Nationality Indian | ||
Born April 6, 1988 (age 28) ( 1988-04-06 ) Occupation Chef & Owner, The Sassy Spoon Known for The Sassy Spoon & Sassy Teaspoon | ||
Rachel Goenka (born April 6, 1988) is the founder and owner of award winning restaurant The Sassy Spoon in Mumbai. She is the daughter of media mogul, Viveck Goenka, Chairman of Indian Express Limited and Zita Goenka. A young and seasoned entrepreneur, Goenka is best known for her innovative delicacies and trademark desserts. Her motto is ‘Food is the one love you will never fall out of’.
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Education
Goenka graduated with a double degree in Journalism and English from The Pennsylvania State University. She then attended The Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where she trained under celebrity chef Rachel Allen, and then moved to Le Cordon Bleu in London to specialize in patisserie
Career
Goenka began her restaurant career by establishing her flagship restaurant, The Sassy Spoon, Nariman Point, in 2012. The multi-awarded winning restaurant is regarded as one of Mumbai's premier gourmet eateries and is renowned for its eclectic menu, indulgent desserts and vintage-chic decor. It is also one of the few independent restaurants in India that is regularly hand picked to participate in Gout De France, a global culinary extravaganza that celebrates French cuisine, launched by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Laurent Fabius, under the aegis of Chef Alain Ducasse.
Her second restaurant, The Sassy Spoon, Bandra, a casual all-day dining concept was set-up in Bandra, has been re-launched in a sassier avatar this October. This year also marked the launch of Sassy Teaspoon, a quaint bakery & patisserie in Juhu which has also found its presence in Nariman Point along with an outlet in The Sassy Spoon, Bandra. As part of her expansion plans, Goenka intends to open The Sassy Spoon in Koregaon Park, Pune as well as a new concept in Pune, Maharashtra in the coming months.
Other achievements
She has been involved in a range of charitable projects around the country, including hosting celebrity Chef Rachel Allen and the Irish NGO-Goal, for their work in India and ensuring that the proceeds from the restaurant would extend towards support the girl child movement. She has also been associated with Pall Can Care in New Delhi and Akansha in Mumbai. Goenka was recently invited to speak at LBS Family Business Conference 2016 in London on the topic of ‘Innovation in the next generation’.
Personal life
Goenka married her high-school sweetheart Karan Khetarpal, a Dubai based banker in 2014. The wedding took place at Jodhpur, the Umaid Bhavan Palace. The celebrations included a vibrant Sangeet at Luni Fort, a church wedding, a Hindu wedding and a grand reception at Umaid Bhawan. She currently splits her time between Dubai and Mumbai. An ardent canine lover, she loves giant breeds and has eight dogs. She also shares a love for shoes with all womankind with an enviable footwear collection. Besides having a background in food, Rachel is an avid shopper and loves fashion.
Awards and notable work
Within a year of launch, The Sassy Spoon was awarded "Best independent Restaurant - Critics Choice" by TimeOut India in 2014. The following year (2015), the restaurant was awarded "Best European & Mediterranean Restaurant" and "Most Romantic Restaurant" in Mumbai and won a culinary award from the food listing giant Zomato.