The South India Edition of the Food Connoisseurs India Convention (FCIC) concluded successfully on October 30th, 2023, at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center, Bengaluru. Renowned as one of the nation’s premier business-to-business F&B shows, this event played host to prominent industry figures. Organized by Industry Live, the convention drew over 1000 brands from the HoReCa domain and welcomed more than 2000 attendees.

The event garnered strong support from The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) as the ‘Supported By’ Partner, with Zee Business serving as the Telecast Partner, Red FM as the Radio Partner, and Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Center as the Hospitality Partner. SNN Foods & Celsius Logistics Solutions joined as Associate Partners, EazyDiner as the Dining Partner, On2Cook as the Session Partner, Simba as the Roaring Partner, Paul John Visitor Centre as the Celebration Partner, and Brews & Blends as the Gift Partner. Indian Culinary Forum and All India Food Processors’ Association lent their support as Supporting Associations, while World of Hospitality, Hospitality Lexis, The Chefs Arena, Better Kitchen, and Samyati magazines contributed as esteemed media partners, with TagTalk as the Digital OOH partner.

Culinary fans were welcomed to the convention with a magnificent inaugural keynote address delivered by Conference Chairperson Chef Hemant Oberoi, Founder of OB Hospitality and Hemant Oberoi Hospitality Goa; Founder of Michelin Selection Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi. Chef Oberoi’s compelling Keynote, “From Tradition to Innovation – Navigating the culinary evolution in HORECA,” offered a comprehensive perspective on the changes in culinary arts and the hospitality industry. Chef Hemant Oberoi highlighted the evolving landscape of the HoReCa industry in India, shedding light on what’s new and what’s next in the F&B industry.

The convention featured a diverse agenda, including ten different sessions on topics such as New Age Restaurants, Food Tech accelerating Food Transformation, Expansion of Regional Cuisine beyond Traditional Boundaries, The Era of Pub-Hopping & Nightlife, and Entering the World of Hospitality. These sessions brought together over 40 industry leaders, including Mr. Rajat Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer of Barista Coffee Company Limited, Mr. Sachin Pabreja, Co-Founder & CEO of EazyDiner, Ms. Swarnalatha Ravi, Director of Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan, Mr. Dhiman Das, Executive Director of K.C. Das Private Limited, Ms. Rashmi Daga, Founder & CEO of FreshMenu, Ms. Shweta Ravi, Director of Nandhana Group of Restaurants, Mr. Manish Gupta, Director of Digital Marketing & Technology at Pizza Hut India, Yum! Brands, Mr. Raghavendra Rao, Co-Founder & CEO of The Rameshwaram Café.

A highlight of the event was an engaging Fireside Chat with Mr. Zorawar Kalra, Founder & Managing Director of Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., moderated by Mr. Raunak Kundu, Founder of Bangalore Foodies Club & Secret Sauce behind a Successful Restaurant. Mr. Kalra shared insights into Culinary Entrepreneurship and navigating the path to a flourishing dining establishment.

Chef Abhijit Saha, Founder & Managing Director of Ace Hospitality & Consulting, delivered a keynote address on Sustainable Dining and the Restaurant Revolution, emphasizing the importance of crafting a greener tomorrow.

The event concluded with the Food Connoisseurs India Awards, celebrating excellence in the Indian Food & Beverage industry. A vastly experienced jury panel comprising Chef Chalapathi Rao, Cuisine Designer & Partner – Simply South, MasterChef India (Telugu) Judge, TEDx Speaker; Chef Saby, Chef, Mentor, President – Young Chefs Association of India (YCAI), Restaurateur & Entrepreneur; Chef Abhijit Saha, Founder & Managing Director, Ace Hospitality & Consulting; Chef Koushik S., Celebrity Chef, Consultant, Master Chef Tamil Judge & Founder, Eatitude; Dr. (Chef) K. Thiru, Principal, Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration; Chef Davinder Kumar, Executive Chef & Vice President, Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi & President, Indian Culinary Forum; MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria, TV Host, Author, TEDx Speaker, Entrepreneur, Educator judged winners across 190 categories.

Few of the prestigious award winners were:

Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry – Female : Ms. Swarnalatha Ravi, Director, Namma Veedu Vasanta Bhavan, Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry – Male : Mr. Zorawar Kalra, Founder & Managing Director, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., Lifetime Achievement Award : Chef Hemant Oberoi, Founder, OB Hospitality and Hemant Oberoi Hospitality Goa Founder, Michelin Selection Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi, Restaurant Serving the best South Indian Cuisine : Vidyarthi Bhavan, Restaurant Serving the best Biryani : Buhari Hotel Since 1951 Mount Road, Home Baker of the Year : Dr. Archana Diwan, Founder – Cupohlicious, Best Bar Consumables Brand of the Year : Ice Port, Restaurant Serving the best Hyderabadi Biryani – South India : MEHFIL Group of Restaurants, Best Quick Service Restaurant Chain – Hyderabad : MEHFIL Group of Restaurants, Restaurant Serving the best Multi Cuisine : Zaitoon Restaurant & Grills, Best Restro-Bar of the Year – Bengaluru : Street 1522, Best Restro-Bar in Karnataka : 1522, Best Rooftop Microbrewery of the Year – Bengaluru : Red Rhino – Craft Brewery and Inspired Kitchen, Bangalore, Best Microbrewery of the Year – Hyderabad : Red Rhino – Craft Brewery and Inspired Kitchen, Hyderabad, Best Microbrewery in Whitefield : Fox In The Field, Best Microbrewery of the Year – South India : Ironhill India, Restaurant Serving the best Telangana Cuisine : Uppu, Restaurateur of the Year – Male : Mr. Amar Ohri, Executive Director, OHRI’S GROUP, Best Restaurant Chain of the Year – Hyderabad : Ohri’s and many more.

The South India Edition of the Food Connoisseurs India Convention was a resounding success, recognizing and honoring the remarkable achievements within the industry.

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