Culinary Institute India Pvt. Ltd.
The Indian hospitality industry is in a state of constant change, marked by a dynamic market and fierce competition. With an ever-increasing number of new restaurants, cafes, and kiosks opening their doors, the demand for a skilled workforce has never been higher. That “trust” we feel when we see a celebrity chef endorsing a product isn’t just a coincidence—it’s the result of decades of hard-earned reputation. In an industry where one poor meal or a single negative review can tank a restaurant, trust is the most valuable currency. But what happens when that trust is broken due to a lack of skilled employees? It’s a problem every restaurant owner faces, and that’s what makes the gap between employer and employee a critical challenge to solve.
Stepping into this crucial space is Culinary Institute India Pvt. Ltd. (CII), a company founded by Director Ms. Priya Salgotra in 2023 and registered in 2024. Ms. Salgotra recognized the visible demand for skill development and established CII with a core mission: to bridge the gap between employees and employers. What sets CII apart is its leadership. The institute is helmed by the highly respected Celebrity Chef Surajit Sanyal, an industry veteran with over 35 years of experience. Chef Sanyal’s presence is synonymous with trust, a quality that is rare and invaluable in the industry.
CII operates by giving customized training solutions to businesses within the hospitality sector. Its services are comprehensive and flexible, allowing clients to choose any or all of them. These include everything from setting up a kitchen and hiring employees to developing standard operating procedures (SOPs), menu engineering, and supply chain management. By offering these end-to-end solutions, CII acts as a strategic partner, making sure that businesses find the right talent and have the systems in place to succeed. This approach tackles the root of the problem by providing practical, tailored training that benefits both the workforce and the businesses.
In the spotlight for our “Innovative Company In Focus 2025” edition is Ms. Priya Salgotra, a visionary who dared to take on a critical industry challenge. Join us as we learn from her invaluable insights and the guiding philosophy that has propelled CII to the forefront of the hospitality sector. Stay tuned to hear her tale of success.
Prime Insights: Can you introduce your company and its core mission?
Culinary Institute India Pvt Ltd (CII) is working in the field of providing gap training to people in the hospitality industry. Founded in 2023 and registered in 2024, it provides customized training to employees. The mission is to bridge the gap between employees and employers.
Prime Insights: What inspired you to establish your company, and what problem does it aim to solve?
There is a visible demand in the market for skilled employee development in the hospitality industry. With an ever-growing market and new kiosks and restaurants being opened, this demand is huge. Employers face issues in finding the right employee, while employees face issues in finding the right job. Setting up an in-house training center is capital-intensive and not viable for small chains. So CII bridges this gap and helps both sides.
Prime Insights: How is your brand redefining “trust” in the industry, and what sets it apart from competitors?
There is hardly any competition in this field. Our institute is led by celebrity chef Surajit Sanyal, who has more than 35 years’ experience in the field and is respected across the industry. Chef Sanyal is synonymous with trust.
Prime Insights: What are your company’s flagship products, services, or solutions that distinguish it in the market?
We provide all customized solutions, from setting up a kitchen to hiring employees to setting up SOPs, menu engineering, training, and supply chain management. Customers can choose any or all of the services.
Prime Insights: What strategies have you employed to build a strong brand presence and customer loyalty?
We have a robust follow-up schedule for the first 12 months after the service. We regularly track the developments and help clients sort out any deficiencies, catered to their needs. We basically design customised solutions for the client, training them for on-the-job demands. This gives them first-hand experience on how our plan will work. Since every step of the process is tracked and recorded religiously.
Prime Insights: How does your company foster a deep and meaningful connection with its customers?
Building a meaningful relationship with our clients is paramount to our vision. We treat each and every client as an integral part of our family, and so each of the plans that we design are paid equal importance to. Ensuring consistent follow-ups and feedback throughout the process, we also give complete support for the first 12 months of a client’s operations. This continuous engagement helps build strong, lasting relationships that are rooted in trust.
Prime Insights: How do you assess and measure the level of trust your consumers have in your brand?
We have a robust SOP to assess the satisfaction level of our customers. These set of questions range from personal interaction to on-the-job training, hygiene maintenance, etc. This feedback is taken pre-, during, and post-training by a dedicated team. Each and every unsatisfactory review is personally handled by the Directors and allows for corrective action to be taken immediately. This allows us to measure and build on the trust our clients place in us.
Prime Insights: What is the first thought or emotion you aim to evoke when consumers encounter your brand?
The first emotion we want to evoke is trust. We want our customers to immediately consider us to be a reliable partner, one that is committed to bridging the gap between their needs and our solutions.
Prime Insights: What are your company’s future goals and vision for the coming years?
Our main goal for the coming years is to expand Chil Food Court, India’s first branded food court, which we recently launched. We plan to grow this alongside our core business of providing customized hospitality training.
Prime Insights: Can you share insights into your journey as an entrepreneur and the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
The most important lesson is: if a client trusts you, nothing else matters; if a client doesn’t trust you, nothing else matters. This is the only mantra to success.
Prime Insights: What are your key objectives for the next year, both professionally and personally?
My key objective for the next year is to make Culinary Institute India (CII) the most trusted brand in our industry.
Prime Insights: What steps do you take to foster a culture of creativity and forward-thinking within your organization?
We have an open environment in our company, and we nurture an atmosphere of thoughtful and engaging discussion where any employee can share their views without worrying about consequences.
Prime Insights: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who aspire to create a lasting impact in their industry?
Never have a plan B or plan C. It’s only Plan A that will work for you. Trust yourself and your team and put in your best. Nothing can stop you from succeeding. Develop the habit of reading, reading anything, not necessarily related to your business.
