For the love of food: How these Indians pivoted their careers to follow their passion

Swati Harsha, 45
Executive Chef, HyLo, Kala Ghoda
Previous career: Client servicing in an advertising firm; bank teller
Switched to F&B at: 36

Moment of truth: When I realised that if I didn’t follow my passion for food, I’d end up a bitter person. Food had been calling me in countless ways. At 32, I started a Facebook page called Soulful Spatula to share my cooking experiments, and slowly took it offline. My moment of validation was when my keema pav and shahi tukda sold out at a flea market. 

The switch: A friend, Chef Mrigank Singh, got me into consultancy projects where I got to explore regional cuisines. In 2019, I joined as a junior sous chef at Gandhinagar, then moved on to becoming a pastry chef in Hyderabad. From that moment, there was no looking back. 

Struggles conquered: Gender mattered more than age in a male-dominated space, but once accepted, I was part of the gang. Leaving my child for long hours was tough, but every struggle brought growth. Will wins all.

‘Hospitality is a lot of crisis management’

Luv Deshpande, 38 
Co-founder, Luv, Andheri West
Previous career: Marketing
Switched at: 38

The moment of truth: After two decades across diverse industries — starting at 18 with cargo operations for Korean Airways while juggling a part-time MBA, then moving through events, BTL activations for IPL and exhibitions—I found my stride in advertising. At Setu Advertising in Pune, I honed my skills in mainstream advertising and client servicing, but design was my calling. I spent countless hours on YouTube, learning from design teams and sharpening my eye for visual storytelling. Returning to Mumbai a year before  the pandemic, I took on freelance roles across campaigns, including a mandate for Bryan Adams’ India tour, before joining Viking Ventures as Creative Director.

Pic/Satej Shinde

The switch: In 2023, I took my first step into hospitality by supporting Nava — where my brother Akash was the Executive Chef—with its branding and marketing. For me, design is like a blank canvas, much like a plate in the culinary world—it’s all about what you choose to fill it with. I explored everything from menu engineering to hand-sketched illustrations that explained cocktail ingredients and optimised text layouts for a better guest experience. In November 2024, Akash and I launched our first restaurant, Luv, in Andheri West—an immersive space where art, tradition, and creative cooking come together. “Everything except the kitchen is my department—from client servicing to people management,” I like to say, blending my worlds of design and hospitality into one seamless experience.

Struggles conquered: We’re working with family capital, which means every rupee counts. I’ve had to quickly learn to balance vendor partnerships with aggregator offers to ensure smart, sustainable spending.

‘Being in hospitality is like tasting blood. There is no going back!’

Mayuri Nigam, 41
Head Brand Experience and Marketing, All In Hospitality
Previous career: Digital marketing executive
Switched to F&B at: 37

Moment of truth: Born and raised in Kolkata, I built a solid career in marketing — starting with CA Media, a digital agency where I helped celebrities and cricketers establish their social media presence and  later led content and digital marketing for Dubai’s largest private real estate group. However, in April 2021, midway through the pandemic and amid a global reckoning over life choices, I relocated to Anjuna on a whim. There, along with two partners, I launched O Aido — a 45-seater restaurant rooted in Goan-Portuguese cuisine.

Pic/Nimesh Dave

The switch: Sometimes I ask myself, ‘What was I thinking?’ I entered the hospitality industry with no prior background, expecting to manage only marketing and communications. However, when my partners exited early on, I was suddenly left to run the entire show. From navigating endless paperwork and obtaining police permissions to managing supply chains where the best catches always went to the larger players, it was a steep learning curve. Ingredient costs surged, and the day-to-day realities hit hard.

By 2023, I made the difficult decision to shutter the restaurant. But by then, I had tasted blood — hospitality had me hooked. It challenged me, sparked my curiosity, and pushed me to keep learning. I joined The Locavore’s marketing and events team, working closely on the Millet Revival Project, a collaboration with the Rainmatter Foundation. We toured the country, meeting farmers and producers, curating the Wild Foods Festival, and leading grassroots activations. Eventually, I joined All In Hospitality, the group behind HyLo and The Dimsum Room — continuing my journey into the world of food, now with a new sense of purpose and perspective.

Struggles conquered: Building something from ground up needed me to be hands-on. Running a restaurant was equal parts chaos and clarity. It tested me in ways I hadn’t imagined, but it shaped me too.

My superpower: Today’s consumer craves an authentic story. I approach everything through a storytelling lens — considering every detail it takes to bring food to the table and spark meaningful conversations around it.

‘Food gifted me clarity of thought’

Poornima Somayaji, 46
Owner, Aragma, Pune
Previous Career: Computer Engineer; Product developer; Marketing and Sales 
Switched to F&B at: 42

Moment of truth: As a Maharashtrian married into a Kannadiga family, my journey with food began as a way to belong. Food and language become the bridges to acceptance. I immersed myself in dakshin Kannada cuisine — learning to make rasam, puli-style curries, and treasured ancestral recipes. Food gave me clarity, purpose, and a creative outlet I didn’t know I needed. In 2020, I launched Aragma as a 10-seater cooking studio in Pune, and by the end of last year, it had blossomed into a full-fledged, ingredient-forward restaurant that spotlights the richness of Indian produce—think moringa and curry leaf cocktails, pasta made from matki or moth beans, and bread crafted from urad dal and jowar that echoes the sentiments of traditional flour from North Maharashtra (kalnyacha peeth). Food here tells a story — of seasons, soil, memory, and reinvention, served in a contemporary language.

The switch: When Aragma first launched, guests could choose between learning to cook a dish or cooking, followed by a curated dining experience. Hiring chefs for a fledgling startup proved difficult. One day, a guest once requested to make Osso Buco, the Italian dish referenced in The Office. Chef Amit Ghorpade, who had staged in several Michelin-starred kitchens was present there and stepped in, swapping the traditional beef shank for lamb. A year later, he officially joined Aragma as Head Chef.

The real challenge was marrying Amit’s Michelin-star sensibilities with my vision of celebrating Indian cuisine and cultural memory to demonstrate that our culinary heritage is reflected in the everyday dishes and humble ingredients,  passed down through generations. Together, we began reimagining those staples with technique and storytelling, creating a menu that is both rooted and refined.

Struggles conquered: I had no godfather to guide me. I built the kitchen according to what I thought it needed. My engineering background brings scientific precision and a problem-solving mindset to the kitchen. It helps me decode the science behind food while also thinking like a guest—from seating flow to what’s on the plate and how it’s presented. 

‘Today’s consumer is seeking connection, storytelling, and immersive experiences’

Vaniitha Jaiin, 43
Founder of Revelry Distillery
Previous career: Marketer, public relations and communications lead 
Switched at: 31

The moment of truth: One evening, while taking my child for a stroll in the park, the thought of exploring the world of wines struck. I was born in Ambasamudram, Tamil Nadu, and raised in Bengaluru, with humble beginnings that shaped my work ethic from an early age. By 13, I was running summer camps; at 17, I was selling merchandise to fund my education; and later, I sold insurance policies before completing my MBA and spending a decade at Ogilvy, working on some of India’s most celebrated campaigns.

I signed up for a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) course in London. My journey took me through Europe’s vineyards, deepening my understanding of wines. I complemented this with a luxury brand management programme at ESSEC Business School in Paris. By 2013, I launched The Perfect Pour, driven by a vision to help hospitality teams master the art of selling wines and spirits. From Mirchi & Mime in Powai to the Taj Group and Four Seasons, I began curating immersive experiences — raising not just glasses but standards.

The switch: When the pandemic hit, I pivoted to offering go-to-market (GTM) strategies for alcohol brands — spearheading campaigns for premium spirits, including Roku, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur gins, as well as Toki Whisky. After a decade of helping build spirit brands, it was time to create one of my own. In 2022, I began working on that dream with my husband as my business partner. Last month, we launched Vanaha, a gin crafted with 24 botanicals sourced from India’s lush forests — from the Himalayas and the Western Ghats to the North East. What sets Vanaha apart is its meticulous five-step distillation process, which includes copper pot distillation, vapour infusion, and cold vacuum distillation.

Struggles conquered: Acceptance of the need for wine and spirit expertise in Indian F&B, funding and carving space for women in the alcobev industry and breaking taboos.

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