JAMES BEARD 2026 OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR NOMINATION

Recognized for being pioneers in the field and for overall excellence across the portfolio of restaurants

OUR MISSION

The Cal-India Collective creates immersive dining destinations that marry the richness of the Indian subcontinent with the seasonal bounty of California to create a new, irresistible genre: “Cal-Indian”. Led by seasoned entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar and award-winning Chef Srijith Gopinathan, CIC crafts distinct, design-forward restaurant brands that blend Michelin-standard culinary innovation with thoughtful authentic hospitality.

THE VISIONARY AND THE VIRTUOSO

Entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar and chef Srijith Gopinathan

TWO CREATIVE TALENTS

The Cal-India Collective is a rare alchemy of Ayesha Thapar’s eclectic, avant-garde design eye and business acumen and Chef Srijith Gopinath’s Michelin-starred mastery of flavor.

AN AUTHENTIC EXPRESSION

As a tandem, they have built an unmatched portfolio of restaurants, each rooted in an authentic Indian pedigree and expressed through a distinct culinary and cultural lens. Taken together, these concepts reflect the layered aesthetics and flavors of the Indian subcontinent.

THE CAL INDIAN CONFLUENCE

Ayesha and Sri’s true innovation, though, is filtering these Indian-inspired journeys through the seasonal, ingredient-driven lens of California. The result is truly stunning and unexpected. Together they are heralding a new era of “progressive” Indian cuisine.

THE CAL INDIA WAY

Unlike chains that cookie-cut their success, Cal-India Collective has committed to building individual, “soulful” brands. Each restaurant has its own distinct identity, but shares a commitment to the “Cal-Indian” standard. Here’s what separates us:

ANCESTRAL PEDIGREE

Michelin precision rooted in the ancestral flavors of Kerala.

IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS

Spaces designed to immerse guests in the soul of every story.

THE CAL-INDIAN STANDARD

Distinct concepts united by Michelin-level precision and hospitality.

OPERATIONAL PEDIGREE

Boutique creativity backed by proven commercial excellence.

Founders

Ayesha Thapar

Founder & Co-Owner

Raised in Delhi, Thapar is a Wellesley College graduate in economics (with a minor in studio art), and a scion of the prominent KCT Group (one of India's leading business conglomerates).

A consummate innovator with a successful entrepreneurial record across industries, Thapar ran Tel3.com, a telecom voice over IP company based in Miami, which under her leadership tripled revenue to $30 million in less than two years. She then founded Sansaar Fashion, a retail line of semi-precious jewelry, handbags, and scarves which merged the richness of the East with the avantgarde glamour of the West. Later her perseverance helped the family company (Indian City Properties) transitioning from passive land ownership to progressive development with a diverse portfolio of high quality real estate assets, giving her an acute understanding of the power of urban spaces.

Despite a focus on business, Thapar has a deep passion for design and the arts, which have become hallmarks of her work. Ettan, Copra, Little Blue Door and Eylan are an expression of the diversity, beauty, artistic expression, depth that is India. Her desire for the world to experience all that India is from her lens, was the motivation behind this journey.

Srijith Gopinathan

Executive Chef & Co-Owner

Chef Srijith Gopinathan is the innovator of the Cal-Indian culinary genre and the one of the most decorated Indian chefs cooking in the United States today. He has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation with nominations for Best Chef: California in 2022 and 2024, Michelin, and a host of national and international media. He came to national attention when, as executive chef of Taj Campton Place, Sri became the first chef in the US to earn Michelin stars for Indian cuisine.

A native of Kerala, India (where he learned to cook in his grandmother's kitchen), Chef Sri later attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and trained at the Michelin 2-star le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in England, where he honed his repertoire in classical European technique.

With a perfect blend of global sensibilities, Chef Sri is able to combine the flavors of the east with a western flair that is unique yet innovative, without forsaking the authenticity of his roots.