Have we, as a country, quietly outgrown the global F&B scene? Or have we been looking outward for too long, assuming the grass was greener elsewhere?

It’s been almost a month since I got back from  and this thought has refused to leave me. I didn’t quite know how to put this down because I’m not here to blame or shame, just to share, honestly.

This trip was all about food, hawkers to fine dining. In five days, I visited close to 30 hawker stalls and 3 fine dining restaurants, including a Michelin-starred one.

Let me start where my heart truly was the hawker food. Unpretentious, bold, rooted, and absolutely delicious. That’s where Singapore truly shines.

Now, the fine dining.

If I am being completely honest, nothing really excited me. And that surprised me.

Because back home, in India, we are doing something extraordinary. Our chefs are pushing boundaries, with ingredients, with techniques, with storytelling on a plate. There is depth, there is identity, there is soul.

In comparison, what I experienced there felt… flat.

Even the cocktails, something I am particularly picky about. I am always the first to complain about excessive sugar syrup in India. Yet in Singapore, despite specifically requesting otherwise, what arrived was overly sweet, artificially coloured and honestly disappointing.

Service? We had incorrect orders delivered to our table twice.And at a Michelin-starred restaurant, we found a long strand of hair in our dish. Not exactly what we ordered—pun intended.

And that’s when it hit me.

Today, as I look at , my heart swells with pride. Not just because India has multiple names on that list but because of what those names represent.

A movement. A quiet, powerful rise.

Our chefs. Our teams. Our ingredients.

From trout in the hills to moringa in the south. India is not just participating anymore. We are leading, shaping, and defining the conversation.

And it doesn’t stop at home. Our chefs across the world are making waves, standing tall, and rightfully claiming their place at the very top – Gaggan!!!

This is not a moment. This is a movement.

It’s India all the way, and what a time to witness it.

Take a bow, Gaggan, Masque, Naar, Papa’s, The Table, Inja, Farmlore.
And to every chef and team behind the scenes, this applause is yours 🇮🇳