Goa’s prowess as a culinary destination and the expansive, diverse range of its restaurant sector are critical to the coastal state’s journey as a regenerative tourism destination, according to state Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, who also describes Goa’s thriving restaurant scene as the “economic backbone of the local economy”.
Khaunte was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day NRAI Indian Restaurant Summit 2025, themed ‘Serving The Future’, on Tuesday and was attended by over 2,500+ delegates, 60+ speakers, 500+ brands and 300+ partners from across the country and abroad.
“Today, we are repositioning Goa as ‘Goa beyond beaches’, as a hub of culture, heritage, adventure and regenerative tourism. Goa is the first state to take on regenerative tourism, which will take on the four pillars of the people, community, economy and the environment. Food and restaurants are central to this regenerative journey,” Khaunte said.
Panaji mayor Rohit Monserrate was also in attendance at the event, held at Dona Paula.
Organised by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and hosted in the tourism-savvy state for the first time, the summit throws a spotlight on the transition of Goa from a beach and nightlife-oriented tourism hub to a serious global culinary destination through a series of panel discussions and workshops over the course of the event.
The event saw Khaunte honour legendary Goan food brands, including Longuinhos, Mr Baker, Café Tato, Café Central, Jila Bakery, Sher e Punjab, Confeitaria 31 De Janeiro, Goenchin and Titos, while also felicitating iconic chefs such as Urbano Rego and the late chef Caridade Alfonso.
Further in his address, Khaunte highlighted the need to bring Goa’s local cuisine to the fore in tune with the concepts of ‘swayampoorna’ and ‘vocal for local’. “When we celebrate local produce, when tourists eat what our farmers grow, when chefs turn traditional recipes into contemporary masterpieces, tourism truly regenerates the local economy. We can clearly see that restaurants are not just about food, they are the economic backbone of Goa’s global story,” the Tourism Minister said.
Commenting on how the food and beverage industry goes beyond the realm of a mere business activity, NRAI president Sagar Daryani said: “One thing that stands out is that we have one purpose from our heart, we have one belief that we stand for and that is, for us, food is not a business. It’s a culture. It’s an emotion. And that’s the heartbeat of our nation.”
The event also hosted industry stalwarts, including Roni Mazumdar, CEO of Unapologetic Foods and Board Director of the National Restaurant Association (USA), who delivered the keynote address, even as top food industry stakeholders including celebrated chefs and restaurateurs like AD Singh, Ashneer Grover, Anurag Katriar, Riyaaz Amlani, Ashish Tulsian, and celebrity chefs Manish Mehrotra, Ranveer Brar, Saransh Goila, Vicky Ratnani and Avinash Martin.
According to Prahlad Sukhtankar, chapter head NRAI Goa, in recent years, Goa has witnessed remarkable progress in infrastructure, with two world-class airports, rapidly improving road connectivity and policies that are actively making Goa one of the better places to do business. “In our last food services report (NRAI’s India Food Services Report 2024), Goa shows 55 percent of the restaurant industry in the offline sector, compared to the national average of just 43 percent.
That means Goans are embracing more compliant laws, more structure and more ready to grow. Service is an incredibly strong foundation, and we as restaurateurs are excited to build on it”.
A series of panel discussions at the summit addressed themes such as ‘Regional Goes National’, ‘The F&B Experience Economy: When Dining Becomes Entertainment’, ‘India as a Cocktail Destination: The Country’s Return to the Top of the Asian Bar Scene’, ‘The Evolution of Café Culture in India’, and ‘Culinary Capitals Clash: The Race to Be India’s Most Forward-Looking Food City’.
