The initiative was conceptualised and led by Ananth Narayan, Chapter Head – NRAI Bengaluru, with strong support from the Chapter’s leadership team, including Co-Chapter Head Shakir Haq, Secretaries Nakul Rajaram and Sharath Rice, Treasurer Siddanth Vinod, Joint Treasurer Dheeraj Kumar, and the entire NRAI team.

During the session, Alam shared her remarkable journey of building Mitti Café into one of India’s most impactful social enterprises. Today, Mitti Café operates close to 70 outlets across prestigious locations, including the Supreme Court of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan, major airports, and leading corporate parks, empowering thousands of persons with disabilities through dignified employment and skill development.

Honoured by the President of India and recognised by esteemed institutions such as the United Nations and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Alam’s achievements stand as a powerful example of scalable and sustainable inclusion within the mainstream economy

Taking this vision forward, NRAI Bengaluru announced a dedicated training and placement initiative aimed at enabling member establishments to employ and integrate persons with disabilities within the hospitality sector. Members from NRAI, BHA, BBHA, and WMAB collectively pledged to create more accessible and disability-friendly workplaces.

Ananth Narayan, Head – NRAI Bengaluru Chapter, said, “The food and beverage industry has the unique ability to create inclusive, people-first workplaces. Through this initiative, we aim to move beyond intent and encourage structured, sustainable employment opportunities for highly-abled individuals across our member restaurants. Inclusion is not just a social responsibility—it is a business imperative that strengthens teams, service quality, and the industry at large.”

The evening featured several heartfelt moments, including the presentation of tokens of appreciation to the Mitti Café team, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony celebrating the spirit of inclusion and the invaluable contribution of specially-abled professionals to the food and beverage industry. The celebration concluded with a hosted dinner for the Mitti Café team, receiving warm applause from attendees.

The venue, hospitality, and F&B for the evening were graciously hosted and sponsored by Arvind of The Bier Club, Lavelle Road, whose support added warmth and character to the occasion.

The event concluded with a felicitation by Rezwan Razack, Joint Managing Director, Prestige Group, reaffirming NRAI Bengaluru Chapter’s commitment to building a more compassionate, inclusive, and forward-thinking hospitality industry.

Through this initiative, the NRAI Bengaluru Chapter reaffirmed its commitment to responsible growth and inclusive industry practices, encouraging member restaurant outlets to explore and adopt structured employment opportunities for highly-abled individuals.

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PIFSA, India’s most revered accolade in the food service sector, commends the transformative evolution of restaurant and dining concepts across the nation. The awards recognize exceptional achievements in diverse categories, including menu and format innovation, marketing strategies, business expansion, and unparalleled customer experiences.

Winners List:

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED RETAILER OF THE YEAR: INNOVATION

Karigari By Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi — for Menu Innovation

Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge — for Customer Experience

Wow! Eat’s One-Stop App — for Technology Innovation

Abcoffee – for  Employee Practices

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED RETAILER OF THE YEAR: MARKET EXPANSION

KFC, Devyani International

The Belgian Waffle Co

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED RETAILER OF THE YEAR: SPECIALITY

Biryani By Kilo –  India’s Largest Biryani & Kebab Chain

Tru Falafel – Niche Mediterranean cuisine cloud kitchen

Mitti Café – For Spearheading a Social Movement

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED RETAILER OF THE YEAR: MARKETING & PROMOTIONS

McDonald’s: Happy Bags – Hasta Basta — for Social Cause Campaign

#DoosraStadium campaign by Social — for Celebrity Endorsement Campaign

The Belgian Waffle Co: Hunt for the ‘coolest fans’

Wow! Momo: Momo Magic All Year Long

Haldiram’s: Celebrating Every Occasion

Conical Gaufres: 7 Years of Stick Waffle Madness — for Launch Campaign

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION/ TURNAROUND SUCCESS STORY OF THE YEAR

Wow! Momo

Chalu Aapna Desi Chinese

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

Bira 91 The Brewery Flagship Outlet, Ludhiana

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED FOOD COURT OF THE YEAR

Vegas Mall Food Court

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED QSR CHAIN OF THE YEAR

Wow! Momo  — For Indian Origin

McDonald’s — For Foreign Origin

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED CAFE / JUICE BAR OF THE YEAR

Mad Over Donuts  —  For Successfully Localising an Iconic Western Dessert 

Tim Hortons — For 360-degree Coffeehouse Experience

IMAGES MOST ADMIRED ICE CREAM & DESSERT PARLOUR OF THE YEAR

Amul Ice Cream Parlour — For Indian Origin

Baskin-Robbins — For Foreign Origin

IMAGES Excellence Award: SINGLE OUTLET WITH HIGHEST YEAR-ON-YEAR GROWTH

Chalu Aapna Desi Chinese

IMAGES Excellence Award: ESG INITIATIVES

Cafe Delhi Heights – for World Food Day 2024: Spreading Joy and Nutrition

IMAGES Chefs Awards

Celebrity Chef of the Year award –  Chef Damodaran

HoReCa Chef of the Year – Chef Jerson Monterey Jack, Director of Culinary Operations, Sodexo India

 Retail Chef of the Year – Chef Yogendra Singh Negi, Associate Director – Culinary (R&D), Tata Consumer Products

Chef Owner of the Year – Chef Amninder Sandhu

Lifetime Achievement Award – Late Dr. Chef P. Soundararajan

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