Manu Chandra is to Bangalore what Massimo Bottura is to Modena. A classically trained European chef, Chandra worked in New York before returning to India to become chef at the Mumbai Olive. The Olive group sent him to Bangalore where he revolutionised the dining scene, opening several restaurants and becoming a cult figure in the city.
An alumnus of Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Chef Kavan Kutappa has had stints at prestigious establishments like Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernardin, Jean Georges, and Momofuku in New York, where he had built a strong foundation for himself. Naru Noodle Bar is the passion project of Chef Kavan Kuttappa, ex culinary head of crowd favorites like Toit and Permit Room.
A medical student who turned into a chef with his utmost zeal and passion for culinary. Gaurav Chawla commenced his career with Oberoi Group and gradually made his way to the top. A Molecule Gastronomist , Recipe Developer and a Food Stylist who has given an inventive twist to the Indian Food. After 15 years of experience in the massive world of culinary , he is currently working as a Corporate Executive Chef with First Fiddle Restaurants. He is known for designing the most extraordinary Modern Indian and Contemporary Menus because of his sharp eye for detailing.
Dipesh Shinde is a Mumbai-native, who since the age of 17 has worked in some of India’s most renowned restaurants including Punjab Delhi and Farzi Cafe (one of Delhi’s first modern Indian restaurants). Shinde comes from a family of chefs, and brings generations of experience to the table including his mastery of a multitude of Indian cooking techniques. Shinde has been lauded for his ability to cook classic Indian dishes as well as regional comfort food; and Kebab aur Sharab is his first U.S. restaurant.
Akshat Parihar is considered as one of the most popular Celebrity Chef globally. Akshat hails from Rajasthan, India. A name synonymous with quality and excellence in the gastronomical arts, Chef Akshat Parihar is a perfectionist with the reputation of being creative and passionate in his work. Working with well-established chefs throughout his career, Akshat learned the basics of numerous culinary arts and eventually mastered gastronomy before branching out to explore multiple international cuisines.
In addition to running his six restaurants, Chef Prasad leads tasting tours of India, hosts private tasting dinners, teaches cooking classes and offers his services at multiple charity events for such groups as the American Liver Institute, James Beard House, the American Red Cross, Share Our Strength, the Connecticut Food Bank and the Food Bank for New York City; he was a celebrity guest chef at Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival to benefit Johnson & Wales University. Most recently, Chef Prasad is the winner of the 2011 Elm City Iron Chef competition and has appeared on the national television show Food Network “Chopped”
Vanika Choudhary is the chef behind Noon, a modern Indian restaurant in Mumbai focused on foraging and fermentation, inspired by the region of Jammu and Kashmir, where she spent her childhood – ‘noon’ is the Kashmiri word for salt. Chef Choudhary orchestrates a culinary symphony by synergizing locally sourced indigenous ingredients with time-honored cooking methodologies. This distinctive approach engenders an eloquent medley of traditional Indian and global flavors, an embodiment of her culinary prowess.
Chef Sijo mastered his culinary skills as the demi chef de partie at Sheraton and Radisson Blue, Bengaluru; as chef de partie at The Leela Palace, Ritz Carlton Bengaluru and at Radisson Blue, Chennai. For chef Sijo Chandran, each plate is a blank canvas desiring to be designed and adorned with food to make a masterpiece. His Instagram handle @sijochandran is a garnishing manifesto where dishes are delicately, diligently and exquisitely plated to resemble an evocative artwork, each serving a marvel by its own.
Madhusmita Soren, also known as the culinary artist behind the Instagram page @murmusroyalkitchenportraits, has mastered the art of capturing food that is truly fit for royalty. She is called the Queen of Flavor in the online world. Every photograph she shares on her feed is like a delicious symphony, with flavors and colors dancing in perfect harmony. Madhusmita’s dishes not only satiate our hunger but ignite a spark of inspiration within us all. Her culinary creations are truly a feast for the eyes and a treat for the palate. She reminds us that food is not simply a means of sustenance, but a beautiful expression of art and passion. She is also amongst the Top 20 contestants in Masterchef India Season 8.
Ekaa is a culmination of Chef Niyati’s travels and culinary background that was a driving force to bring this concept to life. From training at the Taj Group of Hotels, Niyati went on to work at the top handpicked restaurants across the country like The Zodiac Grill, Wasabi by Morimoto, A Reverie and the likes. Her latest stint was at Noma, Copenhagen, before she returned to Mumbai.Niyati wanted to put her insightful experience to use in a way that impacted the Indian culinary world. After much research and thought, she conceptualized and worked on the idea of building a restaurant whose cuisine is interpreted and inspired by people, cultures and ingredients.