,
Dheeraj Gupta is an Indian businessman who has pioneered the establishment of Indian QSRs as a category by themselves in the restaurant industry. He’s the force behind India’s largest vegetarian burger chain- JUMBOKING. The growth trajectory of JUMBOKING stands testimony to Gupta’s belief in the large-scale acceptance of franchising as a framework for doing business and focus as an approach.
Gupta’s business philosophy is based on building strong, symbiotic partnerships with individual entrepreneurs who want to benefit from the ‘10X advantages’ of a well-developed franchising system. His belief that such a model potentially creates a very inclusive and resilient growth engine, when coupled with a cohesive, focused and disciplined team of professionals, have made him a young business icon.
Gupta is a clockwork crusader; a member of the 5 am club, he believes that Indian texts such as the Ashta vaktra Geeta, Narad Bhakti Sutras etc; possess copious business wisdom. Gupta is a marathoner, yoga practitioner and avid reader of business biographies.
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.
Ankur Sharma is a co-founder of Rebel Foods. He is currently in charge of the organisation's culture and personnel department and was the one to play a key role in bringing Wendy's to the company Ankur, a graduate of Punjab National University and IIM Indore, has worked with well-known brand partners including Naturals Ice Cream, Mad Over Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Anand Sweets, etc., he also played a vital role in developing customer-first solutions for Rebel Foods. Ankur has worked on significant initiatives for Infosys and Tata Motors before joining Rebel Foods as Head of the Supply Chain. He is based in Mumbai, India.
Sudeep Goenka is the Director of the Goldiee Group, a leader in the spice industry with a rich legacy. He began his education in Kanpur, India, before earning a degree in industrial and systems engineering from the prestigious Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA. After gaining valuable experience as a CSD business analyst at Coca-Cola’s headquarters, Sudeep returned to India in 2006 to join his family business. Under his visionary leadership, Goldiee has experienced significant growth, expanding both domestically and internationally. Sudeep spearheaded key initiatives such as the installation of a cutting-edge noodle plant and the company’s entry into the ready-to-eat segment. He has also driven internal automation, introducing ERP, DMS, SFA, and cloud computing. A skilled marketer, Sudeep expanded Goldiee across diverse sales channels, including modern trade, institutional sales, and HoReCa. In addition to his professional success, Sudeep is a philanthropist, sports enthusiast, and active member of several professional organizations.
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.
Zairus Master is the Chief Business Officer for Honasa Consumer Ltd, a digital first consumer company that owns brands like Mamaearth, the Derma co, Aqualogica, Dr Seth, Bblunt etc. At Honasa his focus is to enable profitable business growth. With a career spanning over 2 decades he is a seasoned business, strategy and marketing professional with intensive experience in the consumer, internet and technology space. Over the years he has worked across multiple consumer categories and companies like Shine.com, Airtel, Nokia and Hindustan Unilever Ltd.
Horse-riding enthusiast , TEDx speaker who joined as Management Trainee & became CEO in 8 years, one of youngest executive in fmcg food industry.
appreciate the learning & experience earned in the journey of organization growth.
Person with a demonstrated history in consumer products, FMCG- food & beverages industry like biscuits, biscuit wafers, chocolates, confectionery, all fruit-based products , snacks, namkeens, wafer chips.
A technocrat while being an alumnus of NIT Warangal, ISB Hyderabad & Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Chicago.
Professional with hands-on experience, Passionate to drive business growth through system driven. process, automation & people orientation.
Working to ensure assigned products & services consistently resonate with current and potential customers.
As young multidisciplinary always enthusiastic to learn & achieve more. Grateful to have good exposure in life, born in small village of Haryana to various geographies and cultures.
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.
Sherry Mehta is a veteran in the field of regional cuisines and is considered the foremost authority in HImachali and United Punjab cuisines in India. This former Miss Shimla was also the first runner up in the popular Fox Tv Show – “Grilled” and has been written of in several publications about her unique take on food from the United Punjab regions and from Himachal Pradesh.
Her menus are well researched and evoke a bit of the nostalgic past with elements from modern progressive India and are found to hit the core of many food enthusiasts. Sherry is now a full-fledged entrepreneur with her ventures – Kanak by Sherry and Chaat Chowk by Sherry which she operates from her BKC kitchen and is establishing herself quickly as a caterer of repute.
Kanak by Sherry has been involved in curating and catering for Yash Raj Films, Phantom films and many others for movie releases and special occasions and is actively consulting for restaurants across India.
She is considered as India’s top most authority of Himachali cuisine and also considered as one of the top three reference points for cuisine of United Punjab (Punjab on both sides of the border).
Former Miss Shimla (2005) Sherry has single handedly paved the way for many home chefs to come out of their homes and make a mark for themselves at an international level and be respected amongst the culinary fraternity.
She has featured in shows like Grilled (fox tv), Raja Rani aur Rasoi, 50 best dishes of India and in the movie Sharmaji Namkeen teaching Rishi Kapoor ji Punjabi Chinese