Business Boom and Flair: The Ascent of Food Entrepreneurs in India, Savor the Flavor!
India's Restaurant Revolution: 2015 to 2025
India's restaurant industry has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade, marking a significant shift in the nation's culinary landscape. This evolution, characterized by ambition, innovation, and heart, began in 2015 and continues to shape the industry today.
In 2015, the international franchise Media made its debut in India, publishing its first issue and marking the start of a new era for Indian dining. The special issue was a tribute to the restaurant industry, celebrating a new generation of culinary entrepreneurs.
The revolution was led by bold founders who were reimagining Indian dining. The business of food delivery was reshaped by the stock market debuts of Swiggy and Zomato. Significant acquisitions and stake sales, such as those of Theobroma by ChrysCapital and Haldiram's to Temasek, indicated the maturity and professionalization of India's food enterprises.
The rise of the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector has been a major driver of this growth. Urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and changing consumer preferences for convenience and affordability have fueled the QSR market, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 9.36% and reach ₹43.5 billion by 2030.
Key industry players like Travel Food Services Limited (TFS) and Ventive Hospitality have expanded their footprint significantly in recent years. TFS reported a 26.7% surge in sales, surpassing expansion targets by 2025, while Ventive Hospitality reported Rs 520 crore revenue for Q1 FY26. These companies have also partnered with global hospitality chains like Marriott International, indicating active consolidation and partnership strategies among major hospitality firms.
The influence of technology on Indian gastronomy is profound. The rise of app-based food delivery services has revolutionized dining habits, making ordering biryani or burgers from home commonplace. Initiatives like Telangana’s Culinary and Experiential Tourism Accelerator aim to harness innovation and sustainability in food tourism, showcasing a blend of technology, entrepreneurship, and heritage preservation enhancing the gastronomy landscape.
In 2025, the restaurant ecosystem in India is experiencing a gastronomic renaissance. Indian Accent is a popular destination for modern fine dining, while next-gen players like Rebel Foods are leading the way in the food business. Indian gastronomy is now a serious business, with chefs like Vikas Khanna and Vicky Ratnani making global waves.
The new edition of the brand name Restaurateur's magazine, The New Food Playbook: Cooked, Crafted, Coded, explores the new rules of the game in the restaurant industry. This includes AI in dining, emotional intelligence in hospitality, sustainability, hyper personalization, and the influence of Gen Y and Gen Z.
The magazine also features a beautiful feature on chutney, treating it as a symbol of memory, migration, and micro-businesses, and an essay reminding readers why food is the complete art. The restaurant industry around 2015 was witnessing a quiet but powerful revolution, and in 2025, this renaissance continues to redefine the industry, intersecting gastronomy, governance, and technology to create a fast-growing, tech-forward, and globally connected industry.
- The business of food delivery was revolutionized by the stock market debuts of Swiggy and Zomato, as well as significant acquisitions and stake sales, such as Theobroma by ChrysCapital and Haldiram's to Temasek, showcasing the maturity and professionalization of India's food enterprises.
- Urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and changing consumer preferences for convenience and affordability have fueled the growth of the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector, which is projected to reach ₹43.5 billion by 2030.
- Key industry players like Travel Food Services Limited (TFS) and Ventive Hospitality have expanded their footprint significantly, reporting impressive sales and revenue figures, and partnering with global hospitality chains like Marriott International.
- The influence of technology on Indian gastronomy is profound, with the rise of app-based food delivery services and initiatives like Telangana’s Culinary and Experiential Tourism Accelerator aiming to harness innovation and sustainability in food tourism.
- The new edition of the Restaurateur's magazine, The New Food Playbook: Cooked, Crafted, Coded, explores the intersection of technology, emotional intelligence, sustainability, hyper personalization, and the influence of Gen Y and Gen Z, redefining the Indian restaurant industry in 2025.
