Bhubaneswar: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) the apex body representing the Indian Restaurant Industry officially launched the NRAI Odisha Chapter today at a landmark event in Bhubaneswar. The formation of this new chapter marks a significant milestone in strengthening the states food service ecosystem, boosting investments, and positioning Odisha as a leading culinary and tourism destination.
Odishas restaurant and food services sector contributes 13.09% to the states gross domestic product, supporting a rapidly expanding service economy projected to grow at 10.57% for 202324. With Odishas GSDP estimated at $125.3 billion in 2025 and a population of over 48.9 million, the state has witnessed a surge in new-age restaurants, cloud kitchens, cafés, and tourism-linked establishments, particularly in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Rourkela.
Speaking on the occasion, Sameer Hans (Co-Founder, Bocca Café; Chapter Head, NRAI Odisha) said, “Odisha today has nearly 8,000 registered and non-registered restaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens and F&B establishments. With the launch of this chapter, we aim to bring at least 1,500 of them under the NRAI umbrella within the next two years. This is more than a chapter launchit is the beginning of a movement to unite Odishas culinary community, empower entrepreneurs, strengthen our policy voice, and showcase our unique food heritage to the nation.”
Sagar Daryani, President of NRAI, added, Odishas culinary culture is one of Indias richestfrom temple cuisine to tribal flavours to unique seafood traditions. With the Odisha Chapter, we now have a strong local leadership team that will focus on policy reforms, training, skilling, and investments. NRAI is committed to enabling Odishas homegrown brands to scale nationally and to attracting national and global players to the state. Together, we will build a thriving, modern, and inclusive restaurant ecosystem for Odisha.
On the occasion, Punya Prakash Parida (Promoter, Embassy Club & upcoming Radisson Hotels) stated,
“The NRAI Odisha Chapter is a game-changer for the state’s hospitality sector. Our investment commitment of over ₹1,000 crore in upcoming hotel and leisure projects reflects our belief in Odisha’s immense potential. NRAI will play an instrumental role in enabling ease of doing business, attracting global brands, and accelerating tourism-led growth.”
A key highlight of the launch was a panel discussion titled “Odisha as an Emerging Culinary & Tourism Destination, moderated by Satyabrat Sanu Ratho. The discussion explored the synergistic relationship between restaurants and tourism, and how they can jointly position Odisha globally. The panel featured insights from industry leaders including Sagar Daryani (President, NRAI; CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! Momo), Aditya Ladsaria (NRAI Managing Committee Member; Co-founder, Chai Break), Punya Prakash Parida, and Deboo Patnaik (Founder, Dalma). They delved into the current status, opportunities, challenges, and the road ahead for the states F&B and tourism sectors.
The Odisha Chapter will focus on critical areas such as advocacy for policy reformsincluding ease of doing business and fair GST practicesknowledge sharing through seminars, skilling initiatives, and fostering investments. It aims to help local brands scale nationally while attracting global brands to the state.
The chapter will be steered by a dedicated core committee comprising of Chapter Head: Sameer Hans (Co-Founder, Bocca Cafe), Co-Chapter Head M Tejeswar Rao (Director, Green Chillyz), Secretary: Sunmeet Singh Oberai (Founder, Oberai Bakers & Café), Joint Secretary Chandini Samal (Director, Romeo Lane) and Treasurer Amit Singhania (Partner, Gocool).
Founded in 1982, NRAI is the voice of over 5,00,000 restaurants across the country, representing an industry with an annual turnover of INR 5.69 lakh crores. The Odisha Chapter aims to bring together restaurants, QSRs, bars, cloud kitchens, and caterers under one powerful platform to address industry challenges, drive profitable growth, and put Odishas unique culinary identity on the national map.
