Indian Restaurant Congress 2025: Trends, Insights, and Future of Dining in India

The 14th Indian Restaurant Congress, 2025 was organised at Bharat Mandapam. As per it’s official website, Indian Restaurant Congress is a platform that brings together Restaurateurs, Chefs, and Hospitality leaders to explore trends, technology, and growth opportunities, spanning 2 days. The event also hosted Coffee and Tea Asia Summit, 2025

I personally got myself the pass expecting an actual exhibition from top Restaurants. Like, to attract investors and to engage the visitors. And, my assumption was based on the little bit research I did beforehand. I was totally in for a shock when I entered the premises. And I remained surprised and dumbfounded for the next 15 minutes or so, walking around the “exhibition” hopelessly, where there was barely anything to exhibit than pamphlets besides people in suits waiting to make eye contact.

I really didn’t know what to do. The place had anything but food, or restaurant related stuff, like cooking, or Food tech. It was just basically Franchise sellers everywhere you walk. With 2-3 exceptions like Coffee making course, Magazine subscription, Digital ordering machine ( not new tech btw )

I regretted wasting my money. I was expecting live culinary demos and tasting counters. The website had mentioned stuff very vaguely. I found myself a seat and tried to get comfortable. Then, there was something I realised. There were panel discussions occurring right in front of me. Like I could watch and clearly hear it. I was late, but the panel discussion was also running 1 hour late from its scheduled time. I would talk about the panel discussions in a while.

After a while I finally thought to pull my socks up and explore more consciously. Make conversations. Understand the soul of the event.

Exhibitions

Barista training Certification by Italian Coffee. For 50k – 1 month. All types of coffee and an internship, with a certificate in New Delhi.

Virtual box Infrastructure. For 6k per month for the big ones. Most usable for take aways.

Other Franchises available there were Aachi, Paras, Cremica, Kaapi machines, Tribe Kombuchas, South East Asian Restaurant Chains, American and European Restaurant chains like Doner Shack, Figaro’s Pizza, Bagelstein, Franks Hot Dogs etc.

Panel Discussions

What Makes Global Brands a Success in India?

Spice Routes Reimagined: Culinary Diplomacy Between India and ASEAN

Capturing the Craze: The Celeb-Resto Partnerships

The Future Of Food Service At Home

Plating Success: Winning Customers in an Ever-Demanding World

The Rise of Beverage Innovators

Fireside Chat: The Future of Café Culture

Prominent speakers

Anil Chadha, MD ITC Hotels

Tarun Jain, CEO Tim Hortons India

Sukul Kundan, Brand CEO PF Chang’s India

Gagandeep Singh Sawhney, Chef and Cuisne Specialist ShangriLa

Dipender Tiwari, Director QLA

Saby Gorai, President Young Chefs Association of India

Takeaways from Discussions

Reflections on the discussions held at the event. I have paraphrased statements from the speakers.

• Eating Habits abroad are developed around convenience, but in India it is more about boredom. Boredom of the house, and everyday meals. We want new experiences and taste once in while. Hence, Delivery or Dine In are the most opted here. No Takeout.

• How to modify an International brand to succeed in India. Customizations are ultra focused on a Vegetarian menu. There definitely have to be rice additions, palatable Spices. The key is just, you give people what they want. There is also Curry flavoured sandwiches, Tandoori sandwiches etc. The experimentation is still ongoing.

• ‘Can I make my Kaala Khatta mix go international?’, asked one of the woman from the crowd. The speaker responded in positive and gave the example of Kopi Kenangan Mantan Coffee. The Indonesian coffee with the memories of an ex-lover coffee. He explained on the right marketing, tapping the right markets and chains.

• Street Vendors have contributed a lot to develop the ecosystem. And set the stage right for growth of the Food and Restaurant business. Now, it is all part of Start Up even serving on the streets.

• Does delivery food tastes the same as it tastes in the restaurant? As the delivery is rising, and so are such service platforms. Any food is best when served in the premises. However, that is not convenient. Some foods are complex to prepare at home. Packaging tech and temperature are key to preserve the taste in deliveries. Even teas and coffee are being delivered today, bringing it to a temp so it remains high when customer gets it.

• The weather and the culture defines our eating habits. And our likeliness towards a certain kind of food. All foods don’t travel so well.

• The influence of Malaysian, Indonesian, Japanese, Thai, and Korean cuisine has grown immensely and not only in top restaurants. There is a lot of experimentation going on, and people are liking it. There is so much scope and openings for new cuisines. Especially Eastern cuisine. We are easily able to adapt to the taste. We have a sense of spicy. Our taste buds developed concurrently. The footfall has also increased due to increased Globalisation and connectivity. There are also new spice routes opening to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. And of course with the ASEAN, the direct flights to ASEAN countries have exposed Indians to their culture and cuisine. The fusions are ever evolving.

• We have less specialised food at our Restaurants. Our Restaurants have huge Menus. Meanwhile in Japan and Korea, there are places that just serve 2- 3 items, and those eateries are world famous. Is the Indian customer still not mature enough to know of what they want that? We have a variety of cuisines in our country and we got the FOMO. It’s confusing to choose. We always need more options.

• Why is it so hard for Indian restaurants to get a Michelin star. We are definitely on the map. Rest assured, Indian cuisine should be made more accessible, palatable for a foreign clientele. We need to keep adapting.

• With the rise if themed restaurants- Major and Micro regional themes. The emergence of Instagramable cafeteria or Coffee Raves. The seekers are looking to enter into a new world. They want an escape. They want entertainment. There are culinary stages. The sense, the view. The storytelling. The ingredients. The supply chain behind each and every dish. Sensory experience. Of how it looks, feels, is sourced. Customers become a part of the process. And that is where the entertainment begins. Each and every dish has a story, a purpose behind it.

• A place which is known and good for breakfast, will not be a good dinner place. We need to accept that. Japan is doing the same sushi. Paris the same pastries. Italy the same pasta, pizza. And they are excelling in that cooking. Maybe they go from one type of vanilla bean to another. And, that’s it. We should take more pride in our food, and talk more about it. And, then later on talk about innovation. There is no pride in fusion, 10 new techniques etc. We rather try to excel in, commercialize our root cooking first. Also, here in India we want to try new places and food. Meanwhile, in Europe you’re getting your sourdough from the same bakery for the past 30 years. And hope the chef doesn’t die. If you are doing everything in the cuisine. You are doing everything wrong.

• Depender Tiwari, Director of Qla restaurant naming some present unique dishes at his restaurant mentions Salmon dish with vanilla, honey and pink pepper; Watermelon salad with cinnamon etc. He also talks about promoting local ingredients in his menu like Jhakia, Jhagora, Assam rice and many more. He indicates in the conversation that Qla changes it’s entire menu every 6 months. He explains that people here like to try different flavours, but they should taste familiar. Furthermore, he hinted at an ongoing innovation at his restaurant that is, AI integrated with CCTV cameras. Which will read on customer’s facial expressions while eating and notify the management that customer is not ‘enjoying’. And, it is also being used to monitor suspicious activity from the staff.

• ‘You ask somebody what their favourite Indian food is, they will just say Butter Chicken or Dal Makhani. And that’s hurtful.’, said Chef Vardaan Marwah- Director, Farro. ‘Every month i do a different regional menu.’, he added. He also elaborates on an event the resataurant chefs participate in every week. Where chefs share their regional or family recipes. And all of them later decide on whether it will make it to the menu.

• Gen z are not loyal set of customers. Their loyalty changes overnight. What happens FOMO fades? The public vanishes. Biggest challenge lies in retaining the customer and I believe the food only will not do it anymore. 75% of the game is the backend. And, the crucial part is making the customer a part of the process.

• Social media is where all the decisions are made today. Gen z must not have money, but they are great influencers.

• Stay on trend. Matcha bandwagon. Instagramable things. But do not forget your essence.

• Indians have Global Aspirations but Local Palates

Overview

Now, For a chance to attend conference. You’ll have to pay 14k at least. The Gold membership was around 30k, which according to the website covered both days, networking lunch, dinner, and the Awards Nights.

For the panel discussions I assumed there would be a separate hall it would be in a different hall. But, it wasn’t. I was seated there for 6-7 hours listening to the discussions, and nobody bothered me. There was no option for buying food though. You would be served only if you have already paid aforementioned amounts. There was Water, Coffee, and ample of Tribe Kombuchas though. Thereafter, I returned with an empty stomach, but with a lot of insights on the food industry.

The conversations with the speakers was really the highlight of the event. I felt enlightened listening to most of them. Until it was the celebrity chefs. I know the irony, but that was my least favourite Panel discussion. Chef Kunal Kapoor didn’t show up, which was pretty disappointing. They didn’t even mention that he couldn’t make it. They just went on, hoping we wouldn’t notice.

Honestly, it wasn’t of much help if you are or want to get into restaurant business until you have the gold pass. Which I’m not very sure of again. Because I saw the ‘Networking Lunch’, where people were on their own. But I think it would help you if you are already in the field and want to grow further.

Now, about making connections and networking, I think that was a little exaggerated on the website. That is what I could assess from it, because the speakers, the panel members didn’t stick around before and after discussions for any sort of networking or investment meets to occur.

Attending the event cost me approximately 2500.

I think it’s a meh for the people in the restaurant business. And, I wouldn’t attend again.