For Awards Nomination/Sponsorship, Call: +91 82873 97477
11th June 2026 | NESCO Centre, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai
Thank you for making the Food Connoisseurs India Convention 2025 – West India Edition a Grand Success!
11th June 2026 | NESCO Centre, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai
Time
Session
09:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Conference Registration along with Networking Tea
10:00 AM - 10:05 AM
Welcome Address
10:05 AM - 10:15 AM
Inaugural Keynote Address
10:15- 11:05 AM
Session Partner
Superfoods Partner
Session 1: The West India F&B Power Curve: Decoding a region where legacy taste meets luxury aspiration
West India’s evolving diner preferences, hyperlocal nuances, and rising experiential trends
Starting a Restaurant, QSR, Cloud Kitchen or F&B Business—how to tackle its Pros & Cons
How cities are redefining culinary experimentation
The role of cultural nostalgia in menu engineering
Market insights: understanding hyperlocal preferences
Behavioural shifts—solo dining, late-night ecosystems & brunch culture
Rise of experiential gastronomy and chef-driven storytelling
The competitive matrix: national chains vs homegrown powerhouses
Speakers
Mr. Ranbir Singh Nagpal, CEO, Yazu Hospitality
Mr. Amrut Mehta, Director, Little Italy
Ms. Niketa Sharma, Founder, Blah, Thane Club, Vivi, Magna, South Stories, Masalader and ITI
Ms. Swathi Varun, Founder, Yellow Spoon
11:05 AM – 11:15 AM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Session 2: The Restaurant of the Future—Tech, Talent & Transformation
- Creating intelligent, human-centric F&B ecosystems
- AI-enabled forecasting, staffing & service orchestration
- Robotic kitchens, smart appliances & automated inventory discipline
- Bridging the skill gap—crafting a future-ready culinary workforce
- Guest experience personalisation powered by data
- Strengthening back-of-house efficiencies through IoT
- Future POS ecosystems—omnichannel integration & payment fluidity
- Sustainability-led design: energy optimisation & waste minimisation
Speakers
- Mr. Sumit Govind Sharma, Founder & Director, Monarch Liberty Hospitality (MLH)
- Mr. Shubham Tibberwal, Business Head (Food Services) Pakka Limited
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM
Session Partner
Ready-to-Eat Innovation Partner
Session 3: Culinary Creativity & Menu Innovation – Where bold ideas meet regionally-rooted authenticity
Navigating the balance between hyperlocal flavours & global formats
Ingredient innovation—millets, coastal produce, microgreens, global food, vegan
Seasonal engineering for cost, consistency & variety
Sweet spot of indulgence—reinventing mithai, customized pastries, cakes & dessert artistry
Crafting iconic signature dishes with staying power
Elevating food gastronomy through Menu R&D
Creative plating & design trends for modern Indian dining
Speakers
- Chef Michael Swamy, Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur, Food Stylist, Author
- Mr. Gurmeet Arora, Founder & CEO, Flax
- Chef Tushar Malkani, Executive Chef ICONIQA, Mumbai
- Ms. Anamika Desai, Founder & CEO, Miku’s Kitchen
12:40 PM – 1:35 PM
Session 4: The ‘Profitability Stack’ for Modern Restaurants – Decoding the economics behind sustainable success, franchising & expansion in the F&B Landscape
Identifying profit power-centres across menu, manpower & marketing
Unlock the blueprint for expanding — from cozy cafés and high-energy QSRs to dessert bars and artisanal bakeries & more
Essentials of creating scalable concepts—how structured franchise models accelerate growth
Best-in-class cost control & dynamic pricing
Franchising as a Profit Multiplier
Building revenue durability—delivery + dine-in balance
Vendor negotiations, local sourcing & backward integration
Smart planning for long-term ROI
Understanding the new-age investor lens
Profitability benchmarks for premium, midscale & QSR formats
Speakers
- Mr. Gaurav Kanwar, Founder & CEO, Harajuku Tokyo Cafe
- Mr. Ishaan Bahl, CEO, Risa Hospitality
- Mr. Kushal Andakat, Managing Partner, SARAZA a unit of cuisine Nutrition Pvt. Ltd.
1:35 – 2:15 PM
NETWORKING LUNCH
2:15 PM - 3:05 PM
Session 5: Hospitality Leadership for the New Era – Building resilient, people-forward environment in Hotels
Talent wars—attracting & growing the right people
Culture-building strategies for multi-unit F&B groups
Leadership agility in a volatile hospitality environment
Emotional intelligence & empathy-led service delivery
Training frameworks that create lifelong hospitality professionals
Crisis response playbooks for operations & reputation
Gender diversity, inclusivity & modern workforce expectations
Speakers
- Mr. Sachin Maheshwari, Cluster General Manager and F&B Alchemist with Accor
- Mr. Rajiv Kohli, Cluster General Manager, Thalassa Beach Resort & Anemos Living Boutique Resorts & Spa
3:05 PM – 3:15 PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Beyond Taste: Building Scalable Culinary Experiences in India
- Chef Gautam Mehrishi, Corporate Executive Chef, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited
3:15 PM – 4:10 PM
* The booming craft mixology scene of West India, craft beers, new flavours, authentic taste
* Non-alcoholic beverage innovation—functional, fermented, botanical
* Bar tech, food pairing with drinks, ambience & innovation in breweries, bars, lounges and nightclubs
* Designing beverage programmes with purpose and storytelling
* Local terroir—Goan spirits, Indian wines, artisanal distilleries
* Beverage profitability: margins, menu design & pairing strategies
* Evolving consumer expectations at bars & lounges
* How unique bars are redefining menus with signature infusions, craft techniques & regional ingredients
* From Vineyard to Kitchen: Pairing with Purpose
* Experiential Dining as a Brand Strategy – Moving beyond food to create immersive concepts
* Harmony on the Palate: Food & Beverage Synergy
Speakers
- Ms. Neeti Goel, Director, Avan Ventures Pvt Ltd.
- Mr. Nikhil K Rochlani, Managing Partner, Butterfly High and KYMA
- Mr. R.S. Dharmendra, Senior Vice President – Hospitality & Tourism, Sona Valliappa Group
4:30 PM ONWARDS
AWARDS REGISTRATION
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
NETWORKING COCKTAILS
5:45 ONWARDS
AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOLLOWED BY NETWORKING DINNER