Shangri-La Group has appointed Hakan Ozel as Vice President, Operations, overseeing three of its flagship European properties: Shangri-La The Shard, London; Shangri-La Paris; and Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul.

With more than 28 years of international hospitality experience, including over two decades with Shangri-La Group, Ozel brings extensive expertise in luxury hotel operations, strategic leadership and guest experience management across diverse markets.

Before taking up his new role, Ozel served as Vice President, Operations for the Middle East and General Manager of Shangri-La Dubai. During his tenure, he played an important role in strengthening the hotel's market positioning, operational performance and reputation for service excellence. His career also includes senior leadership positions across Asia and the Middle East.

Commenting on his appointment, Hakan Ozel said, “Having the opportunity to lead three of Shangri-La's flagship properties in Europe is both a privilege and an exciting new chapter. London, Paris and Istanbul are extraordinary destinations, each with its own unique character and opportunities. My focus will be on building on the strengths of our teams, creating truly memorable guest experiences and welcoming more guests into our Shangri-La Circle community. Through the art and joy of Asian hospitality, we want every guest to feel a genuine sense of belonging, discover meaningful connections and ultimately find their own Shangri-La.”

In his new role, Ozel will focus on driving operational excellence, strengthening commercial performance and further elevating Shangri-La's distinctive hospitality experience across London, Paris and Istanbul. The appointment reflects the Group's focus on strengthening leadership across its luxury hotel portfolio while maintaining its commitment to personalised service and the art of Asian hospitality.

Curry Cuisine in Winchester, Virginia, USA, has appointed Chef Kundan Kumar Kashyap as its new Research & Development (R&D) Chef. In his new role, he will focus on culinary innovation, new product development, recipe standardisation and menu development, with an emphasis on maintaining food quality, consistency and operational efficiency.

With experience across restaurant kitchens and hospitality establishments in the United States, India and Ghana, Chef Kundan brings expertise in recipe development, food cost management, product testing and kitchen operations. His responsibilities at Curry Cuisine will include developing new dishes, standardising recipes, conducting food cost analysis, maintaining food safety standards, training junior chefs and introducing seasonal and festival menus.

Commenting on his appointment, Chef Kundan Kumar Kashyap said, “I look forward to contributing to Curry Cuisine through culinary innovation, research and the development of new dishes. My focus will be on creating distinctive food experiences while maintaining consistency in taste, quality and presentation. I believe that continuous experimentation, standardised recipes and teamwork are essential to developing a successful and sustainable food programme.”

Before joining Curry Cuisine, Chef Kundan worked as an R&D Chef at Hypnotic Bar-Infusion Food in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Train to Mumbai Farm Indian Kitchen in Lovettsville, Virginia; and The Shout House in Texas. His work across these establishments included introducing new dishes, recipe benchmarking, product testing, cost control, staff training and developing standard operating procedures.

His professional experience in India includes serving as Executive Chef for New Product Development at Shunshine Teahouse Pvt. Ltd., associated with Chaayos and Ghee & Turmeric, a speciality North Indian food brand. He has also worked with ICS Hospitality, including Hide Away Suites Hotel, Luscious Temptation Café-Coffee-Bar and A&C Square Mall in Accra, Ghana. His wider hospitality experience includes the Embassy of Algeria, Golden Huts Resort and Heritage Resorts, Coorg.

Chef Kundan received industrial training at InterContinental Eros in Nehru Place, New Delhi, where he gained exposure to food production, front office operations, food and beverage service, and housekeeping. He also completed vocational training with Satnam Overseas Ltd. in Haryana.

His appointment highlights the growing role of research and development in restaurant kitchens, where culinary creativity must work alongside recipe consistency, food cost management and operational efficiency. Through menu innovation and product development, R&D chefs help restaurants introduce new offerings while maintaining quality and responding to evolving guest preferences.

The Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), in collaboration with the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and Scottish Salmon, has brought together Scottish seafood producers, Indian importers, executive chefs and hospitality professionals to explore trade opportunities for Scottish salmon in India.

Held at The Imperial, New Delhi, the engagement featured an industry roundtable, B2B matchmaking showcase and networking reception focused on strengthening commercial connections between Scottish producers and Indian buyers across the retail and hospitality sectors.

The initiative facilitated 33 direct B2B interactions between Scottish salmon producers, including Scottish Sea Farms, Mowi Scotland, Bakkafrost Scotland and Loch Duart, and established Indian importers and distributors. Discussions covered sourcing opportunities, cold-chain requirements, import compliance protocols and distribution channels, helping participants assess the practical considerations involved in bringing premium seafood products to the Indian market.

Speaking on the initiative, Amit Lohani, Founder Director, FIFI, said India offers significant opportunities for international food producers, but converting market potential into sustainable business requires an understanding of import regulations, supply-chain requirements and buyer expectations.

He added that direct engagement between producers and importers helps businesses evaluate sourcing possibilities and build reliable trade relationships. Through such initiatives, FIFI aims to strengthen food import channels and expand choices for India's hospitality and food service industry.

The networking reception featured addresses by Penny Rogers, Agriculture, Food & Drink Attaché at the British High Commission in India; Dr Kishore Jayaraman, Group CEO of UKIBC; James Park, Head of International Trade and Engagement at Scottish Salmon; and Amit Lohani, Founder Director of FIFI.

The speakers highlighted the commercial relationship between India and the United Kingdom, emphasising the role of direct business engagement in translating bilateral trade frameworks into practical opportunities for companies.

For India's hospitality sector, international sourcing involves considerations beyond product availability. Consistent quality, import compliance, cold-chain management and dependable distribution are important factors for hotels, restaurants and food service operators evaluating imported seafood for their menus.

By bringing producers, importers and hospitality stakeholders into direct discussions, the initiative created a platform to explore procurement requirements and potential routes to market. The interactions also provided an opportunity for businesses to assess the operational requirements associated with sourcing Scottish salmon for the Indian market.

The engagement reinforces FIFI's role in facilitating international food trade and connecting global producers with Indian importers and hospitality businesses. It also highlights the importance of industry-level collaboration in developing sourcing relationships and exploring long-term commercial opportunities across India's food service and retail markets.