chef of the Year and other formats that showcase operational and creative excellence.
“With IRC’s 14th edition and the launch of Coffee & Tea Asia Summit 2025, we’re not just creating events—we’re creating platforms for transformation. This conclave is where ideas become partnerships, founders become leaders, and India's food and hospitality sector prepares for the next leap,” said Sachin Marya, Managing Director, Franchise India Dotcom Ltd.
Odisha will be participating as a partner state in the upcoming mega international food and beverage show 'Indus Food 2019' to be held at India Exposition Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on January 14 and 15.
Jointly organized by Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) and Department of Commerce, Indus Food meet 2019 is an initiative to promote India as a strong exporter of food and beverage products to the world.
The mega food international event will be hosting over 600 prominent global buyers in the Food & Beverage industry from more than 60 countries.
Prafulla Samal, Odisha’s MSME Minister, said, "The main aim of this event is to have these buyers on board to increase their presence apart from sourcing new products from India, meet suppliers and develop new business relations with Indian exhibitors. It would be a great opportunity for the agri-exporters of Odisha to showcase our products to the prominent buyers of the world."
LN Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME, has stated that as a "partner state", Odisha will set up its own pavilion with 30 exhibitors showcasing various processed food items of Odisha such as spices, cashew, confectionery items, processed agro-food and others.
'Putting Smiles', a charity Golf Tournament aimed at saving little hearts and giving them a chance to live, was held on 15th December 2018 at Golden Greens Golf Club. Initiated by E3 Integrated, Aloft New Delhi Aerocity teamed up with Putting Smiles with the aim to continue spread joy amongst children. The event witnessed the gathering of achievers, influencers and decision-makers who came together for a common cause.
This year, Putting Smiles have joined hands with K.C Mahindra Education Trust; Project Nanhi Kali that is working relentlessly for the benefit of countless girl children by providing education to girls from economically disadvantaged families. Backing this initiative, Putting Smiles have come forward not only to recognize but to also provide a platform where all the decision makers of the society come together to contribute to the cause.
Suman Gahlot, General Manager, Aloft New Delhi Aerocity, said, "We are extremely proud to be associated with 'Putting Smiles' and look forward to putting smiles on the little ones with this initiative."
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