https://www.heraldgoa.in/cafe/goa-shines-at-conde-nast-traveller-x-district-top-restaurant-awards-2025-eight-goan-chefs-in-top-50/447944/
It’s difficult to recognize faces in this crowd of award-winning restaurateurs who ranked in the top 50 in India at the Condé Nast Traveller x District Top Restaurant Awards 2025 held in Mumbai earlier this week, but there are good number of stars from Goa in the mix: Ralph Prazeres is smiling on the carpet in the front, and there is Pranav Dhuri in his white jacket over to his right. In the back is the acclaimed culinary ambassador Avinash Martins, alongside five others representing India’s smallest state, which occupied 8 of the rankings, in another demonstration of the power and prestige earned by this exemplary next-gen wave of homegrown hospitality entrepreneurs. What is more, there could easily have been another dozen or more up there, because there is a lot of truth to the (mostly unfortunate) hype about this being the restaurant and food capital of the country. I liked and appreciated what Divia Thani, the magazine’s global editorial director (who is herself a remarkable homegrown star having gone from launching the Indian edition 15 years ago to handling all of them from London) said in her welcome address: “Indian chefs, restaurants and the food scene here is world class - it's vibrant, experimental, rooted in culture, has wonderful storytelling. And these awards reflect our choices, which are most important. We don't need validation from international lists or critics who may or may not have an understanding of our food history or culture. We have every right to be confident in our own tastes.” These are important points, at the heart of why Indian food has long been considered to be in an “uphill battle” to register on global rankings and reviews, which are based on idealized European (and, latterly, including Japanese) customs, aesthetics and preferences. As the NYU professor Krishnendu Ray has been pointing out for years, “food writing in most parts of the world, even today, continues to affirm a narrow slice of upper-class presumptions about the criteria for judgment about good taste. It is all Euro-American and East Asian. All wine, sake and cheese, no handia or toddy, so to speak.” He told me via email some time ago this doesn’t take into account “its racism, its Eurocentrism, its swaggering White masculinity, and unalloyed disdain for the taste of other classes, races and ethnicities. Reading that writing, you would think only rich, white, European men, mostly French, English and Italians, maybe some Russian Tsars, knew what to eat and how to eat it. A presumption that has defined so much of food writing by gourmands, in particular, restaurant reviews, since its invention in the print media in 19th century European cities. That in fact continues today.” Of course, similar blind spots are omnipresent within India as well, and this particular magazine ranking works to alleviate the problem by naming 100 jurors with broad geographic distribution around the country (full disclosure: I am one of them). Nonetheless, in my opinion, it is best to consider lists as signposts towards an enticing scene, with much more – and often better – to discover on the ground. This is certainly the case with Goa, which has many one-of-a-kind wonders, and brilliant food at every price level, but also an abysmal wasteland of tourist traps and five-star flops. “I think Goa, in general, is well represented in this ranking considering it is not a metro,” says Vikram Doctor, the doyen of Indian food writing who moved from Mumbai to Assagao during the Covid-19 pandemic, “and only in the last few years has it shown an increase in the potential year-round client base, rather than the seasonal tourist boom. If some kind of comparison was possible between the number of restaurants and potential customers, I think Goa would be in the lead.” However, “more than ranking, which will probably always be a bit random, I think what matters is inclusion. And here is where this list does seem to show problems. Some of the restaurant inclusions are pretty dubious, and do suggest that PR is learning how to game the system. One restaurant in particular, suggests the problem. It is totally not regarded within in its own location, and is probably only patronised by tourists from Delhi and Mumbai, of the kind likely to figure in the jury list. I think the organisers need to consider a kind of tweak at the end of the voting, where perhaps they could share the restaurants in a location that might make the listing to the jury members from that location, and then take a judgement call on whether to include or not. That might help weed out restaurants that are possibly able to use their connections and money to get inclusion, rather than whether they really deserve it based on local dining experience.” Doctor says “one of the problems with Goa is that expectations of the food scene here are over-influenced by expectations of people who don't live here, but visit as tourists and have certain expectations of what Goan restaurant food should be. So, that includes over-representation of very meaty dishes and seafood (particularly the more expensive kind), and perhaps also 'exotic' cuisines, rather than what's just really good and available locally. But some of the best Goan food is vegetarian, or what I'd call semi-vegetarian, like dishes flavoured with dried fish. There's also food from other parts of India which the visitors don't necessarily want to have here, so just disregard. Chapter Two is a good example. Rohit Gorowala is cooking some of the best north and central Indian food, of a certain kind, that you can get anywhere. He's bringing a really passionate, obsessive focus to developing those recipes to their peak. It’s scandalous that Chapter Two doesn't feature in this list - but quite understandable, since it’s not likely to attract the non-resident voters on this list.” All things considered, is the hype deserved for Goa as the exciting food capital of the country? Doctor says “I think yes, because you have people who want to make this food, a lot of great local produce - and small producers willing to create great ingredients - and a customer base that does have the desire and money to spend on it. But being a great food destination isn't the same as being a great restaurant destination, simply because commercial restaurants aren't always the best way to get great food. I think what's happening in Goa shows this, when some of the best food experiences are likely to be catered, or on demand, and not in the standard restaurant format.” This is an excellent insight, about what probably can’t be captured by any kind of restaurant rankings. Doctor says “one of the great dining experiences anywhere in India is the feast Shubhra Shankhwalkar caters in a farmhouse in north Goa. It is on demand and can't happen at short notice. But she offers a spectacular array of over 15 dishes, all vegetarian or fish focussed, and all locally and sustainably sourced. That isn't going to make it to a listing like this and shows the shortcomings of only looking at restaurants as a way to deliver food experiences. Or look at Saligao’s Tuesday market, for example, which showcases Goan home food – it is one place I can get samarachi kodi and melgor, both great Goa dishes that hardly feature even in Goan restaurants. Nearby, the little Potz & Grillz shows how a tiny space with basic seating can showcase really authentic NE food. There are many examples of how Goa is creating great food experiences beyond restaurants.”
