Shaaz Mehmood appointed as Managing Committee Member of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) –The only members from Hyderabad

Hyderabad: September 2021: Shaaz Mehmood, Partner with Olive Bar & Kitchen Pvt. Ltd. - Hyderabad was recently elected as the Managing Committee Member of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) for the period 2021-23. Shaaz has the distinction of being the only member from Hyderabad to be on the committee that aspires to promote and strengthen the Indian foodservice sector. It represents the interests of members through advocacy, training, research, and industry events.

Shaaz is a dynamic and performance-oriented Indian entrepreneur and humanitarian with a proven ability to conceptualize, build and lead top-flight teams aligned to achieving overall business objectives across diverse industries. 

NRAI is the voice of the Indian restaurant industry founded in 1982. The committee consists of over 30 restaurant CEOs & owners representing various national and international brands from the F&B sector. 

Speaking about this appointment, Shaaz Mehmood, said, “I have always worked towards the welfare and upliftment of the Indian restaurant industry. It is a great honor to be elected to the managing committee of NRAI. I look forward to actively create representation from Hyderabad that will help put our city on the national food map”.

Profile:

Shaaz’s passion for food developed at a young age when he wielded the ladle at the age of 12. He partnered with the Olive Bar & Kitchen Pvt. Ltd, in 2013 to extend their brands in the city under the mentorship of AD Singh. Shaaz set up the Olive Bistro & Bar at the stunning lakeside property in 2013 at a time when Hyderabad was still comforting itself to the idea of specialty restaurants. In 2015 he went on to partner and open SodaBottleOpenerWala followed by the Olive group’s first Microbrewery The Hopper in Hyderabad. In 2018, he partnered with the Olive group and reopened Ek Bar in Delhi in a bold avatar. He also has the distinction of opening Giggle Water, Hyderabad’s first speakeasy in 2018. In addition to these restaurants, Shaaz has been the go-to project lead for the company owing to his expertise in running tight schedules & costs to set up new restaurants. He has supported & led projects like the Olive Bistro & Bar in Mumbai & Gurugram; Olive Bar & Kitchen, Goa; SodaBottleOpenerWala & Lady Baga, Bengaluru and Hello Guppy, Mumbai. He is an authority on Hyderabadi cuisine and is well known for the lavish feasts hosted at his residence.

Shaaz, a serial entrepreneur,  has diverse interests in Healthcare, Hospitality, Food Processing & Manufacturing, he is the Promoter & Director of Medijourn Solutions Private Limited & Wadi Surgicals Private Limited.

Driving humanitarian initiatives, Shaaz Mehmood is the Founder & President of Youth Feed India. It ran one of the largest and most wide-scale food relief operations for the daily wage workers & marginalized communities across the country during the lockdowns of 2020 & 2021 and the October floods in Hyderabad. He is also passionately involved as the Treasurer of the Kitchens Against Hunger, an Olive Group CSR initiative.