Shail Pancholi is the Country Director for India at Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds (WP&A), LLC. A wholly owned operating company of The Wonderful Company, WP&A is the world’s largest grower, processor, and marketer of pistachios and almonds. Shail began his career at WP&A in 2019. As Country Director for India, Shail is responsible for leading the company’s business and all related activities in India. During Shail’s tenure at WP&A, pistachio consumption in India has grown exponentially as a result of the company’s focused efforts towards creating consumer awareness for pistachios, and strong partnerships with the Indian nuts and dried fruits industry. Prior to Wonderful, Shail has worked in several new market development roles. In his free time, Shail likes to run, workout, and read.

Chef of the year 2023 ,Chef Nishant has more than 20 years of experience, and has worked across many fine-dining establishments over the span of his impressive career. The TV host commenced his career at the Oberoi hotel and then worked with Madinat Jumeirah Dubai for three years in specialty restaurants such as Pier chic, Sagreto, and Khayamat. He was also a part of the pre-opening team for Roseate hotels, formerly called Dusit Devarana and Olive bar and kitchen. The gifted chef, who believes in sustainable practices, was chosen to undergo training at John Folse culinary institute, Louisiana. Chef Nishant is no stranger to the world, being a consulting chef for Michelin Plated Indus (Bangkok), Chefs partner, Sattvik New Delhi, Corporate chef of Seinan Group (Tokyo), Consulting chef for Mesa kitchen and bar, kiss and fly Goa , Cube (Indian kitchen) in Sydney ,Kheer at the Roseate house ,Le Mirch, Kuala lumpur, Rani New jersey, is the Co-Founder of Street Storyss Bangalore (a vegetarian craft kitchen). Alongside winning the Iron Chef Challenge 2018 in Bangkok, Chef Choubey has hosted several successful pop-ups in Japan, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, and Spain on progressive Indian cuisine. Indian cuisine being his forte has allowed him to share his vision on regional Indian food at Michigan and Indianapolis universities within the US.

Nishant has also cooked for various well-known figures, the recent one being for the President of Montenegro at a special event. The culinary belief on Jain philosophy resonated at a special affair at Adanis hospitality, adding another feather in the talented chef’s cap. Chef Nishant has just won Gold In both the categories (chef of the year – NON-INSTITUTIONAL and Chef of the year – PROGRESSIVE) at the recently concluded The Gourmet Fest 2024. One of his latest projects titled ‘Tokyo Mitahiwala’, a passion project whose launch has created a unique sensation in the world.

Deeply passionate about innovation, Chef Nishant is often found in the kitchen experimenting with recipes & giving them a unique twist.

I have over 25 years’ experience in Sales and Marketing .

Starting my career with sales of IT products in The Sanjay Dalmia Group at Chennai, I moved to Godrej & Boyce in their erstwhile division-EBE.I then moved to National Panasonic in their Systems Division for handling their business of Communication as well as IT Products for Southern Region .

In the year 2000, I changed my industry and  joined Blue Star  in their newly created ROOM AC DIVISION as their Regional Manager for South based out of Chennai. The next 6 years saw me being moved  across the country to handle the Eastern Region and SAARC  based out of Kolkata and then the Northern Region operation of this division based out of Delhi.

In 2006 with the market looking to expand on the retail side as well as on the HORECA segment, I was moved to the Head office  to handle the new businesses like retail as well as Refrigeration solutions for the HORECA Industry.  I was responsible for the tie ups the co established with many foreign partners in these fields. I subsequently handled the Product Management function for the entire Refrigeration Products business. Then I handled the National sales operation of the Refrigeration Products Division  for about 3 years and moved to Head the Product Management function of the Commercial Refrigeration Division and Sales Operation of Key Account Business and New Lines of Business (Commercial Kitchen Refrigeration, Medical Refrigeration and Supermarket Refrigeration).

In my current role, I am responsible for the

1. a) Sales Operations for the Commercial Refrigeration Division comprising of Refrigeration Products Division and Cold Storage Division,
2. b) Division Marketing Function

Chef Ritesh Tulsian is a highly accomplished professional and entrepreneur in the Food and Beverage industry, with an illustrious career spanning over two decades. A graduate of Rizvi Academy of Hospitality Management and Catering Operations, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Chef Ritesh honed his skills under the mentorship of renowned Chef Hemant Oberoi at the Taj Group of Hotels. He also holds a Twin Diploma in Hospitality Management and Catering Operations with First Class from Rizvi Academy.

Chef Ritesh’s impressive global experience includes prestigious roles at W Hotels Maldives and Atlantis The Palm, Dubai. Since 2013, he has been a leading F&B consultant, offering expertise on a Pan-India and global level. Renowned for his leadership, innovative thinking, and passion for food, Chef Ritesh specializes in culinary operations, resource management, and hospitality business strategies. His expertise has been instrumental in shaping successful culinary ventures.

One such notable venture is Bambai, a multicultural restaurant in Mumbai, co-founded with Chef Anees Khan. This culinary homage to Mumbai’s diverse culture reflects Chef Ritesh’s deep love for food, which he considers a meditative passion that brings him immense joy and fulfillment. With a strong educational foundation, including academic achievements in Hospitality Management and Science, Chef Ritesh continues to make his mark in the F&B industry, inspiring others with his dedication and expertise.

Rajeev has over 3 decades of rich experience both in the US & India in the retail, consumer & education industries. He has had the privilege of working at senior leadership levels at leading Global multinationals like Target Corp, Walmart, McKinsey & SPAR. He has a proven track record of blending the best of operations, product, technology, and innovation while building strong organizations and teams that have consistently delivered outstanding results. His journey with some of the top retailers in the world has been the foundation for his innovative and creative mindset, disruptive and cutting-edge merchandising strategies, operational and process orientation, and a creator of exceptional customer experiences. His ability to build strong partnerships with vendor partners across the ecosystem and globe has been at the forefront of developing new concepts, initiatives, and differentiated retail and consumer stories.

As a Business advisor, strategic guide and mentor Rajeev has had the opportunity to contribute and impact numerous small and medium businesses across the Consumer, Retail, and Education industries. He is a mentor and coach to many leaders and executives across levels, helping them develop their self-awareness, leadership, and Emotional Intelligence. Rajeev has been recognized as one of India’s most trusted and inspirational CEOs, as well as a CEO with HR orientation, for his passion, commitment, building trust, and strong organization.

Yash Agarwal is an Executive Director of Ratnadeep Retail and the Founder and brains behind National Mart(India Ka Supermarket). Yash joined the board of Ratnadeep in April 2019 with his first task being the rebranding of the then 30- year-old organization and giving it a bold new look! Mr Agarwal is driven by his own vision of making quality groceries and essentials, affordable and accessible to the whole of India! He is very committed to this vision and makes sure that any steps he takes for both Ratnadeep and National Mart are in line with the goals of the organization. His leadership and strategic planning has been instrumental in the exponential growth that Ratnadeep has experienced since the time he joined the organization. With a far-sighted vision and the skills to turn his vision into reality, it's evident that Yash Agarwal will take both Ratnadeep and National Mart to new heights!

Rachit Vohra is Sr Director Sales, part of leadership team at Kellanova, South Asia. Has over 22 years of experience in FMCG & Consumer durables industry, worked with reputed organizations like Whirlpool, Marico and Philips Limited. Rachit has rich experience in GTM strategies, category & channel management delivering transformational agendas for the organisations propelling growth and capability. He is particularly enthusiastic for evolving Indian channel landscape, especially Omni channel driven by technological advancements, increased internet penetration, and changing consumer behaviours. Rachit has received recognition for his leadership and transformation projects through multiple industry awards.

Leadership in Culinary Excellence: Spearheading the culinary realm with innovative leadership, currently excelling as an Executive Chef in the hospitality industry, boasting over 15 years of culinary mastery.
Record-Breaking Culinary Artistry: A Guinness World Record holder and a visionary in the culinary world, curating award-winning menus while showcasing unparalleled culinary excellence that transcends borders.
Industry Transformation through Dynamic Leadership: A dynamic leader within the food service sector, revolutionizing the operations of restaurants, resulting in enhanced profitability and the creation of extraordinary dining experiences, while fostering global culinary connections.
Culinary Innovation Beyond Boundaries: Boundaries of culinary creativity are consistently pushed, successfully blending 15 international cuisines, thus leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
Globetrotting Culinary Explorer: Infused with an insatiable passion for culinary exploration, traversing through 15 nations, and translating diverse culinary perspectives into delightful gastronomic adventures.