The Great Indian Feast Trail (GIFT): Mumbai to host a landmark celebration of India’s culinary and cultural heritage, featuring 45+ chefs, 13 immersive zones, 100+ kitchens and 400+ dishes at Jio World Centre
From royal kitchens and tribal food traditions to celebrated chefs, regional delicacies and immersive cultural experiences, the three-day extravaganza promises a spectacular journey across India’s diverse food landscape.
Move over, conventional food festivals! Mumbai is about to get a magnificent taste of India’s culinary soul. Imagine the aromas of royal kitchens, forgotten regional recipes, indigenous food traditions, temple offerings and contemporary interpretations of age-old flavours… all coming together under one spectacular roof.
Enter The Great Indian Feast Trail (GIFT), a landmark three-day celebration that promises to take visitors on a delicious journey from the Himalayas to the coasts, exploring the country’s food, people, craftsmanship and cultural stories.
Taking place from November 27–29, 2026, at Jio World Centre, Mumbai, the inaugural edition will bring together 13 immersive zones, over 100 curated kitchens, 45-plus chefs and more than 400 signature dishes. This is not simply about eating your way around India; it is about discovering the stories, communities and traditions behind every flavour. TheGlitz takes a closer look at GIFT – the festival putting India’s extraordinary culinary heritage centre stage.
GIFT – A Feast of Epic Proportions
With over 45 chefs, 100-plus kitchens and 400-plus dishes, GIFT is bringing together an impressive cross-section of India’s culinary talent. The festival will feature celebrated names including Chef Ajay Chopra, Founder and Director of Zion Hospitality and author; celebrity chef and food connoisseur Chef Vicky Ratnani; Chef Varun Inamdar, chef, consultant, chocolatier and author; and Chef Suresh Pillai, British chef and restaurateur of Indian origin.
Each chef will bring their distinctive expertise and culinary influences to curated experiences and masterclasses. For food enthusiasts, this is an opportunity to explore India’s many regional identities through the interpretations of some of its most recognisable culinary voices.
From Temple Kitchens to Tribal Traditions
One of GIFT’s most compelling propositions is its focus on food traditions that deserve far greater recognition. The Temple and Sattvic Trail, led by Gauranga Das, senior ISKCON spiritual leader, author and director of Govardhan Ecovillage, will showcase 16 recipes from temples across India. The experience will explore the relationship between food, devotion, culture and spirituality, offering a glimpse into the culinary heritage of temple kitchens.
Equally significant is the festival’s spotlight on tribal food traditions. Tribal community cooks will prepare authentic dishes, bringing generations of culinary knowledge and indigenous ingredients into the limelight. The festival will also turn its attention to India’s royal kitchens, presenting recipes and cooking traditions once associated with royal households. These are food stories that go beyond menus, preserving the cultural memory of communities and regions.
Thirteen Zones, Countless Culinary Discoveries
The festival’s 13 immersive zones promise a journey through India’s diverse food landscapes. Among the highlights is The Himalayan Trail, featuring Kashmiri Wazwan by Chef Varun Inamdar, Kashmiri Pandit and Hadaki food by Akanksha/Brothers Homestay, alongside mountain cuisines represented by Himachali Rasoi and Darjeeling Kitchen.
The Royal and Heritage Trail will explore culinary traditions associated with India’s royal households, from Rajasthan’s hunting fare to the flavours of Rampur, featuring Royal Repast and the Rampur Pop-up. Together, these showcases promise to take visitors beyond familiar regional favourites and into lesser-explored culinary histories.
More Than What’s on the Plate
GIFT intends to make the experience as much about culture as cuisine. Interactive activities, live demonstrations and cultural programming will celebrate India’s artistic traditions, craftsmanship and community stories. Visitors can expect an engaging exploration of the creative expressions and cultural identities that shape the country’s heritage.
The festival is presented in partnership with Greed Goddess Media and Gourmet Tales Co. (GTC). Led by Ruchi and Sumit, GTC is described as India’s first 360-degree food curation and experience management agency, with food curator and strategist Preet Sanghvi bringing experience across more than 250 events. Greed Goddess Media, led by two National Award-winning filmmakers, focuses on research-led documentaries and series exploring India’s people, traditions and hidden stories through food, travel and immersive cultural experiences.
Taking India’s Food Stories to the World
Mumbai is the starting point for GIFT’s larger ambition, with future editions planned for London, Dubai and Singapore. The vision is to create an international platform for India’s regional cuisines, forgotten recipes, community-led food knowledge and cultural traditions.
TheGlitz Take
What makes The Great Indian Feast Trail (GIFT) exciting is its ambition to look beyond the celebrity chef circuit and give India’s culinary heritage the spotlight it deserves. The real treasures of Indian food are not confined to fine-dining kitchens; they live in tribal communities, temple kitchens, royal recipes, mountain homes and family traditions passed down through generations.
Bringing these voices together is both a celebration and an important act of cultural preservation. We believe GIFT could become far more than just another food festival… it could be a powerful showcase of India’s culinary identity to the world.
Our take? We believe India’s food story is too extraordinary to be served in bite-sized stereotypes. Thanks to The Great Indian Feast Trail, Mumbai will taste the whole feast. More power to GIFT!
