Chef Sabyasachi Gorai – President
Popularly known as Chef Saby hee owns and runs a boutique hospitality consultancy company called ‘Fabrica by Chef Saby,’ out of New Delhi, India. He is also a Consultant Chef with the Olive Culinary Academy. A teacher, food-show-judge, hospitality consultant, TV show host; he plays many roles, but the role he cherishes the most is that of Chef since food is his love and cooking, a passion. Sabyasachi is inspired by internationally acclaimed chefs like Charlie Trotter, and has trained under, Dr.Chef P. Soundararajan who groomed him for his culinary career.
Chef Saby is the only recipient of the most coveted National Tourism Award, for “Best Chef of India”, awarded by the President of India. Chef Saby quit his high flying job as Culinary Director of Olive Bar and Kitchen, in 2012 and started his culinary academy to nurture and mentor young Chefs. His biggest international achievement was when he won the “Best Chef of India” at Varli Awards, New York. He was also honored with the prestigious “Silver Hat Award” by the Indian Culinary Forum.
Chef Sanjay Thakur – Vice President
“For me Indian cuisine is much more than curry, rice or kebabs, it is about defining spices “– Chef Sanjay Thakur. Chef Sanjay Thakur is currently an inflight Chef at Etihad Airways. He started his culinary career as a Step trainee at Oberoi Group of Hotels. He later moved to Australia where he explored working with event venues that helped him grow in different sectors and seasonal projects including Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, International Cricket Tournaments and Caulfield Race Cup. He got the opportunity to work for exclusive events with the world`s biggest names like Chef Gordon Ramsay, Nobu, Chef Atul Kochhar, Morimotto and many more.
He got selected to represent India at the Bocuse D`Or which is regarded as the biggest title in the culinary world twice. In 2015, he represented Middle East and Etihad in San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 held at Cape Town where he finished as second best in the Middle East. He was awarded as an outstanding Chef at the Hospitality Fest conducted by AIMS in 2017. He was a part of live demonstrations alongside Chef Hirotoshi and other dignitaries at the Young Chef Conference held by the IFCA. Chef Sanjay along with Chef Soundararajan accomplished a world record by setting up a Pop up Indian Fine Dining Restaurant at the Highest Altitude on earth.Chef Sanjay actively participated at over 15 Hotel management institutes across India and also internationally to keep the students updated on the global hospitality industry. Chef Sanjay promoted IFCA and its mission to the Young Chefs through the institutes and has contributed his expertise through a lot of training programs conducted in various institutes. Chef Sanjay has participated in the International Sushi workshop and also has contributed a lot to the IFCA conferences. He personally represented IFCA at two major events held at Nepal. Chef Sanjay is currently the Vice-President of Indian Young Chef Association.He was presented with the Best Young Chef Mentor award at the IFCA`s 8th International Chefs Conference, 2019 for influencing the budding young Chefs across the country and carrying forward the mission of IFCA.
Chef Dev Kasalkar – Vice President
Is the founder director of Chef`s Kitchen institute of Culinary Arts and Hotel management, Kolhapur. His passion and interest in culinary field made him excel a lot in this field. He has won several awards as Master Chef and Best Culinary educator. Chef Dev, through his incessant hard work has been carrying forward the mission of IFCA ceaselessly. Chef Dev represented India in the young Chefs challenge at Abu Dhabi, UAE in the year 2018. He represented IFCA in the Word Chefs Conference that took place at Kuala Lumpur in the year 2018. He participated and supported the 8th ICC with a large contingency of young Chefs. He has also conducted a young Chefs conference at Kolhapur. He was bestowed with the Best Culinary educator award at the IFCA`s 8th International Chefs conference, 2019 for being an Outstanding culinary pioneer who is continuously inspiring the younger generation of Chefs. Currently, Chef Dev Kasalkar serves as the Vice-president of the Indian Young Chefs Association and is mentoring a lot of young Chefs across the country.
Chef Ramu Butler – Treasurer
The treasurer of Indian Young Chefs Association is a Chef cum Restaurateur & Kitchen consultant. He is also the Vice President of South India Culinary Association Kerala Chapter and the Culinary Ambassador for Authentic Indian Cuisine Challenge Malaysia. He is a Certified Culinary Jury (Worldchefs). He is the IFCA NetPro.FaN Member Kerala and also an Ex Corporate Chef & FB Director Ramada Kerala.
He was instrumental in setting up F&B operations for the various group of hotel in India and abroad like Taj, Hilton, P&O cruise liner, Radisson and Ramada. He also helps the younger generation by holding classes, write food articles in dailies and doing cookery shows on TV. He goes to disadvantaged schools and orphanages and teaches children the joy of cooking.”
He was also awarded the best International Chef of India by the “Food & Nightlife Magazine”, and was also featured in the Gourmet Gurus list amongst numerous other awards he has received. He was instrumental in promoting the mission of IFCA by visiting various culinary institutes and Hotel management colleges. He is the president of the Indian Young Chefs Association. He was a continuous supporter of all events conducted by the IFCA. He has also contributed to various culinary competitions and national conferences. He conducted two editions of the Young chefs conference held alongside of the national conference.He was presented with the Best Young Chef Mentor award at the IFCA`s 8th International Chefs Conference, 2019 for ceaselessly influencing the budding young Chefs across the country and carrying forward the mission of the culinary industry.
Chef Debraj Bhaumik – General Secretary
Chef Debraj Bhaumik has over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry and has an extraordinary passion for cooking. He started his career as a Management Trainee with Radisson focusing on the western cuisines. He has had the opportunity to learn Mexican from the famous Chef duo-Roberto & Sergio and working in Muscat provided him with a good learning of Greek and Lebanese cuisine as well. Working with Chef Fabio, he specialized in Italian, but later realized the varieties across our very own Indian Cuisine. After an extensive research of different regional cuisines in India, he conducted Indian Cuisine training at Mauritius, promoted by the Mauritian Chefs Association.
He joined Club Mahindra as the Executive Sous Chef at Munnar and rose up to the position of Executive Chef. He has been highly instrumental in projects across Gourmet Express, Coorgenburg & the Barbeque Bay. Chef Debraj has been honored with the prestigious Chef of the year award for 2007 – 08, awarded to him by the Indian federation of Culinary Association and has also earned the designation of Worldchefs certified chef from the World Association of culinary Societies and has also completed the Harvard Manage Mentor program.