8th May 2024, went down in the history of hospitality in India as the not for profit “Hospitality Hope by Rashmi Uday Singh” presented the first-ever Hospitality Hope Icon Awards. Honest. Authentic food awards. No sponsor. No fees. No revenue model. Financed by Rashmi Uday Singh from her savings.
(L-R) Boman Irani, Pinky Dixit of SOAM, MasterChef Shipra Khanna, Rashmi Uday Singh, Neeti Goel
In keeping with Rashmi Uday Singh’s forever vision of giving back to the industry she so loves, this groundbreaking Hospitality Hope Icon Awards has been Rashmis brainchild and is a not-for-profit initiative aimed at celebrating and uplifting the small, family-run restaurants that often go unnoticed amidst the glitz and glamour of larger establishments.
(L-R) Rashmi Uday Singh, Chef Suvir Saran, Tanishaa Mukerji, Neeti Goel
“The Hospitality Hope Icon Awards are a labour of love, dedicated to honouring the true icons of hospitality – the small, family-run restaurants that embody the essence of warmth, generosity, and passion,” says Rashmi Uday Singh. “They are our TRUE ICONS they have stood the TEST OF TIME…The oldest is 176 years old we need to honor them and that’s what our HOSPITALITY HOPE ICON AWARDS do.”
Rashmi Uday Singh (L) with MasterChef Shipra Khanna
The heartwarming awards ceremony, held at Keibaa, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai was attended by all 27 iconic eateries with their families and they were awarded by the guests of honor… MASTERCHEF SHIPRA KHANNA Hospitality Hopes brand Ambassador was officially announced brand ambassador by SHOBHAA DE , superstar actor director BOMAN IRANI (who regaled with his song I DID IT MY WAY and had all the guests singing along with him) RANVEER BÅ”AR, TANISHAA MUKERJI, MISS MALINI, SANJYOT KEER, KUNAL VIJAYAKAR, food writers editors influencers and more. Rashmi welcomed the packed hall of guests who had walked on the red carpet and the huge BEST red bus stationed at the entrance. The awards were “for the hospitality industry…by the hospitality industry ” and was anchored by esteemed award-winning restaurateur NEETI GOEL and Indias first-ever Michelin-starred chef, SUVIR SARAN.
The Hospitality Hope Icon Awards 2024 honoured a stellar lineup of culinary icons, including:
MH09 Shetkari (2019)
Soam (2005)
Chaitanya (1993)
Fish Curry Rice (2009, Pune; 2023, Mumbai)
Sarangaa (2018)
R Bhagat Tarachand (1895)
Khichdi Samrat (1950)
Vig Refreshments Chembur (1952)
Saayba Hotel (1987)
Shree Thaker Bhojanalay (1945)
A Rama Nayak’s Udipi Shri Krishna Boarding (1942)
Noor Mohammadi Hotel (1923)
Aaswad Upahar & Mithai Gruha (1986)
Maasli (2022)
Cafe Madras (1940)
Sir Ratan Tata Institute, RTI (1928)|
Shabbir’s Tawakkal Sweets (1948)
Hotel Ramashray (1939)
Highway Gomantak (1991)
Ideal Corner (1985)
Kyani & Co. (1904)
Santosham Foods (May 2022)
Crystal Restaurants (1951)
Leopold Caf & Bar (1871)
C Dsouza Marosa (1946)
Pancham Puriwala (1848)
Swati Snacks (1963)
This unique event saw the coming together of the entire hospitality industry to celebrate these family run businesses in an unforgettable evening filled with culinary delights, celebrity award givers, live music by the powerhouse actor director Boman Irani. The guests savoured signature dishes from the award-winning restaurants and took home a taste of the icons in goody bags of gifts brought in by the eateries. And served up in the red bus stationed outside KEIBA.
The key highlights of these awards were that they mark a groundbreaking initiative, aiming to celebrate the unsung heroes of the culinary world: small, family-run restaurants that embody exceptional value for money and serve as our true icons. Amidst the glitz and glamour of the Hospitality Hope Icon Awards, the spotlight shone brightly on MasterChef Shipra Khannas much-anticipated book launch “#SinfullyYours.” With an air of anticipation, guests eagerly awaited the unveiling of Shipras latest culinary masterpiece, which promised to tantalize taste buds and ignite culinary passions. As Shipra took centre-stage to introduce her creation, the room buzzed with excitement, reflecting the profound impact of her culinary prowess and creativity on the industry.
Adding to the allure of the evening was the esteemed Artist JAIDEEP whose limited-edition artworks specially created for Hospitality Hope left guests in awe. Jaideeps masterpieces, presented to each award winner, embodied the essence of the event-celebrating excellence, creativity, and the enduring spirit of hospitality, these limited-edition artworks exclusively for HOSPITALITY HOPE ICONS, are were gifted to the guests as special handcrafted certificates and LED trophies. Renowned for his captivating compositions and innovative techniques, Jaideeps canvases command attention and admiration, with collectors worldwide vying to add his works to their esteemed collections. As guests admired the intricate details and emotive resonance of Jaideeps creations, they were reminded of the transformative power of art to elevate the human experience and inspire greatness in all BOMAN IRANIs singing kept everyone’s feet tapping, elevating the evening to extraordinary heights.
At its core, the Hospitality Hope Icon Awards are a celebration of the small, family-run restaurants that form the backbone of our culinary landscape. These establishments may not boast Michelin stars or celebrity chefs, but they possess something far more precious-heart. It is their dedication to their craft, their unwavering commitment to quality, and their ability to create unforgettable dining experiences that make them true icons of hospitality.
In a world where success is often measured in stars and accolades, the Hospitality Hope Icon Awards offer something truly unique-a chance to honour the unsung heroes of the culinary world and celebrate the power of passion, perseverance, and community.
About HOSPITALITY HOPE –
Founded by Rashmi Uday Singh, Author of 40 books, TV anchor. Chevalier Knighthood. World Gourmand Award Winner The NOT FOR PROFIT HospitalityHope was conceptualized during the peak of the global pandemic when the hospitality industry was badly impacted and several lost their jobs. As a supporter of the industry, Rashmi Uday Singh wanted to do something to help the most important stakeholders of this service industry – its people. As a global food connoisseur, Rashmi leveraged her networks to find the perfect placements for several there by spreading hope to so many. Recruiters and job seekers alike began to heavily depend on her to help them find their dream job and thus began the genesis of The FREE TO USE HospitalityHope.com financed by Rashmi s savings.
HospitalityHope.com is here to serve up hope. It is to connect the world. To enable job seekers in the hospitality industry to find suitable exciting jobs, internships, stages around the world.
Follow HospitalityHope on Instagram – www.instagram.com/hospitality.hopeigsh=MWVremp4NGU5ZmtodQ==
For more details, please visit – hospitalityhope.com