Loading...
You have Successfully logged In !
Already have an account? Login
By clicking Register you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Don't have an account?Register
Enter your E-mail address below, We will send the verification code
Please enter the code send to
Didn't receive the email?Click to resend
Your password has been successfully reset!.
Please login again to access your account.
An OTP has been sent to
Enter the 4-digit code
By Author
Published on October 1, 2023
We have carefully curated this newsletter to ensure it becomes your go-to resource for all things hospitality-related. Whether you are an industry professional, an avid traveller, or simply passionate about the art of hospitality, this newsletter will be your gateway to a world of inspiration, knowledge and unforgettable experiences.
Coffee, the magical elixir that fuels our mornings and brightens our days, is celebrated globally on International Coffee Day. In India, where coffee holds a special place in our hearts, this day is not just about sipping your daily dose of caffeine; it's a celebration of the art, culture, and community that revolves around this aromatic brew. Join us on a journey through some of India's quirkiest, funniest, and most charming cafes where you can truly savour the essence of coffee.
1. G-Shot Coffee Roastery & Cafe – Goa
Where Single-Origin Beans Meet Coastal Vibes
G-Shot Coffee Roastery & Cafe takes coffee seriously, serving only the finest single-origin beans. Their specialty roasted coffee, sourced from the country's best estates, offers a flavour profile like no other. From espresso to cold brews and Vietnamese-style coffee, there's a cuppa for every taste. But it's not just about the coffee; this community-run cafe in Assagao, Goa, offers a gourmet menu crafted from the freshest ingredients. With a chill, music-filled vibe, it's the perfect place to disconnect while sipping your favourite brew.
2. Curious Life Coffee Roasters – Jaipur
Where Coffee Meets Passion
Owned by two friends, Curious Life Coffee Roasters works closely with passionate coffee farmers across India. They source top-class coffee directly from estates in Chikmagalur, Nilgiris, Kodaikanal, and Araku Valley. Whether you prefer classic brews from an authentic La Marzocco or the creativity of AeroPress, V-60, French Press, and even Nitro Coffee, this cafe in Jaipur has it all. Curious Life's dedication to quality and sustainability is evident in every cup.
3. Third Wave Coffee Roasters – Bangalore
Crafting Perfection, One Cup at a Time
Third Wave Coffee Roasters has multiple locations across Bangalore, each dedicated to delivering coffee perfection. They pay meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the coffee-making process, from sourcing to roasting. All their beans are sustainably sourced from farms in Chikmagalur and the Nilgiris. Quality, ethics, and fair pricing are at the core of their philosophy, making it a must-visit spot for coffee enthusiasts in Bangalore.
4. Coffee Culture – Mumbai
A Quirky Haven for Coffee Lovers
Coffee Culture in Mumbai stands out not just for its great coffee but also for its lively and colourful ambiance. With two outlets across the city, it's the go-to place for those seeking a cheerful coffee experience. The quirky decor, polite service, and excellent coffee are sure to brighten your day. Whether you're craving a frothy cappuccino or a delicious espresso, this cafe has you covered.
5. Chamiers – Chennai
Where Tradition Meets Flavor
Chamiers Cafe in Chennai offers a unique dining experience in the heart of the city. With a warm and inviting ambiance, it serves delectable dishes from Indian, Chinese, and Continental cuisines. The cafe's organic coffee blend, exclusive to Chamiers, promises a delightful coffee experience. It's the perfect spot for a cup of artisan coffee before indulging in a bit of retail therapy.
6. United Coffee House – Delhi
A Historic Coffee Haven
United Coffee House on Connaught Place has been a go-to coffee and meeting spot for over 75 years. This iconic landmark is where coffee lovers gather to savour the finest blends. Their house blends, sourced from India and Colombia, are brewed fresh, and the legacy of this cafe is as rich as the coffee it serves.
7. Mocha Art Café – Kochi
A Blend of Coffee and Art
Mocha Art Cafe in Kochi is a hotspot for caffeine addicts. Housed in a 400-year-old building in the Jewish Quarter, this charming cafe offers a range of coffee options, from mochas to French press. The aroma of freshly brewed beans fills the air as you step in, creating a truly inviting atmosphere.
8. Artsy – Coffee and Culture – Kolkata
Where Coffee Meets Creativity
Artsy Cafe in Kolkata is not just a coffee shop; it's a cultural hub where local artists are featured each month. This cafe is a place where art, music, and coffee come together to create a thriving community of artists. With pour-over, French press, and Vietnamese coffee on the menu, it's the perfect place to relax, enjoy some art, and savour some of the best coffee in India.
Join us on this caffeinated journey as we explore the best cafes that India has to offer. Whether you're a coffee connoisseur or just looking for a cosy place to enjoy a cup, these cafes promise a delightful experience. So, sip, savour, and celebrate the joy of coffee on International Coffee Day!
From Uttarakhand, India to New York: Yogesh Singh Rawat’s In...
In the ever-evolving world of hospitality, stories of persev...
Residency Group of Hotels Clinches Gold at SICA Incredible C...
The Residency Group of Hotels has emerged victorious at the ...
Haldiram’s Unveils ‘Teej ki Meethi Lehar’ with Curated Ghewa...
Haldiram’s, one of India’s most loved traditional sweets and...
Carnival by Trèsind Launches Mumbai’s First Theatrical India...
Carnival by Trèsind, one of Mumbai’s most acclaimed modern I...
By Pawan Gupta
Published on June 30, 2025
Pawan Gupta is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Wedding Company, a brand that's redefining how dream weddings come to life. Known for blending creativity with breathtaking destinations, Pawan and his team design unforgettable celebrations that truly stand out. What started as “Weddings by Betterhalf” has now rebranded into The Wedding Company, a move that reflects their growing vision and premium service offering. With an impressive 10X growth in just a year and a bold goal to scale to $10 million in services by 2025, the platform is making wedding planning more convenient, transparent, and luxurious than ever before.
In this conversation, Pawan opens up about the journey of TheWeddingCompany.com, its operations, and what goes into making every wedding truly memorable.
1. As a tech entrepreneur transitioning into luxury wedding planning, what inspired the creation of TheWeddingCompany.com, and how do you see technology fundamentally reshaping the hospitality and wedding ecosystem in India?
While building our earlier matchmaking platform, Betterhalf, which grew to over 5–10 lakh monthly users, we noticed something interesting. Many of our users who found their partners on the platform started asking for reliable recommendations for wedding planning. That’s when the idea for The Wedding Company really began to take shape. We started by organizing weddings locally in Bangalore, and quickly saw a bigger gap in the industry. Traditional wedding planners weren’t always affordable or accessible to middle and upper-middle-class families. Yet, these customers still wanted dependable, transparent, and hassle-free services.
India is now going through a big shift, moving from a mostly offline, fragmented wedding planning process to a more organized, tech-driven experience. We see this in three main stages: Pre-wedding planning, with tools like automated proposals and budgeting, Wedding planning, powered by a user-friendly product and solid operational control and Event fulfilment, with experienced on-ground teams guided by centralized planning. Technology is truly at the heart of all this. It brings consistency, scale, and personalization in a way that traditional wedding planning just can’t match.
2. With a 10X growth trajectory and $10M in services projected, how are you building operational excellence and service consistency across 50+ Indian cities and international destinations like Bali and Phuket?
Our ability to scale comes down to one core strength, our proprietary software infrastructure at The Wedding Company. It’s been built specifically to serve three key groups: our customers, our internal operations team, and our supplier network. This system helps us streamline workflows, maintain quality standards, and cut down on repetitive, manual tasks. We’re also investing in curated supplier catalogues to offer standardized service experiences, while still leaving room for customization and personal touches. For customers, this means access to trusted vendors, great value deals, and real-time updates throughout their planning journey. For our vendor partners, it brings steady business and a reliable demand pipeline and for our internal teams, it provides the operational strength to deliver smooth and high-quality experiences, whether it's in a bustling metro or a destination like Bali or Phuket.
3. Weddings are deeply emotional and culturally rooted, how does TheWeddingCompany.com strike the right balance between standardization through technology and personalization at scale?
We’ve designed the experience with both structure and soul in mind. It works through two layers: First, we have a centralized customer experience system. This part ensures everything runs smoothly and consistently, from transparent pricing and digital contracts to planning checklists and milestone tracking. It brings reliability and clarity to the process. Then comes the local planning and fulfilment team, which adds the human touch. These teams are familiar with regional cultures, languages, rituals and even the little things that vary from venue to venue. They help personalize the celebration in ways technology alone can’t. Together, this approach helps us stay efficient and scalable while still making every wedding unique, emotional, and true to the couple’s traditions.
4. What role does hospitality play in curating seamless experiences not just for the couple, but also for guests, families, and vendors across multi-day destination events?
Hospitality is at the heart of everything we do. In Indian weddings, especially destination ones, the guest experience is absolutely crucial. It can truly make or break the entire event. That’s why we train our teams not just in execution, but in thinking hospitality-first. From the moment guests arrive, every detail matters, welcome kits, airport pickups, smooth room allocations, personalized itineraries, we try to make each touchpoint feel special. This mindset also extends to our vendor partners. We treat them like collaborators, not just service providers. When they feel valued and supported, it reflects in the quality and warmth of the overall experience.
5. What strategic considerations went into rebranding from Weddings by Betterhalf to TheWeddingCompany.com, and how has it impacted your positioning in the luxury wedding market?
The rebranding was a thoughtful, strategic move to boost brand recall and appeal to a wider audience. While “Weddings by Betterhalf” made sense as an extension of our matchmaking brand, it didn’t fully connect with luxury clients or key influencers like parents and relatives who often play a big role in wedding decisions. “The Wedding Company” felt like the right evolution, it’s simple to say, easy to share, and carries a premium yet approachable tone. It also positions us as a category-defining brand in the tech-enabled wedding space. This new identity has helped us engage both middle-class and luxury clients more effectively and establish a stronger foothold in the market.
6. How are you leveraging data and AI to enhance vendor matchmaking, guest management, and real-time planning efficiencies—especially in comparison to traditional wedding planners?
We’ve built AI-driven tools that make the entire planning process smarter, faster, and more personalized. For example, our venue booking system matches wedding dates with live venue availability and pricing trends. This helps couples make quick, informed decisions without all the back-and-forth. Our Wedding Ideabook uses image clustering and machine learning to recommend decor ideas that align with each couple’s style, budget, and regional preferences and for vendor matchmaking, we analyze past reviews, timelines, and areas of expertise to pair clients with the most suitable partners, making the entire process smoother and more reliable. Unlike traditional planners who depend on intuition or small networks, our approach is powered by data. That means better fit, faster planning, and a much more seamless experience for everyone involved.
7. With increasing demand for global wedding destinations, how is TheWeddingCompany.com fostering partnerships with international hotels and hospitality brands to deliver authentic yet localized Indian wedding experiences abroad?
We’re already seeing strong momentum in destinations like Thailand, Bali, and Phuket. The key to success abroad lies in building reliable networks with suppliers who truly understand Indian weddings, from décor and food to rituals and music. We work closely with these partners and even arrange on-ground recce visits with our customers. This helps ensure everything, from picking the venue to finalizing the décor goes smoothly and stays true to Indian traditions. Since many of our clients are based in Indian metro cities, we start with local planning support and then bridge the gap by coordinating with execution partners abroad. This approach creates a seamless, end-to-end experience that feels both global and deeply personal.
Published on June 26, 2025
In the ever-evolving hospitality education space in India, one name stands out, Prosenjit Chandra, the dynamic Director of Federal Institute of Hotel Management (FIHM), Noida. With over 17 years of experience spanning the hotel industry and academia, Chandra is a leading voice in shaping how future hospitality professionals are trained.
From the kitchens of Taj Group of Hotels to the classrooms of reputed institutions like IAM Hotel School Kolkata and IHM-RIG Greater Noida, his journey has been a blend of operational expertise and academic innovation. What distinguishes Chandra is his ability to merge theoretical knowledge with real-world application—through industry-integrated curriculum, hands-on training, and student mentorship.
Under his leadership, FIHM Noida has adopted a forward-thinking academic model. Students here don’t just attend lectures—they engage in live kitchens, banquets, international food festivals, and leadership events. He also ensures faculty development aligns with global standards and emerging hospitality trends, including AI in hospitality, sustainability, and culinary entrepreneurship.
A certified instructor from AHLEI and a life member of the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF), Chandra brings global credibility to Indian hospitality education. His early life interest in structure, creativity, and culture led him to earn degrees in Hotel Management, Tourism Management, and Business Administration, forming a strong foundation for his career.
His professional journey includes:
Front Office & F&B Operations at Taj Hotels
Professor & HOD at IAM Kolkata
Academic Leader at IHM-RIG, Greater Noida
Director – Academics at FIHM Noida
He is also a Certified Entrepreneurship Educator from the National Entrepreneurship Network under the Wadhwani Foundation, furthering his mission to promote hospitality-based startups.
At FIHM, his contributions include:
Introducing international certifications and hybrid learning formats
Hosting celebrity chefs and hospitality leaders for student exposure
Creating internship channels with top hotel brands
Judging major culinary events like India Ka HomeChef 2.0
Students trained under him have joined renowned brands such as Taj, Marriott, IHG, Oberoi, and have launched cloud kitchens, bakeries, and event planning ventures.
His digital presence is active and inspiring:
LinkedIn: Professional thought leadership and student achievements
Instagram (@chefsunlimited): Creative culinary journey and mentorship moments
Twitter (@chefprosen): Commentary on food, education, and trends
His leadership philosophy is rooted in empowerment through education. He champions a future where skill-based learning, innovation, and global perspectives are central. He’s vocal about improving public perception of hospitality careers and frequently speaks on bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry demands.
Looking ahead, Chandra envisions:
FIHM becoming internationally accredited
Global culinary webinars & exchange programs
Launch of research divisions for food innovation and sustainable tourism
Recognized by multiple bodies, including the Indian Culinary Forum, his influence goes beyond awards—it lives on in the students he mentors, the faculty he uplifts, and the institutions he strengthens. Prosenjit Chandra is not just an academician; he is a builder of futures. Through education rooted in excellence, he is steering Indian hospitality to a more innovative, inclusive, and impactful path.
By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on June 5, 2025
This World Environment Day, Booking.com’s 10th edition of the Travel & Sustainability Report 2025 offers a powerful glimpse into how Indian travellers are making a difference with conscious, responsible travel choices. With the theme “Ending Global Plastic Pollution,” the report reveals that 87% of Indian travellers aim to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months—actively making changes to minimise waste, reduce energy use, and lower the impact of transportation, food, and wildlife activities.
The global survey features insights from over 32,000 travellers across 34 countries, including India, and highlights a shift towards more intentional, eco-conscious travel behaviours.
Indian travellers are embracing sustainability in everyday travel habits:
In addition to these operational efforts, many travellers are being mindful of their broader impact:
As sustainability becomes central to travel planning, Indian travellers are asking for more clarity and control in the booking process.
Furthermore,
Although 61% of Indian travellers perceive sustainable travel options as costlier, many are still choosing them when presented transparently. When offered
Booking.com also released a list of top destinations with the highest share of properties having independent third-party sustainability certifications.
Top 10 Indian Destinations:
Kanha, Madhya Pradesh
Khawasa, Madhya Pradesh
Panaji, Goa
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Hyderabad, Telangana
Candolim, Goa
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Pune, Maharashtra
Top 10 Global Destinations for 2025:
Winnipeg, Canada
Den Haag, Netherlands
Hamburg, Germany
Ankara, Turkey
Geneva, Switzerland
Aarhus, Denmark
Puebla, Mexico
Newcastle, UK
Seoul, South Korea
Roanoke, USA
Santosh Kumar, Country Manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com, said:
“Indian travellers are demonstrating a clear and growing commitment to sustainable travel — not just in their intentions, but in their actions. From opting for greener transport and reducing waste, to actively seeking accommodations with credible sustainability credentials, Indians today are looking to make a meaningful difference.”
He added,
“At Booking.com, we aim to make every step of the travel journey more meaningful and aligned with the values of today’s conscious Indian traveller— through highlighting stays with credible third-party sustainability certifications or equipping properties with the training and guidance they need to reduce their environmental impact.”
As the world moves toward a greener tomorrow, Indian travellers are already taking meaningful steps to ensure that travel experiences remain beautiful, responsible, and accessible for generations to come.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Hospitality news and trends in the Hospitality industry!
Subscribe to Hospitality news e-magazine for free and never miss an issue.
By clicking subscribe for free you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
A platform dedicated to showcase the skills and creativity of hospitality professionals. Share your articles, videos and other content related to the industry and get recognized for your unique perspective and expertise. By posting your content and gaining likes from your own community, we'll categorize your talents and expose them to the hospitality world. Join our community of passionate hospitality professionals and let your talent shine!.
Already have an account?Login
By clicking you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Subscribe for ₹2,000 and receive our monthly magazine for one year (12 months) from the coming month and save 2 months cost.