Secret Ingredient's 2025: Redefining Hospitality through Story, Space and Strategy

NEW DELHI, Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Secret Ingredient, one of India's foremost food and hospitality consultancies, concludes a landmark year shaped by impactful partnerships and category-defining projects across the country. With a portfolio spanning hotels, neighbourhood restaurants & cafés, and next-generation culinary ventures, the consultancy continues to set new benchmarks for strategic, design-led, and operationally strong hospitality experiences in India.

The year was anchored by the growing recognition of Mharo Khet, a farm-led hospitality experience set across 40 acres of organic farmland. Conceived as a place where the land leads the narrative, Mharo Khet offers a deeply immersive field-to-fork journey, with a plant-forward food philosophy, serene spatial language, and warm, intuitive service. Secret Ingredient helped shape the experience holistically, from its food and beverage philosophy to the rhythms of service that allow guests to slow down and reconnect with nature. Mharo Khet reached a significant milestone with its inclusion in the MICHELIN Key Hotels Guide, recognised for its nature-inspired luxury, thoughtful hospitality, and authentic connection to the land - underscoring the depth and integrity of the concept.

Building on this ethos of authenticity and cultural clarity, Secret Ingredient brought Libertario to life in New Delhi, a bold Colombian coffee brand thoughtfully adapted for the Indian market. More than a café, Libertario emerged as a cultural bridge, carrying the soul of Colombian coffee while embracing India's evolving lifestyle café culture. Working closely with the founders, Secret Ingredient ensured the brand's identity remained uncompromised, while shaping an experience that felt welcoming, layered, and locally resonant. The result was a concept that felt confident and globally rooted, redefining what a premium coffee-forward space in India could be.

In the premium casual and lifestyle dining space, Secret Ingredient continued to demonstrate its range with projects like Deuce and Notomoro, each vastly different in expression yet united by strong narrative clarity. In Indore, Deuce reimagined what a modern social club could look like - merging sports, wellness, and contemporary dining, all under one glasshouse. Designed as much for community as for competition, the space balances energy with ease, offering everything from courtside comfort food to playful cocktails and nutrient-forward smoothies. Deuce stands today as a new blueprint for sport-led social dining in India.

Meanwhile, up north in the city of Udaipur, Notomoro took shape as an emotion as much as a destination. Built around the philosophy of 'not tomorrow, but now', the rooftop restaurant invites guests to pause and celebrate the present moment. With sunsets over the Aravallis, a bird-inspired symbol of freedom, and an atmosphere that encourages lingering conversations, Notomoro reflects Secret Ingredient's growing focus on hospitality as an experience.

Alongside other independent ventures, the year also saw Secret Ingredient deepen its engagement with large hospitality groups. The consultancy partnered closely with Hilton Corporation, contributing to foundational research, feasibility, and concept direction while helping shape cohesive culinary narratives for upcoming properties. Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi and Secret Ingredient are also coming together soon to drive a F&B transformation to create a stronger, more engaging dining identity for the guests.

Reflecting on the year, Sid Mathur, Founder & Director at Secret Ingredient, shares: "The year 2025 has reinforced our belief that hospitality thrives at the intersection of creativity, discipline, and cultural insight. We're grateful to work with partners who trust us to think boldly and build meaningfully."

Kula Naidu, Director at Secret Ingredient, adds: "Each project pushed us to refine our approach - whether shaping a concept from the ground up or strengthening a brand's operational core. The momentum we've built this year sets an exciting foundation for 2026."

Looking ahead, the year concludes with some of Secret Ingredient's most anticipated upcoming collaborations, including Mayfair Hotels & Resorts in Bhubaneswar, envisioned as a landmark hospitality destination for Odisha. The project brings Secret Ingredient into an integrated role, shaping experiential dining identities within the luxury hotel space. Alongside this, the consultancy has begun collaborating with Vista Spaces, a Bengaluru-based, design and sustainability-led developer, to help shape curated food and beverage hubs across its residential and workspace developments, reinforcing a shared focus on community-led, future-forward placemaking.

Stepping into 2026, Secret Ingredient's expanding footprint across India and diverse portfolio underline its role in shaping the Country's hospitality landscape.

About Secret Ingredient:

Secret Ingredient is one of India's leading F&B and hospitality consultancies, crafting end-to-end dining experiences through strategic insight, creative development, and operational excellence. Working across luxury hotels, boutique restaurants, and emerging culinary ventures, the firm brings a holistic, design-led, and future-ready approach to hospitality. In 2025, Secret Ingredient was honoured with the ET Restaurant & Nightlife Award for Restaurant Consultant of the Year – National, reinforcing its position as a category leader. From feasibility and concept creation to culinary identity, bar programming, HR structuring, training, and full operational setup, Secret Ingredient continues to redefine how hospitality brands in India are imagined, built, and scaled.

For more information, visit: https://secretingredient.co.in/ 

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2852229/Secret_Ingredient_2025.jpg