From Mother’s Kitchen to Rashtrapati Bhavan: The Gastronomic Odyssey of Dr. Chef Saurabh Sharma “If Rajasthani food could speak, it would tell tales of war, drought, valor, and survival, each dish born from necessity and pride, scarcity transformed into poetry.”

A true son of the soil and a celebrated chef of India, Dr. Chef Saurabh Sharma’s extraordinary journey began at his mother’s kitchen in Ladnun, Rajasthan. It was there he first learned a foundational truth: food is more than sustenance; it is emotion, heritage, and healing. That childhood wonder evolved into a lifelong academic and culinary mission, culminating in a PhD dedicated to documenting Rajasthan’s forgotten culinary heritage, rescuing centuries-old traditions from remote village kitchens and dusty palace scrolls.

This mission reached its historic pinnacle when Dr. Chef Saurabh was selected to curate a State Banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan, hosted by the Honorable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, in honor of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Attended by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and senior Union Ministers, the banquet served as an elite global stage for India’s culinary diplomacy. Following two months of meticulous research and exhaustive trials, Dr. Saurabh presented an authentic yet contemporary menu featuring royal recipes from Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, and Jaipur. The craftsmanship drew personal praise from Prime Minister Modi, who remarked: “It was a wonderful Rajasthani meal experience.”

Beyond the halls of diplomacy, Dr. Saurabh is a prominent media personality and industry authority with two decades of experience. He served as a jury member for the MasterChef India (2022-23) auditions in Jaipur and Delhi, and has hosted celebrated television cookery shows for ZEE TV, ETV, Doordarshan, IBA News, FoodXP, and TravelXP. A passionate champion of India’s National Millet Mission, his recent high-profile collaboration with Barbeque Nation brings heritage-inspired, millet-based regional menus to a nationwide audience. His accolades include four consecutive “Ambassadors of Taste for the Global Gastronomy” Gold Medals (2022–2026), three Limca Book Records, and the “Pride of Rajasthan” title (2023), best chef of the year (2025). and more.

Today, Dr. Saurabh seamlessly bridges elite culinary artistry with academic leadership. As Professor and Head of the Department of Hotel Management at Manipal University Jaipur, he mentors the next generation of hospitality leaders while advancing global culinary science with over 22 research papers, 5 copyrights, and 4 patents. He continues to shape the culinary landscape as the founder and general secretary of the Royal Rajasthan Chefs’ Society and an active member of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS, France), ensuring that the rich, authentic flavors of India are preserved, celebrated, and elevated on the world stage.