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Hemant Bhagwani

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Hemant Bhagwani
Hemant Bhagwani

Hemant Bhagwani is an Indo-Canadian chef, sommelier, restaurateur, cookbook author, and entrepreneur based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1]

Education

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Bhagwani acquired his hotel and culinary management degree from Alpina School of Hotel Management Parpan in Switzerland (1993)[2] and followed it up with an EMBA from the University of Sydney (1994).[3] He completed his professional sommelier certification in Toronto, Canada, in 2002.

Career

[edit]

Bhagwani started his career by operating food service establishments in Sydney, Australia from 1994 to 1996, and then in Dubai, U.A.E., from 1996 to 2000.[4][5] In 2000, Bhagwani arrived in Toronto, and within two weeks, started working in CN Tower as Manager, Food and Beverage.[6]

In 2002, he decided to venture out on his own and took over a Hakka Chinese restaurant in Brampton, Ontario. He turned it around and renamed it.[4] He followed it up with Kamasutra restaurant and wine bar in Midtown, Toronto, Canada, in 2003.[7]

In 2007, he opened Amaya the Indian Room on Bayview Avenue, Toronto,[8][9][10][11][12] and Amaya's Bread Bar in 2008 in midtown Toronto.[3] He expanded the Amaya brand under the name of Amaya Express across Ontario, Canada.[13][14][15][16][17]

In 2013, Bhagwani created a unique Indian cuisine concept – Marathi, that continues to operate at Terminal 1, Toronto Pearson International Airport.[18][19]

Bhagwani started a lively Indian restaurant by the name Indian Street Food Co. in 2015.[20][21][22][23] He was the first restaurateur in Toronto to institute the policy of no tipping to create an equal work environment.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] In the summer of the same year, Bhagwani conceptualized and opened Sindi Street Food in Mississauga.[34][35] Thus, being a serial entrepreneur,[36] he was recognized as a finalist in the 2015 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[37]

In 2016, Bhagwani opened The Fat Beet, blends of Indian, Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine restaurant in Thornhill, Ontario.[38][39][40]

On January 25, 2017, Bhagwani opened Leela Indian Food Bar, in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto.[41][42] In August of that year, he sold Indian Street Food Co.[43][44]

In April 2018, Bhagwani launched a new club-themed restaurant, The Kolkata Club, in Mississauga, Ontario.[45][46]

Bhagwani was mentioned in Forbes online for sharing his entrepreneurial experience.[47] Bhagwani cherishes supporting young entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry.[48]

In the winter of 2018, Bhagwani launched another fast-casual concept, namely Good Karma,[49] a chain specializing in Indian food made from organic and locally sourced ingredients.[50][51][52][53][54]

Bhagwani is a strong supporter of skilled trades workers in Canada.[55] He advocates and employs hundreds of immigrant staff in his group of companies. He was hailed in media for supporting the immigration of foreign trade workers in Canada.[56][57] He encourages his staff members as his extended family.[58]

In late 2018, Bhagwani opened an Indian regional cuisine specialty restaurant named Goa Indian Farm Kitchen in Bayview Village Shopping Centre in North York, Toronto.[59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72] In January 2020, he opened POPA – the first Burmese cuisine restaurant in Toronto at the Bayview Village Shopping Centre.[73][74][75][76][77][2][78][79][80][81][82][83]

In March 2020, Bhagwani was in the process of opening an independently run Indian cuisine restaurant at Chef's Assembly Hall when the city of Toronto was put under emergency closure to curtail the spread of COVID-19.[84][85] He is the first Canadian restaurateur to launch a lawsuit against insurance companies denying COVID-19 claims.[86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96]

On July 1, 2020, Bhagwani opened a new brunch restaurant named Egg Bird, in Leaside, Toronto.[97][98][99][100][101][102]

December 2022, Hemant Bhagwani is all set to bring his style of Indian cuisine to Tribeca, New York at 78 Leonard Street, the former Tetsu. [103]

March 2023, Toronto celebrity chef Hemant Bhagwani opens Goa New York in the Big Apple. [104]

References

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  1. ^ Aksich, Caroline (21 September 2016). "Inside the kitchen of Amaya and Indian Street Food Co. owner and chef, Hemant Bhagwani". Toronto Life. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b Laws, Nick (2020-03-30). "In the Kitchen With: Hemant Bhagwani, Pōpa, Toronto". Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  3. ^ a b Nuttall-Smith, Chris (25 March 2016). "Indian Street Food Co.: The man behind Amaya looks to recapture the magic". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Reinvention the recipe for chef's success". Toronto Star. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  5. ^ Raqueno, Michelle (8 August 2015). "New Openings: Sindhi Indian Street Food Restaurant". insauga.com. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  6. ^ Jermyn, Diane (3 June 2011). "What makes Indian food authentic? Not the heat". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  7. ^ Mourtada, Rasha (26 March 2009). "Dehli with a difference". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  8. ^ Waxman, Adam (2014-06-01). "Where To DINE Now: Amaya Restaurant". DINE Magazine. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  9. ^ "Hemant Bhagwani | where.ca". where.ca. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
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  19. ^ Airport, Toronto Pearson International. "Toronto Pearson celebrates the city with unique tastes from renowned Toronto chefs". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
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  37. ^ "Ontario region's legacy-building entrepreneurs advance to finalist stage of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ program". Ey.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  38. ^ Henry, Michele (20 April 2016). "Amaya's Hemant Bhagwani opens Thornhill's restaurant, makes chickpea patties". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  39. ^ "What's on the menu at The Fat Beet, a new Middle Eastern restaurant from Hemant Bhagwani". Toronto Life. 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
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  45. ^ Mississauga, 488 Eglinton Ave W. Unit 22; Ontario (18 April 2018). "Unique, First-of-its-Kind Restaurant Opening in Mississauga". www.insauga.com. Retrieved 2020-07-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ "Culinary workers call for culture shift as #MeToo puts spotlight on harassment". Retrieved 2020-07-06.
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  99. ^ "Brunch and fried chicken the stars at Hemant Bhagwani's Egg Bird". TRNTO.com. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
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  103. ^ "Tribeca Citizen | Distinguished Indian Canadian chef is coming to Leonard". Tribeca Citizen. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  104. ^ Schembri, Jennifer (2023-03-01). "Toronto celebrity chef Hemant Bhagwani opens Goa New York in the Big Apple". Streets Of Toronto. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
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