An ace Pastry Chef, Chefpreneur, Entrepreneur, Chef & Founder Star Anise Fine Foods, Co-Founder of Gourmelange Hospitality LLP and a seasoned F&B professional, Chef Anees has risen to the top of the culinary world since winning the “Chef Entrepreneur Of The Year Award” by WICA in the year 2018.  Chef Anees was was also conferred as one of the “Top Most Hospitality Icons” of the year by Asia food congress & awards, 2023. He has been awarded as “Chef Entrepreneur Of The Year Award” by Better Kitchen popular choice awards in the year 2023 and also “Popular Choice Entrepreneur Chef” by FBAI in the year 2023. Chef Anees recently has been awarded “The Patisserie Maestro Of India” 2024 by Better Kitchen Awards.

His pet project “Star Anise Patisserie” at various locations in Mumbai are a toast for many Mumbaikars and is flourishing with amazing guest feedback and positive comments. Star Anise Patisserie was declared the “Best Bakery Of The Year”- Mumbai in 2023 by Food Connoisseurs India Awards

Hailing from Orissa, Anees Khan graduated from IHM Chennai in 1997. He went on to join The Leela
Kempinski in Mumbai. A year in the hot kitchen later, he found himself in the patisserie kitchen of the
hotel, where he trained and worked under expatriate pastry chefs, who showed exquisite and fine pastry
skills. Anees has trained under the Swiss Master Pastry Chef Beat Loeffel, who is credited to have changed
the patisserie kitchen in India. Soon after he became the Head the Pastry kitchen of The Leela, Goa,
where he managed the millennium festivities and mastered fusion and Asian desserts.

A year later, chef Anees joined Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, as their Chef De Partie
and brushed shoulders with some of the best talents in Canada. Anees returned to India in 2001 and joined
hands with celebrity chef Moshe Shek in Mumbai to set up his bakery kitchen, and design desserts for his
various delis, cafes and restaurants. When in 2004, he felt the need to get back into the mainstream, he
joined Hyatt Regency, Mumbai, as a Sous Chef, Pastry.

He then moved to Goa, to join The Leela again, as their Pastry Chef. During his tenure here, he served
among many other high-profile guests, then US president Bill Clinton and his entourage. His next move
was to Egypt, as the Executive Pastry Chef at JW Marriott in Cairo. Here he mastered the craft involved
in Arabic desserts and learned the bedrocks of Middle Eastern Cuisine. In 2007, he was invited as the
Pastry Chef for Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski, Dar Es Salaam, to revamp their patisserie and impart
training. He also served the likes of multiple International cricketers. During his stint here, he received
recognition as the best pastry chef in the region.

His next stop on the world map was Oman, where he joined Six Senses Resort & Spa, as their Executive
Pastry Chef. The stint brought along immense exposure as he worked with chefs of 35 nationalities.
Among the famous patrons of his creations here were Rowan Atkinson, Robin Williams, and cricketers
like Andrews Strauss. Later, he completed Advanced Gelato Training at Bolognia, Italy. In 2010, he
returned to Mumbai to pursue his dream of setting up a premium catering company. He set up Star Anise
Fine Foods & Leisure Pvt. Ltd. (SAFFL), bringing to it his 20 years of culinary experience working for
several International five-star hotels across the world.

Mr. Kartikay Mehta, Director and shareholder is an esteemed alumnus of the IIM, Bangalore. With over two decades of invaluable experience in fast-moving consumer goods, he has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to build and scale profitable businesses. Joining Unibic in 2012, Mr. Mehta spearheaded a remarkable turnaround, transforming the brand from a ₹500 million to a thriving business turnover at ₹ 10 billion. His simple business acumen and go-getter approach have propelled Unibic’s growth at a staggering 30% CAGR, positioning the brand for continued expansion and reaching the ambitious milestone of 50 billion in the near future. Unibic’s global footprint, now spanning 20+ countries, is a testament to Mr. Mehta’s visionary guidance and unwavering commitment to excellence”.

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!

Nitin has completed more than 25 years in the Food & Beverage Industry. Having worked as a chef
with Taj Hotels and Hotel Oberoi’s kitchen in the initial 8 years of his career, he was inspired to open
his first dessert store in 1992. The next three milestones that followed were – Pot Pourri, Lemongrass
Café and Seijo and Soul Dish. In the year 2012, he was voted as one of the top 50 Master Chefs in
India by the Indian Culinary Forum.

Currently, he is the founder and chief stylist at “Nitin Tandon Food Stills & Video Production”.
It’s a production house with a team of stylists and photographers that cater to any kind of Food Styling
and photography assignments. The studio also churns out many Digital Videos and other food video
content for social media marketing. Rising from a single owned Food Stylist as an Organisation that
now has gone way beyond just food styling.

Nitin Tandon has worked on countless brands for fine dine restaurants and cafés, print ads, TVCs ,
feature films, web series, etc. He has worked on various assignments for industry giants like KFC, ITC
Food, McDonalds, Amul, Vadilal, Dominos, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Tata Cliq, Maggi, Nestle, etc. He has
also shown is magic in many feature films like Ki & Ka, Lunchbox, Robot, Cheeni Kum, Dear Zindagi,
Ghayal Once again, Mission Mangal, etc.

Amongst the innumerable accolades earned along the way, one of his prized features in his cap is the
award for the “Best Food Stylist”, presented at the ZEE Living Foodz Powerlist Awards 2016.

1. Awarded as “Chef Entrepreneur of the year 2022” by Chef Connect 2022 & WICA (Western Indian
Culinary Association.
2. Most Admirable Chef Award, Asia Chapter by World Food Congress 2022
2. Award for the “Best Food Stylist”, presented at the ZEE Living Foodz Powerlist Awards 2016.
3. In 2012, voted as one of the top 50 Master Chefs in India by the Indian Culinary Forum.
4. Only Indian nomination for Pink Lady Food Photography of the year 2020.
5. Food Photo Affair 2020/21 Exhibition Finalist.
Nitin Tandon has been an inspiring speaker at many events, seminars, webinars, etc.
1. Workshop with all the Chefs and their team at Taj Resorts & Convention Centre, Goa, 2022
2. Workshop for Goa Culinary Conclave 2022
3. Workshop by NRAI Hyderabad for The India Restaurant Conclave 2022 on Customer Acquisition
and Brand Building through Food Photography.
4. Speaker for AHAR 42nd Annual General Meeting, 2022 on “Adapting to the New Wave in F&B.”
5. IFBA 2021 Jury Member and lecture on Food Photography organised by Vikhroli Cucina & FBAI
6. Webinar on Food Styling & Photography by NFCI 2021
7. Live session for DY Patil University on “Food Styling as a Profession”, 2020
8. Food Photography & advertising, a talk show for live online audience along with Photographer
Bharat Bhirangi, 2020
9. Webinar on “Food Styling: Making students future ready for the food industry” by LPU, 2020
10. Webinar & Live talk show on Food in Motion with motion stylist Goldwin Fonseca, 2020
11. Speaker and Influencer on 2 separate sessions for Capturing Wow Global Summit 2020.
12. Talk Show on “5 Keys to Running a successful Bakery” by Bakery Business 14th Edition, 2019
13. Speaker & Talk show event #FBAIDialogues by the FBAI 2016.
14. Speaker at the event by Inspire Young India, 2017
15. Food Styling & Photography workshop at Food Studios in the year 2017 in association with Burrp.
16. Session done for The FBAI & Godrej event #HomeChefMatters 2.0 Lost Recipes
17. Seminar & Talk show Speaker for Bakery Business 2019 on Creating Brand intensity for Bakery.
18. Webinar along with Chef Harpal Sokhi on The Journey of Media Chefs, 2020

19. Jury of The FBAI Food Bloggers Association India) in the year 2017.

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.

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.

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.

K Radhakrishnan (‘Radha’), CEO, Starquik, has been a corporate citizen for four decades, of which for 25 years he has been a Grocery Retailer.He began his career as a tea taster, a tea retailer, an aquaculture farmer, and the one who started the now famous CupNoodles and TopRamen in India. He was part of the team that launched the first grocery modern trade store in the form of Foodworld Supermarkets in 1996 in Chennai, and has mentored several young people who are today all over the world and owe their deep understanding of retailing templates for grocery to him. He was also the first CEO of Reliance Retail Start-Up and launched the Fresh and Hyper Format in Hyderabad 2006, being involved from day one to taking it to over 1000 stores. Radha is a postgrad in mathematical economics, a Trustee in Sankalp Special school for Autistic and Learning disabled children for the last 20 years, has been a Karate National Champion, and a State level Hockey player.

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.

Shishir Gorle, served the Indian Airforce for 7 years and shifted to his true calling – Business. His experience in GTL started in Sales, and moved on to Product manager and Business Head. He brings in a rich experience of Marketing and Management from his exposure in management of BPO operations, and as head of various telecom and IT business units. He joined Innovsource as CEO in 2006, and grew it to be the 4th largest Staffing Company with pan-India presence and a reputed client base. He grew the company steadily to 900 employees, 50 location presence, 200 client-base, and over 70,000 temp staff, operating Staffing services, Facilities management, and Security services and then successfully exited the business, when Innovsource was acquired by a PE consortium. In his current assignment, along with Raja Sekhar Reddy, first generation entrepreneurs, founded Squaremeal Foods in 2015, and setup India’s first restaurant chain fully served by deaf and mute wait staff. The currently have three outlets, two of Mirchi & Mime – a fine-dine serving contemporary Indian cuisine and one outlet of Madeira & Mime – an all day café and bar, serving global multicuisine food, all located in Mumbai. The company is actively raising funds to expand to other cities to achieve their vision.

Vibhanshu Vaibhav Mishra, a name synonymous with innovation and culinary excellence, is known to start a new era in the food and beverage services industry, with a passion for gastronomy and a proven track record of leadership. His leadership style aligns seamlessly with the company’s mission and values. A commitment to quality and customer satisfaction characterizes it. Mishra’s well-established reputation for driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of innovation positions him as the ideal entrepreneur with a clear vision for his He started his career as a hotel operations trainee with nothing but ambition and a deep hunger to learn.

The journey started around 16 years ago, with extensive global experience with well-known companies like Four Seasons, ITC Hotels, Alshaya Group, Apparel Group, & Tim Hortons. During this journey, he worked in various countries such as UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, USA, and Canada, with his return to India. His diverse experience has honed his expertise in multiple areas, such as operations, brand expansions, brand launches, etc. During the pandemic in 2020, everything seemed uncertain. But Mr. Mishra strongly believed that if we stayed true to our values, such as providing authentic flavors, unique offerings, Quality Products without artificial colors or flavors, and using all-natural ingredients only.

Chalu Chinese has successfully launched 268+ outlets across India, paving the way for its sister brands, including The Indian Momo Company, Wh-eat Burger, and Twenty-one Food Courts, to expand as well. With a few more brands set to launch soon, the culinary network continues to grow and thrive. The organization is now prepared for global expansion, with operations in Canada and Dubai beginning in 2025. Mr. Mishra aims to launch world cuisines with an Indian spin and build a 100- crore USD food and beverage company in India, and he undoubtedly has a well-planned, well- written road map under his sleeve.