By Mewati Sitaram
Culinary Culture concluded the third edition of FoodSuperstars – India’s Top 30 Chefs, presented by Zoya, on October 21, 2024, in Udaipur. Hosted by Vir Sanghvi, Chairman of Culinary Culture, the prestigious awards ceremony celebrated the culinary artists who are transforming India’s food landscape with their innovation and passion.
The event was a resounding success, showcasing an impressive lineup of chefs from across the country. Chef Hussain Shahzad earned the coveted No. 1 rank for his renowned restaurants, including The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, and Papa’s. The list featured seven new entrants and five returning chefs, such as Prateek Sadhu, Manu Chandra, and Suresh Pillai, highlighting vibrant culinary talent from eight cities, with Mumbai securing the most representation at ten spots.
The event was a stunning tribute to culinary excellence, with chefs donning bespoke scarves from Tasva by Tarun Tahiliani, making a striking visual statement as they took the stage. As the list was revealed in descending order, the atmosphere was electric. The celebration also recognized the late Imtiaz Qureshi, who received the Legend Chef Award posthumously, a fitting honor for his enduring legacy. Previous No. 1 chefs, including Regi Mathew, joined Manish Mehrotra in the Hall of Fame, highlighting their profound impact on the culinary world and inspiring future generations.
Raaj Sanghvi, CEO of Culinary Culture, shared his excitement: “We are incredibly grateful for the industry’s support of this unique platform. Congratulations to Hussain for being ranked No. 1, and to all our FoodSuperstars. It’s inspiring to see the amazing community of chefs we’ve built over the past three years. A big thank you to our partners—Zoya, Veeba, Fratelli, Bisleri Vedica, and Tarun Tahiliani with Tasva. We look forward to next year’s fourth edition in a new Indian city, which we aim to make even bigger!”
The selection process for FoodSuperstars 2024 was carried out by a dedicated team of over 40 FoodHunters, ensuring the awards’ integrity by not accepting any advertising or commercial influence. In a groundbreaking move, the awards focus solely on the chefs, independent of their restaurant affiliations, allowing them to retain recognition throughout their careers. Held over two days, the event featured panel discussions called Culinary Conversations, making it a vibrant celebration of food, creativity, and talent. Set against the stunning backdrop of Udaipur, it brought together India’s finest chefs to create unforgettable memories.
The Top 30 Chefs honored with the prestigious title of FoodSuperstars for 2024 included Hussain Shahzad, Johnson Ebenezer, Gresham Fernandes, Varun Totlani, Niyati Rao, Manu Chandra, Alex Sanchez, Prateek Sadhu, Jai Prakash Singh, Nooresha Kably, Naren Thimmaiah, Rahul Gomes Pereira, Avinash Martins, Shantanu Mehrotra, Doma Wang, Nikhil Nagpal, Manuel Oliveira, Pooja Dhingra, Lakhan Jethani, Amninder Sandhu, Sahil Mehta, Shubham Thakur, Julia Carmen Desa, Kavan Kuttappa, Vanshika Bhatia, Manish Sharma, Seefah Ketchaiyo, Chalapathi Rao, Adwait Anantwar, and Shri Bala.
Other special award categories included the Legend Chef 2024 by Culinary Culture, awarded posthumously to Imtiaz Qureshi; Pastry Chef 2024 by Veeba, honored to Vinesh Johny; Young Chef 2024 by Fratelli, awarded to Ralph Prazeres; Sustainable Chef 2024 by Zoya, given to Neeraj Rawoot; and People’s Chef 2024 by Vedica, awarded to Suresh Pillai.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
