Irfan Dama
Founder at Daavat Culinary; Indian Chef, Culinary Coach, Food Program Consultant, and YouTuber
About
I'm Irfan Dama, the Founder of Daavat Culinary and a specialist in Indian cuisine for the American corporate dining sector. My journey began with executive training at ITC in India and led me to Google’s Mountain View campus, where I had the privilege of designing and launching 'Baadal,' a restaurant concept celebrating India’s diverse regional heritage. Today, I focus on bridging the gap between authentic Indian flavors and the practical realities of high-volume commercial kitchens. I am passionate about culinary education and helping chefs build sustainable, manageable food programs through structured training and menu architecture. Whether it's through my consulting work or my YouTube channel, I aim to offer practical solutions that respect both tradition and operational efficiency. I'm always looking to connect with professional chefs and food service operators who are interested in elevating the Indian culinary experience in corporate environments.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Guidance on integrating authentic Indian cuisine into commercial kitchens
- ›Menu architecture and costing expertise
- ›Instructional training for professional cooks
- ›Scalable culinary solutions for high-volume environments
Looking for
- ›expanding my professional network
- ›exploring mutual opportunities in corporate dining and food service management
Best fit for
Current Interests
Background
Career
Started in hotel management in India, transitioned to specialty chef roles at Google (Guckenheimer and Bon Appétit), and eventually founded Dama Indian Foodservice Solutions and Daavat Culinary to consult on corporate Indian food programs.
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Administration/Management, Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai (1990–1993); Hotel Executive Training Program, ITC Hospitality Management Institute, Gurgaon (1993–1995).
Achievements
- ›Designed and launched the 'Baadal' restaurant concept at Google Mountain View
- ›Developed scalable Indian food programs for high-volume American corporate dining
- ›Offered free e-learning certification to professional cooks affected by the pandemic
Opinions
- Structured training is the key to sustainable and manageable food programs
- Culinary knowledge must be translated into practical, scalable solutions that respect kitchen limitations
- Curry powder is a nuanced ingredient that can be seen as both a boon and an abomination depending on context