
Dr. Shashi Tharoor
Diplomat & Author
Renowned politician, author, and former UN Under-Secretary General.
Food For Thought Fest is a unique infotainment experience built around gastronomy. It celebrates South Asia's rich culinary heritage and shared cultural identity through a blend of immersive food experiences and thought-provoking conversations.
Curated by the South Asian Association for Gastronomy (S.A.A.G), the festival brings together chefs, thinkers, leading restauranteurs & hoteliers, mixologists, authors, opinion leaders, journalists, celebrities and food enthusiasts from across the region in one dynamic, multi-sensory event.
A growing community of chefs, thinkers, and food lovers across South Asia.
Trusted by 100+ brands and partners powering every edition of the festival.
A decade of over 50 icons that include celebrity chefs, cricket legends, film directors, politicians, moguls, authors, royals and thought leaders, have made Food For Thought Fest unforgettable.

Diplomat & Author
Renowned politician, author, and former UN Under-Secretary General.

G20 Sherpa & Former CEO, NITI Aayog
India's G20 Sherpa; former CEO of NITI Aayog; architect of Make in India and Startup India.

Cricket Legend
Indian batting icon and fitness advocate who spoke on 'Fitness through Food'.

Cricket Legend & Politician
Former India cricketer; MP from Lok Sabha 2019; ex-KKR & Delhi Daredevils IPL captain.

Cricket Legend
Former Indian cricket captain known for his stylish batting and remarkable insights into fitness.

India Cricketer
Indian opener; fastest to 3000 ODI runs; record T20I run-scorer in a calendar year.

Cricket Legend
Former Indian cricket captain and legendary spin bowler.

Celebrity Chef & Storyteller
Award-winning chef, author & culinary storyteller known for his firesides on Indian food history.

Founder, Goila Butter Chicken
Award-winning chef and travel enthusiast known for promoting regional Indian food globally.

Chef, Darjeeling Express London
Darjeeling Express London founder; Netflix Chef's Table star; champion of immigrant women chefs.

Celebrity Chef & Author
Award-winning chef in New York; author of Indian Home Cooking & American Masala.

Author & TV Anchor
Padma Shri; 50+ books on cuisine & culture; TV anchor and documentary producer.

Celebrity Chef
Chef who cooked for Queen Elizabeth & Nelson Mandela; global flavours, local ingredients.

Celebrity Chef & TV Host
Celebrity chef & TV host; author of multiple cookbooks; brand ambassador and food innovator.

Celebrity Chef
Executive Chef SodaBottleOpenerWala; Parsi cuisine champion; featured in Vogue & Times of India.

Actor & Politician
Bhojpuri superstar and Member of Parliament known for his contribution to arts and public life.

Filmmaker, Poet & Designer
Filmmaker & poet; director of Umrao Jaan; champion of Lucknowi culture and Sufi traditions.

Head of Royal House of Tripura
Cultural advocate representing the ancient royal culinary traditions of Tripura.

Royal Family of Jammu & Kashmir
Representative of the Kashmiri royal house and an expert in traditional heritage cuisines.

Maharani of Vadodara
Maharani of Vadodara; patron of royal culinary heritage; champion of Baroda's royal cuisine.

Royal Family of Rampur
Nawab Kazim Ali Khan; UP MLA; Raza Library board member; UP Tourism past chairman.

Master Chef
The legendary architect behind the revival of Awadhi and Dum Pukht cuisine.

Celebrity Chef
Television host of 'Mummy Ka Magic' and expert on nutrition-focused culinary arts.

Celebrity Chef
Famous chef and TV host known for his show 'Chakh Le India'.

Ad Guru & Entrepreneur
Ad guru behind Pepsi & KitKat campaigns; founder PKSBE; restaurateur and entrepreneur.

Para-Athlete
First Indian female para-athlete with Paralympic medal; 4 Limca World Records holder.

Celebrity Chef & TV Host
Celebrity TV chef; host of Bake Do Teen; proponent of Indian food and desi ghee.

Politician
Indian politician and Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha.

Author & Food Critic
India's foremost food critic; author of 20+ food guides; TV host and celebrity tastemaker.

Food Consultant
Food consultant, author, and pioneer of gourmet food in India.

Writer, Scholar & Translator
Renowned writer & historian; author of Where Stones Speak; columnist for The Hindu.

Veteran Chef, ITC Hotels
ITC Hotels culinary head; veteran chef; pioneer of refined Indian cuisine on the global stage.

Corporate Chef, ITC Hotels
Corporate Chef ITC Hotels; one of India's top women chefs; expert in modern Indian cuisine.

Chef & Restaurateur
Caperberry & Fava founder; Best Chef of India 2013; expert in European & Indian cuisine.

Chef (Chef Saby)
Chef Saby; ex-Olive Qutub director; Best Chef of India awarded by President of India.

Food Writer & Chef
Food writer & historian; Lost Recipes of India founder; expert in Mughlai & Rampuri cuisine.

Actor & Internet Sensation
Actor & Pammi Aunty creator; Youth Icon of India; Bharat Shiromani Award winner.

Performer, Singer & Chef
Performer-singer-chef; holistic healer & yoga teacher on wellbeing through food.

Founder, KHOYA
Founder of KHOYA, India's beloved artisan chocolate brand celebrating Indian flavours.

Chairperson, THE PARK HOTELS
Padma Shri awardee and a leading figure in India's boutique hospitality industry.

Media Mogul & Entrepreneur
Serial entrepreneur; media mogul; owner of BW Businessworld 35-year media brand.

Senior TV Journalist
Senior TV journalist; covered 4 general elections; India's toughest political interviewer.

Japanese Sushi Master Chef
Japanese Sushi Master Chef; brought authentic Edo-style sushi techniques to South Asia.

Film Director
Bollywood director known for 'Baar Baar Dekho', discussing culinary research in cinema.

TV Host
Co-host of the iconic travel and food show 'Highway on My Plate'.

TV Host
Co-host of the iconic travel and food show 'Highway on My Plate'.

Spiritual Healer & Yogini
International spiritual healer and yogini; expert in holistic wellness and mind-body practices.

Chef, Bombay Sweet Shop
Head chef at Bombay Sweet Shop, celebrated for reimagining Indian mithai with modern culinary techniques.

Singer & Entrepreneur
Indo-British singer and entrepreneur; known for fusing cultures through music and lifestyle ventures.

Managing Editor, GlobalSpa & PEAKLIFE
Moderator and Managing Editor of GlobalSpa & PEAKLIFE magazines; voice of luxury wellness in India.
Explore masterclasses and thought-provoking conversations from world-renowned chefs and thinkers

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Sapna Vyas

Master Chef Abhijit Saha & Chef Suvir Saran

Master Chef Osama Jalali & Rashmi Uday Singh

Chef Alvar Hinojal Crespo & Lourdes Perez

Chef Gurpreet Singh & Amit Bagga

Celebrity Chef Asma Khan (U.K)

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Chef Harpal Sokhi

Hiroshi Isomura (Japan) & Chef Michael Swamy

Chef Shyam Thapa & Rohini Rana

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Sapna Vyas

Master Chef Abhijit Saha & Chef Suvir Saran

Master Chef Osama Jalali & Rashmi Uday Singh

Chef Alvar Hinojal Crespo & Lourdes Perez

Chef Gurpreet Singh & Amit Bagga

Celebrity Chef Asma Khan (U.K)

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Chef Harpal Sokhi

Hiroshi Isomura (Japan) & Chef Michael Swamy

Chef Shyam Thapa & Rohini Rana

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Sapna Vyas

Master Chef Abhijit Saha & Chef Suvir Saran

Master Chef Osama Jalali & Rashmi Uday Singh

Chef Alvar Hinojal Crespo & Lourdes Perez

Chef Gurpreet Singh & Amit Bagga

Celebrity Chef Asma Khan (U.K)

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Chef Harpal Sokhi

Hiroshi Isomura (Japan) & Chef Michael Swamy

Chef Shyam Thapa & Rohini Rana

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Sapna Vyas

Master Chef Abhijit Saha & Chef Suvir Saran

Master Chef Osama Jalali & Rashmi Uday Singh

Chef Alvar Hinojal Crespo & Lourdes Perez

Chef Gurpreet Singh & Amit Bagga

Celebrity Chef Asma Khan (U.K)

Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani & Chef Harpal Sokhi

Hiroshi Isomura (Japan) & Chef Michael Swamy

Chef Shyam Thapa & Rohini Rana

Plenary Session with Dr. Pushpesh Pant

Beauty & Fitness Panel

The Resurgence of Royal Cuisines

The Resurgence & Rebirth of Mithai

The Wellness Diet in the Post-Pandemic Era

Post-Pandemic Pivot in the Restaurant Business

The Diet of Movie Stars

Sports Icons Share Their Diet

Gut Health & Mental Wellbeing

Plenary Session with Dr. Pushpesh Pant

Beauty & Fitness Panel

The Resurgence of Royal Cuisines

The Resurgence & Rebirth of Mithai

The Wellness Diet in the Post-Pandemic Era

Post-Pandemic Pivot in the Restaurant Business

The Diet of Movie Stars

Sports Icons Share Their Diet

Gut Health & Mental Wellbeing

Plenary Session with Dr. Pushpesh Pant

Beauty & Fitness Panel

The Resurgence of Royal Cuisines

The Resurgence & Rebirth of Mithai

The Wellness Diet in the Post-Pandemic Era

Post-Pandemic Pivot in the Restaurant Business

The Diet of Movie Stars

Sports Icons Share Their Diet

Gut Health & Mental Wellbeing

Plenary Session with Dr. Pushpesh Pant

Beauty & Fitness Panel

The Resurgence of Royal Cuisines

The Resurgence & Rebirth of Mithai

The Wellness Diet in the Post-Pandemic Era

Post-Pandemic Pivot in the Restaurant Business

The Diet of Movie Stars

Sports Icons Share Their Diet

Gut Health & Mental Wellbeing
Explore our specially curated thematic spaces, each offering a unique journey through diverse culinary worlds.
Explore each year's theme, key conversations, and highlights from the festival journey.








Hear from the culinary legends and global icons who have been part of our journey.

Masterchef India Judge & Culinary Artist
“For me, Food For Thought Fest allows you to seep into the conversation about food a little deeper, and when this happens, your relationship with food becomes stronger.”

Member of Parliament & Author
“Food sustains life, encourages thought, nourishes the intellect, and expands your horizons. Above all, good food, tastily made and tastefully presented, is a pleasure to view, consume and reflect upon.”

Former CEO NITI Aayog & G20 Sherpa
“An exceptional entrepreneurial initiative that uses the passion for gastronomy to bring South Asian nations together. Building meaningful cross-border connections through food is truly admirable.”

Indian Academic, Food Critic & Historian
“I think this is what the S.A.A.G. Food for Thought festival is all about. It goes beyond food; it stays centered on food and multi-layered food for thought, food for the soul, and so on.”

Chef & Restaurateur (Top 100 Most Influential People in the World, TIME 2024)
“For Indian chefs in the West, staying rooted is vital for sustainability. This event in Ahmedabad was a wonderful opportunity for me to reconnect, rejuvenate, and heal my spirit.”

Former Indian Cricket Captain & Coach
“At the outset, I would like to congratulate the S.A.A.G team for hosting the Food for Thought Fest. This convergence of ideas, flavors and cultures from the South Asian region will bring this part of the world closer.”

Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team
“I am very happy to be here today and to be a part of this conversation on such a lovely and unique platform.”

Celebrity Chef & Television Host
“The Food For Thought Fest is truly one of the standout festivals of our time. It creates a fantastic platform for celebrating 'real food' and brings together chefs from neighboring countries like Nepal and Bangladesh to showcase the unique culinary heritage of their lands.”

Celebrity Chef & TV Host
“The Food For Thought Fest is just a great event for bringing a lot of countries together.”
What leading national and global publications say about the legacy and vision of Food For Thought Fest.

Coverage of the 10th anniversary edition at the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad, inaugurated alongside the Ahmedabad International Book Festival in November 2025.

News18 Gujarati reports on the inauguration of the first Ahmedabad edition at the Sabarmati Riverfront by Minister of State Jagdish Vishwakarma.

Lead coverage of the festival catering to the Aerocity audience, showcasing the vibrant atmosphere.

NDTV Good Times covers the 10th anniversary edition at the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad.

TV9 Gujarati reports from the festival's first Ahmedabad edition.

S.A.A.G's Food for Thought Fest 2022 | Cuisine, Culture, Conversations Galore | @newsxlive | @foodforthoughtfest4295 #foodfortought2022 #cuisine #newsx

Associated Press syndicated the second edition to its global archive.