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Chef Arup Dasgupta Honoured with Heroes of Industry Award 2026 for Culinary & Hospitality Excellence

The award-winning Chef-Patron of Euphoria by Chef Arup is recognised for more than three decades of international culinary leadership, Progressive Indian Cuisine and an enduring commitment to hospitality.

Chef Arup Dasgupta, Chef-Patron of Euphoria by Chef Arup, has been recognised with the Heroes of Industry Award in Culinary & Hospitality 2026, celebrating an international career spanning more than three decades across India, France, the Middle East and the UK.

For Chef Arup, food has always represented far more than what appears on the plate. Growing up in India, his earliest understanding of hospitality came from his mother, whose cooking taught him about generosity, instinct, flavour and the ability of food to bring people together. That influence would become the foundation of a career encompassing luxury hospitality, restaurants, private dining, consultancy, culinary development and large-scale food operations.

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After training in Hotel Management in Durgapur, Chef Arup continued his education with a Master’s in Hospitality and Hotel & Catering Management at Vatel in Nîmes, France. His time in France proved particularly influential, including working with Chef Gilles Dauteuil at Le Vieux Castillon, a Michelin-starred Relais & Châteaux property. The experience strengthened his appreciation for discipline, precision, classical technique and respect for ingredients, principles that continue to underpin his cooking today.

His international career subsequently took him through contrasting culinary cultures, each contributing something distinct to his philosophy. India provided his culinary identity and understanding of spice, regionality and tradition; France strengthened his discipline and technical precision; the Middle East reinforced the importance of generosity in hospitality; and the UK encouraged adaptation and evolution for a diverse contemporary dining audience.

This combination of influences is now expressed through what Chef Arup describes as Progressive Indian Cuisine, an approach that respects the heritage, flavours, techniques and memories of Indian cooking while exploring them through a contemporary lens.

“It means understanding the original dish so well that you know what can be changed — and what must never be lost.”

Rather than pursuing modernity for its own sake, Chef Arup brings together Indian flavour combinations with techniques and influences acquired internationally, alongside seasonal British produce, smoking, fermentation, charcoal cooking and considered presentation. At the heart of the approach is a belief that technique should enhance rather than overshadow flavour.

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Throughout his career, Chef Arup has held senior positions within demanding hospitality environments, building teams, opening kitchens and overseeing complex food operations. He was involved in the pre-opening of Baluchi at The LaLiT London as Head of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef and later served as Executive Chef at Grand Trunk Road, where the restaurant achieved a Michelin Plate and gained recognition for its interpretation of Indian cuisine.

His work has also seen him cook for prominent guests, including the Mayor of London, politicians and Indian film personalities, experiences he regards not simply as prestigious occasions but as examples of the trust placed in a chef when creating food for important moments.

His culinary achievements include being named National Winner – Asian & Oriental Chef of the Year 2025, presented at the House of Lords, as well as receiving Gold at the UK Curry Championships as National Chef of the Year. His work has also received recognition through the Flavours of Asia Awards, including recognition for his seafood creations and his Black Cod as Best Signature Seafood. His professional journey includes an association with the Master Chefs of Great Britain, alongside numerous regional and local features celebrating his work.

In 2026, Chef Arup also received an Honorary Doctorate in Hospitality Leadership & Management, an achievement he regards as recognition not only of his cooking, but of the wider leadership, mentoring, management and hospitality experience accumulated throughout his career.

Yet despite the awards, some of the moments he values most cannot be measured by trophies. Building successful teams, watching chefs he has trained progress in their own careers and hearing that a dish has reminded a guest of home, childhood or someone they love remain among his most meaningful achievements.

His career has not been without challenges. Chef Arup speaks openly about the physical and emotional demands of hospitality, from long hours and difficult kitchens to career changes and inevitable disappointments. What sustained him was a continued commitment to food, people and improvement.

“Resilience in hospitality isn’t about never having difficult days. It is about turning up the next day with the same standards.”

Today, Euphoria by Chef Arup brings together the many strands of that experience through private dining, bespoke events and hospitality consultancy. His clients range from individuals seeking highly personalised dining experiences to restaurants and hospitality businesses requiring culinary development and operational support.

He is also working with an Indian restaurant in Canterbury, helping develop its culinary direction and supporting its longer-term growth and expansion plans. The project draws upon his combined expertise in cooking, leadership, menu development, systems, commercial awareness, team development and guest experience.

After more than three decades in hospitality, Chef Arup says his passion has evolved from proving himself to finding greater meaning in what he creates. Storytelling, mentoring and passing knowledge to younger chefs have become increasingly important, alongside his ambition to demonstrate the possibilities of contemporary Indian cuisine.

Receiving the Heroes of Industry Award 2026 therefore represents an opportunity to reflect on a career shaped by countless services, sacrifices, lessons, successes and challenges, while also marking the next chapter for Euphoria by Chef Arup.

Looking ahead, Chef Arup plans to continue developing the business across private dining, bespoke events and hospitality consultancy while pursuing projects that allow him to influence the complete guest experience. He also intends to further develop Progressive Indian Cuisine in a way that remains ambitious, contemporary and technically accomplished without losing the generosity, identity and accessibility at the heart of Indian food.

Mentoring the next generation of chefs will remain an important part of that future, alongside new dishes, collaborations, competitions and hospitality projects.

Ultimately, Chef Arup’s culinary philosophy is rooted in the experiences and places that have shaped him: India gave him his culinary identity, France taught him discipline, the Middle East reinforced generosity, Britain encouraged evolution, and his mother gave him his first understanding of what food can mean to people.

His aim now is to bring those influences together into something distinctly his own, not reproducing the past, but respecting it, understanding it and allowing it to evolve.

“Respect where you came from. Learn from everywhere you go. And never stop creating.”

About Chef Arup Dasgupta

Chef Arup Dasgupta is the Chef-Patron of Euphoria by Chef Arup, bringing more than three decades of international culinary and hospitality experience across India, France, the Middle East and the UK. Known for his approach to Progressive Indian Cuisine, he combines Indian culinary heritage with international techniques and contemporary presentation. His award-winning career spans luxury hospitality, restaurants, private dining and consultancy, alongside a strong commitment to mentoring future culinary talent.

Contact

Phone: 07878587697

Email: arupkdasgupta@gmail.com

Website: www.chefarup.com