Hari Nayak

About Hari Nayak

At Gourmet Gurus LLC, founded by Chef Hari Nayak, we specialize in comprehensive culinary consultancy, crafting and launching innovative food brands and restaurant concepts from the ground up. We\'ve developed and executed concepts that have captured imaginations globally, setting new benchmarks in the culinary space.We delve deep into your restaurant\'s essence—analyzing themes, ambience, and operational dynamics—to create tailored strategies that align seamlessly with your brand. Whether it\'s designing a new concept or rejuvenating your existing brand, our team delivers results that elevate your vision to a world-class level. Dedicated to making modern Indian dining more accessible, we are proud to contribute to the global recognition of Indian cuisine, particularly in the United States and internationally. Through our retail brand Café Spice, we bring authentic Indian meals to the forefront via grab-and-go refrigerated products and branded QSRs. With a commitment to \"raising the bar\" for Indian cuisine, our restaurant-quality offerings are all-natural, convenient, and incredibly flavorful. Chef Hari Nayak has been a trailblazer in global Indian cuisine for over two decades, having developed multiple award-winning restaurant brands, including- Sona (New York City, USA – Michelin Guide)- Masti (Dubai – Michelin Guide)- Jhol (Bangkok, Thailand – Michelin Guide)- Bombay Bungalow (Dubai, UAE – Michelin Guide)- Alchemy(Bangalore, India)- Charcoza (Riyadh, KSA)- Tandur*(Indian QSR, multiple locations, USA)- Dosateria (Indian QSR, Whole Foods Market) Let’s create something extraordinary together!

Experience

1. Brand Partner

   Four Seasons

   Oct 2023 — Present · Malé, MV

   Led menu creation, innovation, and ongoing development- Trained teams to deliver consistent, exceptional dining experiences- Represented the brand in media, showcasing the restaurant\'s vision- Collaborated on branding and marketing to align with Four Seasons\' standards- Pioneered seasonal menu innovations to meet evolving guest preferences.

Education

• Manipal Academy of Higher Education

  Bachelor's in Hotel Management, Management, Marketing, Hotel Subjects, Management, Marketing, Hotel Subjects

  1991 — 1994

• Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal

  Hospitality Administration/Management

• The Culinary Institute of America

  Associate's degree, Culinary Arts/Chef Training

  1996 — 1997

Skills

• Catering
• Banquets
• Hospitality Management
• Customer Satisfaction
• New Business Development
• Chef
• Inventory Management
• Front Office
• Team Building
• Management
• Food & Beverage
• Culinary Travel
• Customer Service
• Pre-Opening
• Food Safety
• Menu Development
• Cooking
• Indian Cuisine
• Recipes
• Hospitality Industry
• Employee Relations
• Published Author
• Gastronomy
• Negotiation
• Restaurant Management
• Cookbooks
• Social Media
• Resorts
• Food
• Public Relations
• Hotels
• Culinary Management
• Marketing Strategy
• Event Management
• Budgets
• Food
• Event Planning
• Social Networking
• Sales Management
• Social Media Marketing