The culinary spotlight is firmly fixed on Kolkata as the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) prepares to host the NRAI Indian Restaurant Summit 2023. Scheduled for September 21 and 22 at JW Marriott, the event is set to transform the city into the epicentre of India’s restaurant industry. Kolkata’s rich culinary heritage will provide the perfect backdrop for this two-day conclave, making it a milestone event for the city.
The summit will bring together more than 50 industry leaders and senior speakers, representing over 1,000 restaurants from across the country, to chart a dynamic path forward.
“What would happen in Delhi and Mumbai is now happening in Kolkata,” said Sagar J. Daryani, vice president, NRAI, and founder of Wow! Momo.
The list of leaders include celebrity chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapur and Vicky Ratnani, industry movers and shakers like Riyaaz Amlani (Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality), Anjan Chatterjee (Speciality Restaurants), Zorawar Kalra (Massive Restaurants) and Anurag Katriar (Indigo Hospitality), cafe kings Aseem Grover (The Big Chill Cafe), Matt Chitharanjan (Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters) and Raghavendra Rao (Rameshwaram Cafe), fast food drivers Sourabh Kalra (McDonald’s India) and beer baron Ankur Jain (Bira), among many more.
The list of leaders include celebrity chefs (L-R) Kunal Kapur, Sanjeev Kapoor and Vikas Khanna, among others
That an event of this magnitude is coming to Kolkata is a testament to the resurgence of the hospitality sector. It’s quite likely that investors and brands will now start exploring opportunities in Kolkata.
“Kolkata is slowly and steadily becoming a food and beverage hub. Over a period of time, it has evolved as one of the top food cities in the world. More Kolkatans are becoming adventurous and with the Zenellials (Gen Z), the beverage revolution has also arrived in Kolkata. I’m very happy that NRAI is doing the summit in Kolkata, which will showcase a different side of the city, which they may or may not have been exposed to,” said Anjan Chatterjee.
‘Kolkata is slowly and steadily becoming a food and beverage hub. Over a period of time, it has evolved as one of the top food cities in the world,’ said Speciality Restaurants’ Anjan Chatterjee
“The shift in our business landscape is evident. Just yesterday, I had the pleasure of hosting a gathering for the city’s star hotel general managers, and it’s heartening to note that our hotels are bustling with activity. In fact, in terms of revenue, Kolkata’s hospitality industry ranks among the top three or four in the entire country, particularly in the metro city segment. The surge in business travellers has played a significant role in this transformation. This is a promising sign that we’re no longer solely dependent on the wedding business,” said Dr Suborno Bose, founder and chief mentor, International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM).
‘The shift in our business landscape is evident… it’s heartening to note that our hotels are bustling with activity,’ said Dr Suborno Bose of the International Institute of Hotel Management
NRAI’s clear goal has been to include and benefit more members nationwide. “We’re expanding our industry initiatives beyond just Delhi and Mumbai. Over the past two years, we’ve nurtured nearly 21 key chapters across the country. Our previous summit took place in Hyderabad, and now in Kolkata. Looking ahead, we plan to host significant events in cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Bhopal, among others,” said Daryani.
‘We’re expanding our industry initiatives beyond just Delhi and Mumbai,’ said Sagar J. Daryani, vice president, NRAI, and founder of Wow! Momo
“Crucially, the NRAI summit aims to galvanise government support for streamlining the restaurant business landscape, recognising its potential as an integral pillar of the nation’s economic progress. Unifying window for licences and GST input from the Govt are key agenda drivers for this summit,” signed off Kabir Suri, NRAI President and founder of Azure Hospitality.
Day One highlights
The summit will kick off with a panel discussion titled ‘Building a brand for India versus Bharat: How is it different?’ Esteemed industry luminaries, including Ankur Jain (Bira91), Nitin Saluja (Chaayos), Anjan Chatterjee (Speciality Restaurants), and others, will dissect the nuances of crafting brands that resonate with both urban and rural consumers.
A captivating ‘Big Fight’ format will follow, featuring two groups of leaders debating ‘In times of Instagram, food is theatre. Is restauranting meant to be experiential or food first?’ Hear chef Kunal Kapur, Gauri Devidayal (Food Matters Group), Varun Tuli (Yum Yum Tree Group), Raghavendra Rao (Rameshwaram Cafe), Amit Bagga (Daryaganj), Salman Shaikh (Bademiya) and others voice their thoughts.
‘Rise of the chef restaurateur’ on Day One will feature speakers like (L-R) Urvika Kanoi, Vicky Ratnani and Shaun Kenworthy, among others
The day will fit in three more panel discussions. ‘Rise of the chef restaurateur’ will have speakers Vicky Ratnani and Kolkata’s Urvika Kanoi, Shaun Kenworthy, Dr Suborno Bose and Ananda Palit of Savourites Hospitality, among others. ‘The growing need for data in running a restaurant operation’ will be helmed by Swapnil Bajpai (VP, sales, Swiggy), Anurag Gupta (Dotpe), Rishi Gour (Therobromo) and others. The final panel of the day will discuss ‘The new mantra of hospitality and retail’.
There will also be a spirited debate on the ‘Make in India vs. Made in India’ conundrum. The summit also includes knowledge sessions and multiple workshops.
Day Two highlights
Day two of the summit is dedicated to NRAI’s Annual General Meeting, where deeper insights into the future of the restaurant business in India will be unearthed. The day will commence with a keynote address by chef Sanjeev Kapoor.