Culinary Culture proudly concluded the third edition of FoodSuperstars – India’s Top 30 Chefs, presented by Zoya, on October 21, 2024, in the stunning city of Udaipur. Hosted by Vir Sanghvi, Chairman of Culinary Culture, this prestigious awards ceremony celebrated the culinary artists transforming India’s food landscape with their innovation and passion.
The event was a resounding success, showcasing a remarkable lineup of talented chefs flown in from across the country. The coveted No. 1 rank went to Chef Hussain Shahzad recognized for his restaurants which include The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro and Papa’s. The list welcomed seven new entrants and five returning chefs to the list, including Prateek Sadhu, Manu Chandra, Suresh Pillai and celebrated vibrant culinary talent from eight cities, with Mumbai securing the highest representation at ten spots.
Dressed in bespoke scarves from Tasva by Tarun Tahiliani, the chefs took center stage as the list was revealed in descending order. The event also honored Special Award recipients, including the late Imtiaz Qureshi, who was posthumously awarded the Legend Chef Award. Previous No. 1 chefs, such as Regi Mathew, were also celebrated as they joined Manish Mehrotra in the Hall of Fame, underscoring their lasting influence on the culinary landscape.
Raaj Sanghvi, CEO of Culinary Culture, expressed his enthusiasm, “We are immensely grateful for the industry’s support for this unique platform. A huge congratulations to Hussain for being ranked No. 1, and to all our FoodSuperstars. It’s heartening to witness the amazing community of chefs we’ve built over the past three years. Thank you to our partners—Zoya, Veeba, Fratelli, Bisleri Vedica, and Tarun Tahiliani with Tasva. We look forward to seeing you next year in a new Indian city for the fourth edition, which we aim to make even bigger!”
The selection process for FoodSuperstars is rigorous, conducted by a dedicated team of over 40 FoodHunters who traveled the nation to identify outstanding culinary talents. Each nomination is thoroughly vetted and debated before being presented to Culinary Culture’s Secret Jury which is overseen by Vir Sanghvi, ensuring that only the most deserving chefs make the final list.
Importantly, FoodSuperstars maintains its integrity by not accepting any form of advertising or commercial considerations from restaurants or hotels, and the list remains completely confidential until it is revealed live at the ceremony. In a groundbreaking approach, these awards focus on the chefs themselves, independent of their restaurant affiliations, ensuring that recognition stays with the chefs throughout their careers.
Bikram Basu, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at ABDL, remarked, “On behalf of the entire ABDL team, heartiest congratulations to Chef Hussain Shahzad for being ranked No. 1, and to all the culinary artists who were a part of this year’s FoodSuperstars. It’s indeed a pleasure to collaborate ZOYA Special Batch Gin with FoodSuperstars, a platform that celebrates and recognizes the versatility of taste, flavors and aroma crafted by the amazing convergence of chefs.”
As the culinary community gathered to celebrate excellence and creativity, this year’s No. 1 Chef, Hussain Shahzad shared their gratitude: “Thank you Culinary Culture and all the FoodSuperstars partners for this honor. I am grateful to be part of this amazing community and this will inspire me to work harder to be worthy of this responsibility. Thank you for making chefs feel special.”
FoodSuperstars 2024, held over two days and featuring a day of panel discussions known as Culinary Conversations, was more than just an awards ceremony; it was a vibrant celebration of food, creativity, and talent. This event brought together India’s finest chefs, allowing them to create unforgettable memories against the breathtaking backdrop of Udaipur.
The Top 30 Chefs honored with the prestigious title of FoodSuperstars for 2024 are:
- 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
- Shri Bala
Legend Chef 2024 by Culinary Culture: Imtiaz Qureshi
Pastry Chef 2024 by Veeba: Vinesh Johny
Young Chef 2024 by Fratelli: Ralph Prazeres
Sustainable Chef 2024 by Zoya: Neeraj Rawoot
People’s Chef 2024 by Vedica: Suresh Pillai
