Odisha Gets Its Own Chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India

Odisha Gets Its Own Chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the apex body of the Indian restaurant industry, formally launched the NRAI Odisha Chapter yesterday at a landmark event in Bhubaneswar. The new chapter is set to strengthen the state’s growing food service ecosystem, boost investments, and elevate Odisha’s position as a major culinary and tourism hub.

Odisha’s restaurant and food service sector contributes 13.09% to the state’s GDP, powering a robust service economy projected to grow at 10.57% in 2023–24. With a GSDP of $125.3 billion (2025) and a population of over 48.9 million, the state has seen a rapid rise in restaurants, cloud kitchens, cafés, and tourism-driven establishments across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Rourkela.

Speaking at the launch, Sameer Hans (Co-Founder, Bocca Café; Chapter Head, NRAI Odisha) highlighted the sector’s scale and potential.
“Odisha is home to nearly 8,000 registered and unregistered F&B establishments. Through this chapter, we aim to bring at least 1,500 of them under the NRAI fold within two years. This is not just a chapter launch—it’s the beginning of a movement to unite Odisha’s culinary community, empower entrepreneurs, amplify policy advocacy, and showcase our unique food heritage,” he said.

Sagar Daryani, President, NRAI, added, “Odisha’s culinary culture spanning temple cuisine, tribal flavours, and seafood traditions—is among India’s richest. With the Odisha Chapter, we now have strong local leadership focusing on policy reforms, skill development, and investments. NRAI is committed to helping homegrown brands scale nationally and bringing national and global players to Odisha.”

Highlighting confidence in the state’s growing hospitality sector, Punya Prakash Parida (Promoter, Embassy Club and upcoming Radisson properties) announced an investment commitment of over ₹1,000 crore in hotel and leisure projects. “The NRAI Odisha Chapter will be a catalyst for ease of doing business, global brand entry, and tourism-led expansion,” he said.

A panel discussion titled “Odisha as an Emerging Culinary & Tourism Destination”, moderated by Satyabrat Sanu Ratho, brought together top industry voices including Sagar Daryani, Aditya Ladsaria (Co-Founder, Chai Break), Punya Prakash Parida, and Deboo Patnaik (Founder, Dalma). The panel explored Odisha’s current landscape, growth opportunities, challenges, and the collaborative future of its F&B and tourism sectors.

The newly launched chapter will focus on key areas such as policy advocacy, fair GST practices, knowledge-sharing seminars, skilling and training initiatives, and investment facilitation. It aims to support the expansion of local brands while attracting national and international F&B players to the state.

The chapter will be led by a core committee comprising:

• Chapter Head: Sameer Hans (Co-Founder, Bocca Café)
• Co-Chapter Head: M Tejeswar Rao (Director, Green Chillyz)
• Secretary: Sunmeet Singh Oberai (Founder, Oberai Bakers & Café)
• Joint Secretary: Chandini Samal (Director, Romeo Lane)
• Treasurer: Amit Singhania (Partner, Gocool)

Founded in 1982, NRAI represents over 5,00,000 restaurants nationwide, accounting for an annual industry turnover of ₹5.69 lakh crore. With its new Odisha Chapter, it aims to unite restaurants, QSRs, cloud kitchens, bars, and caterers across the state under a strong collective platform to drive growth, resolve industry challenges, and promote Odisha’s distinctive culinary identity on the national stage.