Yash Bhanage: Hunger Inc. Founder, Career, Education and Restaurant Journey

Last Updated on August 16, 2026 by Fame Katha Editorial Team

Introduction

Yash Bhanage is an Indian hospitality entrepreneur best known as a founder and the Chief Operating Officer of Hunger Inc. Hospitality. He helped build the company alongside Sameer Seth and the late chef Floyd Cardoz.

As of August 2026, Bhanage continues to serve as Founder and COO of Hunger Inc., the Mumbai-based hospitality group behind well-known food businesses including The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s and Papa’s.

His career is closely connected with the growth of modern Indian dining, especially restaurants that present regional food, local ingredients and familiar flavours in fresh ways.

Who Is Yash Bhanage?

Yash Bhanage is a restaurateur and business leader working in India’s food and hospitality industry. His name became widely known after the opening of The Bombay Canteen in Mumbai in 2015.

Instead of building only one restaurant, Bhanage and his business partners gradually developed a group covering restaurants, sweets, cafés and food media.

His work earned him a place in Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list in 2016 in the Food and Hospitality category.

Today, he is mainly known for helping operate and grow Hunger Inc. while keeping each of its food concepts different from the others.

Yash Bhanage Quick Facts

Fact	Verified Detail
Full Name	Yash Bhanage
Profession	Hospitality entrepreneur and restaurateur
Current Role	Founder and COO, Hunger Inc. Hospitality
Known For	The Bombay Canteen and Hunger Inc.
Education	Institute of Hotel Management, Goa
Higher Education	Master’s degree from Cornell University’s Hotel School
Major Recognition	Forbes India 30 Under 30, 2016
Business Base	Mumbai, India
Industry	Restaurants, food and hospitality

Education and Early Interest in Hospitality

Bhanage did not begin his education with a clear plan to become a restaurant entrepreneur.

He studied science during his school years but later became more interested in hotels, restaurants and hospitality management.

He went on to study at the Institute of Hotel Management in Goa, commonly known as IHM Goa. This gave him formal training in the hospitality field.

He later continued his education at Cornell University’s Hotel School, where he completed a master’s degree.

Cornell also played an important role in his future business career because it was where he met Sameer Seth, who later became his business partner.

Their friendship and shared interest in food eventually developed into a professional partnership.

Early Career in Hotels and Restaurants

Before launching his own hospitality company, Bhanage gained practical experience inside hotels and restaurants.

Early in his career, he worked at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. He had experience in front-office operations but became increasingly interested in the restaurant side of the hotel business.

He moved into restaurant operations and worked directly in food service. This gave him experience with guests, restaurant teams and daily operations.

His career later took him outside India.

He worked and trained in the United States and Southeast Asia, gaining experience in international hospitality environments.

In 2013, he was involved in opening Antidote in Singapore.

These early jobs helped him understand hospitality from the ground level before he moved into entrepreneurship.

Meeting Sameer Seth and Building a Business Idea

Bhanage’s partnership with Sameer Seth became one of the most important parts of his career.

The two had studied together at Cornell and later began discussing the possibility of creating a restaurant business in India.

Their idea was not simply to copy international restaurant concepts.

They wanted to build places where Indian food could feel modern while still remaining connected to regional flavours, ingredients and traditions.

Chef Floyd Cardoz, an internationally respected Indian-born chef, later became an important partner and mentor in the project.

Together, the team developed the idea that became The Bombay Canteen.

The Bombay Canteen

The Bombay Canteen opened in Mumbai in 2015.

The restaurant became known for presenting Indian ingredients and regional dishes in creative ways without losing their cultural roots.

Its menu drew inspiration from different parts of India rather than focusing on only one regional cuisine.

The restaurant also placed strong attention on seasonal ingredients and local produce.

The Bombay Canteen became an important part of Bhanage’s public career because it established the business model that later supported the wider Hunger Inc. group.

In 2018, The Bombay Canteen received the top position at the Condé Nast Traveller and Himalayan Sparkling Top Restaurant Awards.

It later gained international recognition as well, including a place on the extended Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 ranking.

These awards belong to the restaurant and its wider team rather than to Bhanage personally, but they show how the business grew in reputation.

Forbes India 30 Under 30 Recognition

In 2016, Forbes India selected Bhanage for its 30 Under 30 list in the Food and Hospitality category.

The recognition came during the early years of The Bombay Canteen.

It highlighted his role in developing a restaurant that focused on Indian food stories, seasonal produce and regional culinary ideas.

This remains one of the clearest individual awards connected directly to his career.

Growth of Hunger Inc.

After The Bombay Canteen, the team continued to create new food concepts.

Rather than opening copies of the same restaurant, Hunger Inc. developed brands with different styles and audiences.

As of August 2026, its portfolio includes several major businesses.

O Pedro

O Pedro followed The Bombay Canteen and opened in 2017.

The restaurant takes inspiration from Goa and its food culture while presenting the dishes in a contemporary dining setting.

It became another important brand in the group’s restaurant portfolio.

Bombay Sweet Shop

Bombay Sweet Shop launched in 2020.

The concept focuses on Indian mithai, snacks and sweets while giving many traditional products a modern presentation.

Its opening came at a difficult time because India’s COVID-19 lockdown began soon afterward.

The business therefore had to quickly strengthen delivery and online ordering.

Bombay Sweet Shop later became an important part of Hunger Inc.’s expansion beyond traditional restaurant dining.

enthucutlet

In 2022, Hunger Inc. launched enthucutlet, a digital food publication.

It covers Indian ingredients, food culture, restaurants, people and stories connected with eating and cooking.

The project allowed the company to move into food media as well as hospitality.

Veronica’s

Veronica’s opened in 2023 in Bandra, Mumbai.

It operates as an all-day sandwich and coffee shop and was developed at the former St. Jude’s Bakery location.

The concept added a more casual café-style business to the company’s portfolio.

Papa’s

In 2024, Hunger Inc. introduced Papa’s, a small chef’s-counter restaurant led by executive chef Hussain Shahzad.

The restaurant has only a limited number of seats and focuses on a close, chef-led dining experience.

Papa’s later appeared in TIME’s World’s Greatest Places 2025, giving the concept international attention.

What Does Yash Bhanage Do at Hunger Inc.?

As Founder and COO, Bhanage’s role is strongly connected with the operating side of the business.

A Chief Operating Officer normally helps manage how a company works from day to day, including people, systems, expansion and execution.

His career shows a strong focus on restaurant operations rather than only food creation.

That distinction is important.

Hunger Inc.’s chefs lead much of the culinary work, while Bhanage’s public role is more closely connected with building the organisation, developing hospitality experiences and supporting the growth of its brands.

Hunger Inc. Funding and Business Growth

Hunger Inc. entered an important new stage of growth in October 2025 when it raised ₹215 crore in funding.

Investment firms Lighthouse and DSG Consumer Partners acquired a significant minority stake in the company.

The money was intended to support further expansion, including the growth of Bombay Sweet Shop, production facilities and new markets.

Company leadership reported that Hunger Inc. generated about ₹115 crore in revenue during FY2025, with an EBITDA margin of around 9%.

These figures relate to Hunger Inc. as a business. They should not be confused with Bhanage’s personal income or personal wealth.

The company also announced plans to expand Bombay Sweet Shop beyond Mumbai, including a planned flagship location in Delhi.

As of August 2026, the brand’s official physical-store information continued to focus on Mumbai, so the Delhi location should be treated as an expansion plan rather than an already confirmed operating store.

Working Through the COVID-19 Period

The year 2020 was especially difficult for Hunger Inc.

Restaurants across India faced major disruption because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company was also affected personally by the death of co-founder and chef Floyd Cardoz in March 2020.

Bhanage and Sameer Seth continued running and rebuilding the business during this period.

Bombay Sweet Shop, which had recently opened, became increasingly dependent on delivery and digital sales.

The company eventually returned to growth and continued creating new concepts in the following years.

Recognition With Sameer Seth

In 2023, Travel + Leisure Asia named Bhanage and Sameer Seth F&B Entrepreneurs of the Year.

The award recognised their work building Hunger Inc. and expanding its approach to food and hospitality.

Their partnership has remained an important part of the company’s identity, with Seth and Bhanage taking leading roles in developing the business while working with chefs and restaurant teams.

Community and Hospitality Education

Hunger Inc. has also developed programmes outside normal restaurant operations.

One of its long-running projects is the Independence Day Daawat, a community meal connected with charitable fundraising.

The event has supported social organisations and programmes connected with farmers.

The group also created Canteen Class, an initiative designed to help hospitality students learn directly from professionals working in the industry.

The company reports that the programme has reached more than 1,200 students through over 50 sessions.

These are Hunger Inc. initiatives, so they are best described as company-led projects rather than personal charities belonging only to Bhanage.

His Approach to Building Hospitality Brands

One noticeable part of Bhanage’s career is that Hunger Inc. has not depended on only one type of food business.

Its portfolio includes a modern Indian restaurant, a Goan-inspired restaurant, a sweet shop, a sandwich café, a chef’s counter and a digital food publication.

This suggests a strategy built around creating separate concepts for different experiences rather than repeating one successful formula.

For readers who follow notable entrepreneurs and professionals on FameKatha, his journey is a useful example of how practical hospitality experience can grow into leadership of a multi-brand food company.

Interesting Facts About Yash Bhanage

Bhanage’s official professional profile also reveals a few interests outside daily restaurant operations.

He is described as a Manchester United supporter and an avid reader.

He has also shown interest in creative bartending and in the connection between technology and hospitality.

Another interesting part of his journey is that he worked in service and restaurant operations before becoming an entrepreneur. His career therefore developed through hands-on hospitality experience rather than beginning directly in senior management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Yash Bhanage?

Yash Bhanage is a hospitality entrepreneur and the Founder and COO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality, the company behind The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop and other food brands.

What is Yash Bhanage famous for?

He is best known for helping create The Bombay Canteen and building Hunger Inc. into a wider restaurant and food business.

What is his current position?

As of August 2026, he is listed as Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Hunger Inc. Hospitality.

Where did Yash Bhanage study?

He studied hospitality at the Institute of Hotel Management in Goa and later completed a master’s degree at Cornell University’s Hotel School.

Which restaurants are associated with him?

Hunger Inc.’s portfolio includes The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s and Papa’s. The company also operates the food publication enthucutlet.

Did Yash Bhanage receive a Forbes award?

He was selected for Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list in 2016 in the Food and Hospitality category.

Final Thoughts

Yash Bhanage has built his public career around hospitality operations, restaurant development and modern Indian food businesses.

Starting with formal hotel-management education and hands-on restaurant work, he later joined Sameer Seth and Floyd Cardoz in creating The Bombay Canteen.

That single restaurant developed into a wider hospitality group with several distinct brands.

As of August 2026, he remains Founder and COO of Hunger Inc., making his current professional identity clear: he is a hospitality entrepreneur helping lead one of Mumbai’s growing multi-brand food companies.