Gaurav Kanwar is the Founder of Harajuku Tokyo Café & Bakehouse. He is an established entrepreneur in the food and beverage industry with a strong academic foundation in business and economics.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Master of Science (MSc) from the University of Warwick. His academic grounding in business and economics, combined with early exposure to entrepreneurship through his family’s ventures across sectors such as manufacturing and real estate, shaped his strong entrepreneurial mindset from a young age.
On returning to India, Gaurav identified a clear gap in the market, Japanese cuisine was largely limited to formal, occasion-led dining, with very few formats designed for everyday accessibility. He also saw an opportunity to introduce the concept of ‘fun dine’ in the Indian market, creating a space where great food is paired with an energetic, engaging dining experience. Inspired by his travels to Japan, he took a hands-on approach to building the concept, personally studying the country’s dining formats, consumer behaviour, and baking techniques.
He worked closely with chefs from Tokyo and Osaka and was deeply involved in every stage of development, from research and menu creation to ingredient sourcing, training, branding, design, and shaping the overall guest experience. His direct involvement across functions has been central to bringing the concept to life from the ground up.
RI PASS