29th - 30th September 2026
The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi
About
the Convention
The Food Connoisseurs India Convention (FCIC) – National Edition is a one-of-a-kind industry platform that brings together a two-day conference, a dynamic exhibition, and a prestigious awards ceremony. This flagship event serves as a melting pot for ideas, innovation, and strategic dialogue within India’s multi-billion-dollar food, beverage, and hospitality sector.
Having evolved through ten landmark editions, FCIC has established itself as India’s most formidable intellectual platform for the Food, Beverage and HoReCa industry. It is a high-impact arena where celebrated chefs, visionary restaurateurs, and hospitality leaders converge to shape the future of global cuisine. With a legacy of engaging over 23,000 industry stakeholders and honoring more than 1,600 F&B leaders for their excellence , FCIC has grown beyond a conventional gathering—it is now a benchmark for professional growth, recognition, and industry transformation.
event
in numbers
WHAT
GOES ON
why
join us
Media coverage
A workshop is embedded into a conference; it doesn’t take place on its own, but it takes place during the main conference.
New topics
The summit is an excellent opportunity to socialize and build lasting relationships with other members of the field
Coffee breaks
Completely synergize resource taxing relationships via premier niche markets. Professionally cultivate customer service.
Experience
Meet the experts from the tech and design world you follow online.
Networking
Connect with and exchange ideas with designers from all over the world.
Afterparty
Celebrate in a unique location & create great memories with our international community.
schedule
details
Day 1
SEPT 29, 2026
- Analysing the national F&B power curve, where legacy tastes meet luxury aspirations.
- Evaluating trends in Full-Service Restaurants (FSRs), including national opportunities and challenges.
- Understanding the competitive matrix between national chains and homegrown powerhouses.
- Decoding shifting consumer behaviours, such as the rise of solo dining and brunch culture.
- The evolution of the food delivery ecosystem and the shaping of dining habits.
- Market insights into hyperlocal preferences across different Indian regions.
- Identifying the future of the industry through long-term ROI and sustainable growth.
- Implementing AI-enabled forecasting for staffing and service orchestration.
- The adoption of robotic kitchens and smart appliances for automated inventory discipline.
- Strengthening back-of-house efficiencies through IoT and smart planning.
- Tech-driven personalization and data-powered guest experiences.
- Exploring future POS ecosystems with omnichannel integration and payment fluidity.
- Leveraging AI and data analytics to predict national food trends.
- Enhancing delivery efficiency through tech-driven logistics and automation.
- Implementing AI-enabled forecasting for staffing and service orchestration.
- The adoption of robotic kitchens and smart appliances for automated inventory discipline.
- Strengthening back-of-house efficiencies through IoT and smart planning.
- Tech-driven personalization and data-powered guest experiences.
- Exploring future POS ecosystems with omnichannel integration and payment fluidity.
- Leveraging AI and data analytics to predict national food trends.
- Enhancing delivery efficiency through tech-driven logistics and automation.
- Navigating the balance between hyperlocal flavors and global formats.
- Ingredient innovation focusing on millets, microgreens, and plant-based alternatives.
- Seasonal engineering to maintain cost consistency and menu variety.
- The rise of chef-driven storytelling and experiential gastronomy.
- Elevating food standards through intensive Menu R&D.
- Creative plating and design trends tailored for modern Indian dining.
- Implementing zero-waste kitchens and feasibility studies for implementation.
- Sustainability-led design focusing on energy optimization and waste minimization.
- Adopting eco-friendly packaging solutions for takeaways and deliveries.
- Reducing carbon footprints across the food production and supply chain.
- Innovations in water management and resource optimization for hotels.
- Educating customers on the “Farm to Fork” journey to promote sustainable dining.
- Implementing zero-waste kitchens and feasibility studies for implementation.
- Sustainability-led design focusing on energy optimization and waste minimization.
- Adopting eco-friendly packaging solutions for takeaways and deliveries.
- Reducing carbon footprints across the food production and supply chain.
- Innovations in water management and resource optimization for hotels.
- Educating customers on the “Farm to Fork” journey to promote sustainable dining.
- The rise of experiential cafes and what consumers seek beyond coffee.
- Analyzing the bakery and patisserie boom shaping urban menus.
- Millennials and Gen Z as the primary drivers of modern cafe culture.
- Promoting local artisans and specialty coffee roasters.
- Developing dessert bars and artisanal bakeries as scalable profit centers.
- The role of social media in defining the aesthetic and success of cafes.
- Creating intelligent, human-centric F&B ecosystems through spatial design.
- Evolving design and ambience to create memorable and “instagrammable” spaces.
- Using ambience as a brand strategy to create immersive dining concepts.
- Integrating cultural nostalgia into the physical design and environment.
- Planning for operational flow between dine-in and delivery-centric spaces.
- Designing for inclusivity and diversity within the physical hospitality environment.
Day 2
SEPT 30, 2026
- Exploring the journey from vineyard to kitchen through purposeful pairing.
- Promoting local terroir, including Indian wines and artisanal distilleries.
- Developing culinary tourism strategies to attract global and domestic foodies.
- The synergy between food and beverage as a driver for premium dining.
- Creating immersive wine-tasting experiences as a brand strategy.
- Food festivals as a medium to boost regional wine and spirit appreciation.
- Strategies for winning the “talent wars” by attracting and growing the right people.
- Building a people-forward environment in hotels and multi-unit groups.
- Leadership agility in a volatile and fast-evolving hospitality landscape.
- Implementing training frameworks that create lifelong hospitality professionals.
- Promoting gender diversity and inclusivity to meet modern workforce expectations.
- Developing crisis response playbooks for operations and reputation management.
- Driving Operational Excellence through Automation & AI
- Standing Out in a Saturated Market
- Ensuring Consistency: Quality, Safety & Hygiene at Scale
- Tech Stack that Matters: Choosing the Right Tools for Growth
- Sustainable & Responsible Packaging as a Brand Driver
- Customer Retention & Brand Recall in a Digital-First World
- The Rise of Hybrid Models & Multi-Brand Kitchens
- Driving Operational Excellence through Automation & AI
- Standing Out in a Saturated Market
- Ensuring Consistency: Quality, Safety & Hygiene at Scale
- Tech Stack that Matters: Choosing the Right Tools for Growth
- Sustainable & Responsible Packaging as a Brand Driver
- Customer Retention & Brand Recall in a Digital-First World
- The Rise of Hybrid Models & Multi-Brand Kitchens
A Few of the previous editions Eminent Speakers
About the
Food Connoisseurs India Awards
The Food Connoisseurs India Awards stand as India’s largest and most prestigious honours dedicated exclusively to excellence in the HoReCa and F&B sectors.
Winners are honoured with a distinguished trophy and a certificate bearing the signatures of the esteemed jury members—symbols of excellence and industry recognition. The awards ceremony promises to be an unforgettable evening, with over 200 awards presented in the presence of 1,200+ business leaders, including leading restaurateurs, chefs, investors, and professionals from across India.
Award Categories
A few of the previous Esteemed Jury Members
PADMA SHRI AWARDEE Dr. Pushpesh Pant
Indian Academician, Food Critic And Historian
PADMA SHRI SANJEEV KAPOOR
Masterchef & Entrepreneur
CHEF HEMANT OBEROI
Founder, OB Hospitality and Hemant Oberoi Hospitality Goa Founder, Michelin Selection Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi
CHEF MANJIT GILL
President, IFCA; Managing Director, Eco Green Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.
KUNAL VIJAYAKAR
Broadcaster, Food Writer, Author, Actor and Television Personality
ZORAWAR KALRA
Founder & MD, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. & Judge (MasterChef India)
CHEF KUNAL KAPUR
Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur, TV Personality, Judge (MasterChef India), Author & Food Researcher
CHEF RITU DALMIA
Celebrity Chef, Restaurateur, Owner of multiple acclaimed restaurants worldwide, Popular TV host & Author of several Cookbooks.
PADMA SHRI AWARDEE DR. CHEF DAMU
Celebrity Chef & Brand Ambassador GRT Group of Hotels, President- South Indian Chefs Association
CHEF AJAY CHOPRA
Chefpreneur, Restaurateur, Consultant & Judge (MasterChef India)
CHEF HARPAL SINGH SOKHI
Celebrity Chef & Entrepreneur
CHEF SANJAY THUMMA
Celebrity Chef and Entrepreneur, Chef @ Vahrehvah.com
CHEF DAVINDER KUMAR
executive Chef & Vice President, Le Meridien Hotel, New Delhi & President, Indian Culinary Forum
SHATBHI BASU
Director, Creative Consultants & STIR Academy Of Bartending
CHEF SURESH PILLAI
Founder, RCP Hospitality
DR. (CHEF) K. THIRU
Founding Dean, The School of Hospitality Management, Mahindra University
Chef Gautam Mehrishi
Corporate Executive Chef, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited
Chef Michael Swamy
Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur, Food Stylist, Author
Mr. Varun Inamdar
Chef, Chocolatier, Food Stylist, Author, Food Film Maker, Brand Advisor & Consultant
CHEF CHALAPATHI RAO
Cuisine Designer & Partner – SIMPLY SOUTH, Masterchef India (Telugu) Judge, TEDx Speaker
CHEF SANJYOT KEER
Celebrity Chef, Founder, Your Food Lab, Content Creator, Food Brand Adviser
CHEF ABHIJIT SAHA
Restauranteur, Food & Beverage Consultant, Oenophile And Author Chef-Owner – LYFE, Farm To Fork Restaurant, Bangalore
CHEF KOUSHIK S.
Celebrity Chef, Consultant, Master Chef Tamil Judge & Founder, Eatitude India)
Chef Amit Gothwal
Executive Chef Ashok Hotel, Former Executive Chef, President’s Sectretariat
CHEF RAKESH RAGHUNATHAN
Celebrity Chef, Food Historian & MasterChef India Judge (Tamil)
About the
Exhibition
The Food Connoisseurs India Expo is a premier showcase dedicated exclusively to the Food, Beverage, and HoReCa ecosystem. This dynamic platform offers exhibitors and sponsors a unique opportunity to connect directly with the most influential decision-makers in the industry.
Beyond its impactful on-ground presence, the Expo also delivers extensive off-ground promotional opportunities, ensuring exhibitors receive unmatched visibility and engagement that extends well beyond the event itself.
A few of the previous
Exhibitors & Partners
melting pot for ideas, innovation and strategic dialogue
cross-sector engagement among restaurateurs, food service enterprises, technology providers and suppliers
unlock new growth opportunities across the industry
