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Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 celebrates ‘Redefining Excellence’ across Food and Lifestyle

An unforgettable evening in Mumbai honours the visionaries transforming India’s culinary and lifestyle landscape Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 24: The fourth edition of the Zee Zest Unlimit...

TBT Online Desk
March 24, 2026 4 Min Read
An unforgettable evening in Mumbai honours the visionaries transforming India’s culinary and lifestyle landscape Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 24: The fourth edition of the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 concluded on a spectacular note, bringing together some of the country’s most influential voices from the food and lifestyle ecosystem. Held at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, the evening celebrated innovation, creativity and excellence across a range of dynamic categories, further reinforcing the platform’s position as one of India’s most credible industry recognitions. Centred around this year’s theme, ‘Redefining Excellence,’ the awards recognised avant-garde restaurants, bars, cafés, spirit brands, hospitality concepts, experiential dining formats and content creators who are redefining the contours of India’s cultural and culinary landscape. The evening witnessed a distinguished gathering of industry stalwarts, creative leaders and cultural icons. Leading names from the entertainment world, Shalini Pandey, Madhurima Tuli, Karan Tacker, Avneet Kaur, Harleen Sethi and Armaan Jain graced the red carpet, adding glamour and excitement to the celebrations. The ceremony also honoured the finest talents from the culinary world, presenting awards across categories and applauding winners for their craft, consistency, and spirit of innovation. The Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 drew strength from an exceptional jury, a powerhouse lineup featuring veteran food critic Rashmi Uday Singh, restaurateur AD Singh, chefs Doma Wang, Rahul Akerkar, Ajay Chopra, and Karishma Sakhrani, food historian Sadaf Hussain, food writers Priya Ganapathy and Rukshana Kapadia, and mixologist Nitin Tewari, among others. With their diverse expertise and uncompromising standards, the panel ensured each winner was chosen with a thoughtful balance of quality, originality, and cultural context. Talking about the event, Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer – ZEEL & Zee5, said, “At ZEE, we believe excellence deserves a platform as expansive as its impact. With Zee Zest Unlimit Awards – Redefining Excellence, we are leveraging our omni-channel network across TV, OTT, web & social to spotlight culinary trailblazers and honour these visionaries whose passion, innovation and dedication are evolving the gastronomic culture of India.” Alenkar Pathare – Business Head, Zee Zest & Youth, said, “India’s food and lifestyle landscape is experiencing a dynamic shift, led by a new wave of entrepreneurs, creators and hospitality leaders who are redefining the contours of consumer experience. The Zee Zest Unlimit Awards celebrates this spirit of innovation and enterprise, recognising individuals and brands that are shaping fresh narratives and encouraging the industry to push the boundaries of creativity and possibility.” Talking about the event, Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer – ZEEL & Zee5, said, “At ZEE, we believe excellence deserves a platform as expansive as its impact. With Zee Zest Unlimit Awards – Redefining Excellence, we are leveraging our omni-channel network across TV, OTT, web & social to spotlight culinary trailblazers and honour these visionaries whose passion, innovation and dedication are evolving the gastronomic culture of India.” Alenkar Pathare – Business Head, Zee Zest & Youth, said, “India’s food and lifestyle landscape is experiencing a dynamic shift, led by a new wave of entrepreneurs, creators and hospitality leaders who are redefining the contours of consumer experience. The Zee Zest Unlimit Awards celebrates this spirit of innovation and enterprise, recognising individuals and brands that are shaping fresh narratives and encouraging the industry to push the boundaries of creativity and possibility.” A standout highlight of the evening was a high-energy performance by the celebrated Indian rock band Agnee, which infused the celebration with vibrant energy and had the audience on their feet. This was complimented by a relentless laughter riot presented by popular standup comedian Prashasti Singh. Building on the momentum of its previous editions, the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 once again reaffirmed Zee Zest’s commitment to spotlighting excellence and innovation that continue to shape India’s evolving food, travel and lifestyle narrative. Co presented by L’Oréal Paris, co powered by SR Queens, with special partner Rajesh Masala, fragrance partner Wild Stone, energy drink partner Hell Energy Drink and associate sponsor Dhananjay Foods, the evening stood as a vibrant celebration of creativity, enterprise and cultural influence. Tune in to catch the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 telecast on 29 March on Zee Zest SD and HD, and streaming on Zee5. The distinguished winners of the Zee Zest Unlimit Awards 2026 are:
Sr. No. Category Winner
Cuisine
1 BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT Naru Noodle Bar, Bengaluru
2 BEST LUXURY DINING RESTAURANT The Table, Mumbai
3 BEST REGIONAL INDIAN RESTAURANT Amar Khamar, Kolkata
4 BEST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT Avatara, Mumbai
5 BEST CAFÉ Cafe Lento, Goa
6 BEST NEW RESTAURANT SoBo 20, Mumbai
7 BEST EUROPEAN RESTAURANT La Panthera, Mumbai
8 BEST IN DESSERT Lick, Bengaluru
9 BEST SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANT Dakshin at ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
10 BEST DESIGNED RESTAURANT The Sarvato, Jaipur
11 BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT Wabi Sabi at The Oberoi, Bengaluru
12 BEST THAI RESTAURANT Khao Man Gai by Seefah, Mumbai
Beverages
13 BEST COCKTAIL BAR Bar Spirit Forward, Bengaluru
14 BEST INDIAN WHISKY Amrut Expedition
15 BEST INDIAN CRAFT GIN Cherrapunji
16 BEST DESIGNED COCKTAIL BAR Boilermaker, Goa
17 BEST INDIGENOUS SPIRIT Six Brothers Mahura
18 BEST INDIAN RUM  Pipa Rum
Individuals
19 CHEF OF THE YEAR (Male) Gresham Fernandes, Bandra Born, Mumbai
20 CHEF OF THE YEAR (Female) Koyel Roy Nandy – Rannaghor by Sienna Calcutta
21 PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR Vinesh Johny – Lavonne, India
22 RISING CHEF OF THE YEAR Juhi Punwani – Amar Khamar, Kolkata
23 RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR Gauri Devidayal
24 MIXOLOGIST OF THE YEAR Jeet Rana – Barbet & Pals, New Delhi
25 UNLIMIT ICON Chef Manish Mehrotra
26 UNLIMIT ICONIC MUSIC BAND AWARD AGNEE
27 BEST CLOUD KITCHEN The Junglee Kitchen by Armaan Jain
28 ICONIC RESTAURANT Crystal Restaurant, Mumbai
29 BEST NEW AGE BEVERAGE BRAND HELL ENERGY DRINK
30 UNLIMIT OTT BREAKTHROUGH STAR AWARD Harleen Sethi
31 UNLIMIT DYNAMIC PERFORMER AWARD Madhurima Tuli
32 BEST FIRE-LED CULINARY CONCEPT HOM, Mumbai
33 UNLIMIT IMPACTFUL SCREEN PRESENCE AWARD Karan Tacker
34 UNLIMIT PROMISING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR Avneet Kaur
35 UNLIMIT EMERGING TALENT AWARD Shalini Pandey

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