The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the voice of the Indian F&B industry, successfully concluded the 4th edition of the NRAI Indian Restaurant Summit 2025 at the Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, marking yet another milestone in India’s evolving food service landscape.
With the theme “Serving the Future” this year’s summit welcomed 2500+ industry professionals, 300+ leading brands, and 80+ distinguished speakers, making it India’s largest restaurant industry annual event. From all over the country, restaurateurs, chefs, investors, delivery partners, policymakers, and technology innovators attended. Discussions highlighted evolving culinary trends, with a growing emphasis on ethnic cuisines, alongside the transformative influence of technology and Gen Z on the future of the F&B industry.
The event began with an exclusive Google CEO Roundtable, featuring insightful deliberations with leading restaurateurs. The summit day commenced with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony graced by Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Tourism, IT, and E&C, Government of Goa, Rohit Monserrate, Mayor Goa, along with the NRAI leadership team. This was followed by three days of insightful sessions, hands-on workshops, engaging exhibitions, and networking forums.
Speaking at the summit, Sagar Daryani, President NRAI, said “The NRAI Indian Restaurant Summit has always been more than just a discussion; it is about shaping the future of our industry together. In Goa, we witnessed unparalleled energy and collaboration among all stakeholders. From sustainability and digital transformation to profitability and policy advocacy, the discussions here will help define the roadmap for India’s food and beverage sector in the coming decade.”
“Our industry has faced immense challenges in recent years, but what sets us apart is our resilience. From neighbourhood cafés to large restaurant chains, we have fought back with determination, continued to innovate, and above all, served our guests with warmth and a smile. This spirit of perseverance is what keeps India’s restaurant community strong and thriving”, he further added.
Prahlad Sukhtankar, Chapter Head, NRAI Goa, added: “The success of this year’s summit demonstrates the strength and resilience of India’s restaurant community. Goa proved to be the perfect setting to celebrate innovation, culture, and collaboration and is rapidly emerging as a culinary hub, drawing a diverse set of tourists from across the world and offering a melting pot of global tastes and experiences. As India’s emerging culinary hub, it continues to attract talent, creativity, and fresh ideas, making it the ideal destination for such a gathering. We are excited to carry forward the ideas and partnerships forged here.”
The summit featured a fireside conversation between Gauri Devidayal and keynote speaker Roni Mazumdar, CEO, Unapologetic Foods, Board Ditrector, National restaurant Assiociation (USA). He noted that this is the biggest event of the year for the F&B industry, which has successfully made its mark in Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai, and now in Goa, a remarkable achievement and a proud milestone for the community.
Furthermore, there were other discussions on a variety of topics, including Dining as Theatre, Raising the Bar: India’s Present and Future, Staying Relevant in Changing Times, The Evolution of QSRs, Cafés, and Fast Casual in India, and How Regional Cuisines are Going Mainstream. The event concluded with the grand finale session, Food Fight – Culinary Capitals Clash: The Race for India’s Food Frontier.
In addition, attendees participated in deep-dive workshops and masterclasses that dived into key industry trends and growth strategies. Highlights included The Economics of Cloud Kitchens in India with Sumit Gulati and Ashish Tulsian, Digital Supercharging for Restaurants by the Google team, Building Growth Beyond Discounts with Parin Sanghvi and Rahul Singh, The Perfect Serve: Crafting Beverage Experiences with Tim Du Gardijn and Ishrat Kaur, Automation That Cooks Up Profits with Jyoti Sudhir, Sunil Shrivastava, and Mirnal Sethi, Scaling & Optimising Kitchens for Profitability with Chef Ashish Massey.
The summit also brought together some of the most eminent speakers and industry leaders, including Ankit Ahuja, Nitin Saluja, Chef Ashish Massey, Ankush Grover, Chef Shankar Krishnamurthy Mister Tikku (Influencer & Food Personality), whose diverse perspectives enriched the discussions around growth, profitability, sustainability, consumer behavior, and the future of India’s restaurant industry.
Culinary and tech showcases complemented these sessions, allowing participants to see innovations in restaurant technology, food delivery, packaging, automation, and new cloud kitchen profitability models that attract decision-makers from across the F&B value chain. The summit also emphasized networking and community building, with an exclusive Poolside Welcome Sundowner, which brought together over 2,500 distinguished guests, after parties, and curated networking forums, as well as the NRAI Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the exciting NRAI Premier League (NPL), which featured cricket and beach volleyball, fostering collaboration and camaraderie among the restaurant community.
The 2025 edition was made possible with the support of partners like Restroworks (Presenting Partner) and industry leaders such as Coca-Cola, Google, Goa Tourism, Nestlé Professional, AWL, Reelo, Foodservice India, Hyfun Foods, Grant Thornton, EazyDiner, UEngage, Pernod Ricard, McCain, MasterChef Creations, and Prasuma, among others. The NRAI is grateful to its sponsors, partners, speakers, and delegates for their enthusiastic participation and support in making the 4th Indian Restaurant Summit a resounding success.
GOA’S LEGENDARY FOOD BRANDS FELICITATED
Goa’s legendary food brands were in the spotlight at the three-day NRAI Indian Restaurant Summit 2025, held near Panaji, where iconic names linked to the food and beverage sector, namely Café Tato, Sher-E-Punjab, Mr Baker 1922, Jila Bakery, Longuinhos Bar, Restaurant & Confectioners and Café Central, were honoured for their role in shaping the state’s culinary and cultural identity.
The fourth edition of the summit, organised by the National Restaurant Association of India, which was inaugurated on Tuesday by Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte in the presence of NRAI president Sagar Daryani and NRAI’s Goa chapter head Pralhad Sukhtankar, brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of Indian dining, with sessions on sustainability, innovation and the role of regional cuisines.
In Panaji, Café Tato has been part of the city since 1913, with generations of families relishing their trademark puri bhaji, batata wadas and samosas. “Puri Bhaji is our main and most loved product. The business has been taken over by the fourth generation of the family and similarly, the legacy of generations coming to Tato’s has been followed by the customers as well. We cook every half an hour, and every single time we taste the food ourselves before serving it to the customers,” said owner Pradip Dhuri.
Sher-E-Punjab, established in 1969, brought Punjabi dishes into the Goan mainstream. Its kebabs and naan have since become a staple for locals and visitors. Nearby, Mr Baker has operated for more than a century from its location near the Municipal Garden. Its rissois and bebinca have long been tied to the city’s festive and everyday life. “Our forte has been the connectivity with the people. I am the third generation, my son is the fourth generation who is bringing innovations,” said owner Nenette Fernandes.
Far away from Panaji, Jila Bakery in Loutolim has kept its éclairs at the centre of its reputation. “Éclair is the most loved product of our bakery. It is people’s trust in us that has kept Jila Bakery so close to the heart of each of our customers,” said owner Reginaldo Antao. In Margao, Longuinhos Bar, Restaurant & Confectioners continues to serve Goan-Portuguese fare alongside sweets, while Café Central, founded in 1932, is still known for its mushroom samosas and cakes.
The recognition of these establishments at the summit was not only on account of their sustained business success, but also how such restaurants and brands are central to Goa’s identity and economy, as Khaunte said during the summit’s inaugural session: “We can clearly see that restaurants are not just about food, they are the economic backbone of Goa’s global story.”
