Gunjan: With over 25 years of distinguished culinary experience across India, the UAE, and Qatar, Chef Gunjan is a seasoned Executive Chef renowned for his expertise in Indian, Modern Indian, and Awadhi cuisine. His career reflects a distinctive combination of culinary creativity, operational excellence, and inspirational leadership across luxury hospitality, fine dining, banquets, and high-volume kitchen operations.
Chef Gunjan’s professional journey includes some of the hospitality industry’s most respected establishments, including Sattvik at Select Citywalk, Haveli at Dharampura (Welcomheritage), Parkland Hotels & Resorts, Gemini Continental Lucknow, and Express Sarovar Portico. His international experience includes key culinary roles at The Ritz-Carlton, Sharq Village & Spa, Doha, and Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, further strengthening his understanding of global luxury hospitality standards.
A specialist in Indian and regional cuisines, Chef Gunjan brings extensive knowledge of authentic Awadhi and Modern Indian gastronomy, complemented by experience in European, Asian, Arabic, and American cuisines. This broad culinary perspective allows him to create menus that preserve the integrity of traditional flavours while incorporating contemporary techniques, presentation, and evolving global preferences.
His expertise extends well beyond culinary execution. He has strong command of end-to-end kitchen management, menu engineering, food-cost optimization, procurement, operational planning, and high-performance team leadership. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed à la carte, buffet, banquet, and in-room dining operations while maintaining rigorous standards of food safety, hygiene, quality, and regulatory compliance. His operational expertise includes HACCP practices, temperature control, food labelling, blast chilling, and municipal health and safety audits.
Chef Gunjan is also highly experienced in hotel and restaurant pre-openings, having played an integral role in the pre-opening teams of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha; Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai; and Holiday Inn, Agra. His responsibilities have included kitchen design and layout planning, SOP development, menu conceptualization, operational systems, and the recruitment and training of high-performing culinary teams.
His career has provided significant exposure to VVIP clientele, royal functions, international events, and large-scale banqueting. During his tenure in Dubai, he was involved in royal functions and major events, including those associated with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was also part of the culinary team responsible for a 600-guest gala dinner hosted by legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti. In addition, he led restaurant operations during the Dubai International Film Festival in 2005 and 2006, demonstrating his ability to deliver consistently under demanding, high-profile conditions.
His culinary excellence has been recognised through several professional honours, including Chef of the Year 2021 at Sattvik, along with accolades from the Angrezi Dhaba Culinary Forum, Lions Club Chef Competition, Kasauli Hills Chef Competition, and other industry platforms.
Academically, Chef Gunjan holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Goa, supported by extensive vocational and industrial training at leading hospitality properties. This combination of formal education and hands-on experience has shaped his practical, disciplined, and commercially focused approach to culinary leadership.
Beyond the kitchen, Chef Gunjan is recognised for his strong communication, mentorship, team-building, and decisive leadership under pressure. He is equally comfortable developing culinary concepts, leading large brigades, controlling operational costs, mentoring emerging talent, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.
With a career spanning more than two decades, extensive international exposure, deep-rooted expertise in Indian cuisine, and a strong commitment to operational excellence, Chef Gunjan represents a new generation of culinary leaders redefining Indian gastronomy—honouring its heritage while presenting it with a contemporary, global perspective.
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