Today, the statement ‘Women in the kitchen’ is brimming with pride.
When the kitchen served as golden prisons for women back then, the same kitchen in a professional setting as in hotels and restaurants was particularly the men’s world of freedom.
Thanks to the woman who walked ‘the road less travelled by’ and has turned the tables around with an innovative mind-frame combined with persistent effort.
Not only such women were successfully recognised as entrepreneurs, but they are the ultimate torchbearers who have paved the way for many women to walk the same road with confidence.
Given below is the list of 10 Indian woman entrepreneurs who have shaken the food industry all around the world.
1. Rashmi Dega – Founder of Fresh Menu
‘Swimming against the tide is victory indeed’
From corporates to cloud kitchens, the story of Rashmi Dega cannot be overstated with her initial remarkable entry into the food-tech sector with the idea of Fresh Menu.
Launched in 2014; to revolutionize the way people eat from the aspect of convenience, she had seen it coming. In a period when ‘fast food’ and ‘Indian Tiffen Services’ were not easily pronounced, her advent of delivering fresh gourmet-style meals to customers’ doorsteps was a challenge of its time.
A rotating menu with world cuisine and regional specialties like Mexican rice bowls and roti & sabzi is what you call ‘Fresh menus are refreshing’.
Although way ahead of its time, the eventual catching up with the trend of food delivery is quite true.
2. Avni Biyani – CEO & Group Head Food Stories
‘Change transcending to transformative is when real change is happening’
In 2011, Ashni Biyani and her sister co-founded “Food Hall,” a revolutionary premium lifestyle food retailing experience at Palladium Mall in Mumbai, as retailing evolves.
By 2024, Food Hall had evolved into Food Stories, offering an experience environment to taste and celebrate Indian and international cuisines for urban-Indian travelers.
The speciality of Food Stories is its grand ambience stocked with curated sections of cheese, and other fresh produce from domestic and also other global brands.
The differentiation aspect of Food stories is its compelling narrative of food as an experience that has captured global attention.
3. Manjari Singh and Hiranyami Shivani – Founders of The Chhaunk
‘Serving traditions can never go outdated’
The birth of Chhaunk is specifically marked by passion meeting tradition.
Accordingly, the dynamic duos of ‘Chhaunk’, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have defied the cliché of catfights.
During the pandemic lockdown in Delhi, a cloud kitchen with authentic Bihar cuisine was conceived in 2021 to fill the void.
While Hiranyami entails her responsibilities towards bringing freshly prepared traditional cuisines to the table, Manjari Singh seeks the operational and business aspects of it.
With a focus on expanding to new regions and territories, Chhaunk stands as a testimonial in revealing the true power of family ties and collaborative spirit.
4. Dipna Anand– Co-Owner of The Brilliant Restaurant
‘Blending in the richness of fusion cuisines’
London is spiced up with the harmonious blend of Punjabi and Kenyan cuisines by Dipna Anand, the third-generation chef who is taking the legacy forward with glint and gleam.
Brilliant restaurant’s humble journey began from Kenya in the 1950s to the present London.
Beyond her role as a co-owner, she is also well-known for wearing multiple hats as a culinary educator and an author of her recent cookbook named, ‘Dipliciously Brilliant’.
In committing to taking forward her family legacy, Dipna Anand is pushing herself to embrace new horizons thereby reaching newer heights.
5. Seema Sanghavi – Founder of Cooks Who Feeds
‘A business-led with a purpose’
Although the paradoxical existence of hunger and food waste cannot be completely eradicated, still it can be eliminated to a significant extent.
As proof, Seema Sanghavi’s social venture, Cooks Who Feed, serves 100 meals through non-profit partnerships for every apron sold.
Beyond feeding the needy, the firm organically combines a sustainable approach by providing equitable working conditions for the marginalized apron maker. By garnering attention for the social good, the business brought in transformative results.
6. Chetan and Roshni Dahl – Founders of Heart to Home
‘True happiness comes when it gets served and shared’
The pair founded ‘Heart to Home’ to accommodate Canada’s rising senior population by offering homemade food delivery services with freshly prepared meals with full customization.
Seniors who struggle to cook bread or have reduced mobility can get fresh, tasty, and nutritious meals from Heart to Home Meals.
With a focus on enhancing the quality of life, the couple has certainly moved the usual trajectory of the food business towards making a social impact.
7. Dipti Motiani– Founder of Second Nature
‘Skyrocketing from Engineering to Entrepreneurship’
Although hailed from Carnegie Mellon University, her calling was certainly from the cold-pressed fruit extracts.
Second nature chooses to stay differentiated in developing nutritional beverages free from added preservatives and thereby retaining the natural essence.
By expanding into top-tier Indian cities and using Amazon, the business is poised for fast growth.
Through her juice mission, Dipti is redefining the space of healthy beverages through the process of simplified cold-pressing and retaining natural integrity.
8. Pooja Dhingra – Founder of Le 15 Patisserie
‘Pastry is on the way from Paris’
Deeply inspired by her family’s deep-rooted tradition in the culinary domain, Pooja Dhingra found a natural inclination to the world of culinary arts.
However, her hospitality management studies in Switzerland, and her experience in French pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris fueled her love deeper.
After starting Le 15 Patisserie in 2010, the “Macaron Queen” pioneered the Indianization of macrons and other French confections.
While a steadfast growth journey is happening, she still chooses to live by her philosophy of ‘keep it moving’ by opening different gateways of opportunities.
9. Karyna Bajaj – Executive Director, KA Hospitality
‘Leaping far from Boston to the business of hospitality’
A strategic roadmap with a deep dive into the hospitality business, Karyna Bajaj is a pivotal figure in modernising the dining experiences of today.
Her business strategy skills helped her optimize internal procedures and increase the organization’s portfolio by introducing various worldwide brands to India.
To name a few, Nara Thai, Cin Cin, Hakkasan, and Yauatcha are some of the successful establishments that found their middle ground in India.
Her journey symbolises dedicated & stupendous efforts placed at the right time to blur the geographical boundaries with a perfect mix of local and global dining experiences.
10. Pallavi Jayswal – Uno Mas Tapas Bar Kitchen
‘Integration of culture finds humanity in serving’
A chef and an entrepreneur being celebrated for her introduction of authentic Spanish Tapas culture into Mumbai’s scene of dining in the year 2018.
Not just in serving the unique recipes, the Spanish culture is embodied even employing its ambience starting from a casual seating arrangement to an island bar integration.
With her sound belief in innovation and consistency in delivering quality-enriched customer experience, Uno Mas has received multiple ‘Food and nightlife’ honors and continues to advance.
Wrap-Up
‘Stories are meant to spark actions’
Your dreams are just wishful thinking unless it gets translated into actionable efforts driving impactful results.
Having made their foray into the male-constructed food industry, the journey of the 10 Indian woman entrepreneurs is more than enough to re-ignite the entrepreneurial fire in you.
If you are still daydreaming about your cooking ambitions in the digital world, Meal Maven, the leading homemade food delivery service, Toronto with its online platform can be your perfect start.
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