Ritu Dalmia: $100M Indian Weddings, Section 377 & Coming Out | Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi

Ritu Dalmia: $100M Indian Weddings, Section 377 & Coming Out | Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi

Chef Ritu Dalmia joins Vir Sanghvi on Table 1 for a conversation as raw and defiant as the uncompromising authenticity that made her an icon. From teaching Indians how to appreciate Italian food to being the lead petitioner in the landmark fight to decriminalise Section 377 to building a global restaurant empire, this is the untold story of a pioneer who refuses to hide her truth.

In this episode, she speaks candidly about what it really takes to run restaurants and why, at the end of the day, a business must fundamentally make money. But this is also a deeply personal conversation. Ritu opens up about her life, including her decision to come out publicly, and what it meant to do so at a time when conversations around identity and sexuality were taboo in India. She talks about her role in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, and the responsibility and consequences that come with taking a stand publicly.

There are moments of sharp critique, especially when she calls out India’s continued fascination with foreign chefs, opens up on the multi-million dollar world of elite wedding catering, and explains why she believes the current restaurant boom in Goa is a bubble waiting to burst. This is a conversation about far more than restaurants. It’s about identity, conviction and the cost of choosing to speak up, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, produced by Culinary Culture Studios, brings together influential chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and hospitality leaders for honest conversations about ambition, failure, risk and the realities behind building successful empires.

Watch the full episode and subscribe for more conversations from Table 1.

00:00 – “What Makes You Think It’s Different?”
02:12 – The Pioneer of Standalone Restaurants
03:22 – The Reality of Big Fat Indian Weddings
05:51 – Spotting Talent: The “Diva Girls”
08:12 – “I’m Not an Extraordinary Chef”
10:41 – A Harvard Business School Failure
16:45 – The Opening of Diva
19:47 – India’s Fascination for Expat Chefs
29:20 – Empowering Women Chefs
35:53 – How to Build a Debt-Free Empire
39:51 – Section 377: The Landmark Fight
45:17 – “Who I Sleep With Is My Business”
49:51 – Harassment & The Power of the Law
53:35 – TV Shows & The Traveling Diva
1:04:11 – Why Michelin Chefs Fail at Catering
1:10:59 – Inside India’s $100 Million Wedding Industry
1:14:53 – Why the Goa Restaurant Scene is a Bubble

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