Pune, India, Dec 18: Ventive Hospitality has unveiled Ventive Crown, a quarterly internal recognition and competition platform conceived to celebrate, challenge and crown exceptional talent across its hotel portfolio. One of its kind in India, Ventive Crown brings together multiple global luxury brands within its Pune hotels under a single company-led platform, creating a unified moment of recognition for craftsmanship across properties. In an industry where recognition platforms dedicated exclusively to hospitality chefs remain limited in India, Ventive Crown creates a rare, focused stage to honour culinary craftsmanship within the hotel ecosystem.

Anchored in a clear purpose, Ventive Crown seeks to recognize internal excellence across key hospitality functions and foster cross-property engagement, By celebrating the talent that defines luxury behind the scenes, the initiative positions Ventive Hospitality as a thought leader in talent-first luxury hospitality in India.

The inaugural edition of Ventive Crown debuted as a Chef’s Edition for Ventive’s Pune hotels, bringing together six teams and twelve chefs from across the company’s Pune-based luxury properties. Designed as a high-intensity culinary challenge, the competition culminated in a final-day showdown featuring three shortlisted teams and a special wild-card entry.

What truly set the event apart was not just technical mastery, but the deeply personal stories behind each dish. Chefs presented creations inspired by memory, heritage and emotion — from a bold interpretation of Rabbit Rogan Josh to a soulful Chena Lasooni Saag inspired by a chef’s mother’s cooking, and a robust Patthar Ka Chaap rooted in regional tradition. Each plate reflected identity as much as innovation.

The competition concluded with four standout dishes being awarded the coveted Ventive Crown. The winning dishes and teams included Butter Chicken by DoubleTree by Hilton, Nizami Gosht Dum by Oakwood, Tripolia Dal by JW Marriott, and Bread Kheema Kachori by The Ritz-Carlton. Recognised for excellence in flavour, technique, authenticity and presentation, these winning dishes have now been introduced on the menus of their respective hotels, extending the celebration of culinary excellence to guests.

Commenting on the initiative, Ranjit Batra, CEO, Ventive Hospitality Limited, said,

“Our chefs and teams are the backbone of our food and beverage strength, and this platform honours their craft, commitment and quiet excellence. Food and beverage has always been at the heart of Ventive, and Ventive Crown exists to celebrate the people who make it exceptional. As talent becomes the true currency of our industry, we believe recognition can be transformative — giving our people the visibility, confidence and stage they deserve.”

Mayur Tiwari, AVP – Food & Beverages and Culinary, Ventive Hospitality Limited, added,

“Ventive Crown is more than an event. It is a platform that builds culture, honours creativity and brings together the true heroes of hospitality. This Chef’s Edition is especially close to my heart — created by chefs, for chefs — to celebrate our craft and elevate the guest experience.”

Designed as a multi-disciplinary platform, Ventive Crown will in future recognise excellence across functions such as mixology, housekeeping and guest service.

In celebrating those who deliver luxury every day, the initiative underscores a simple belief, that in hospitality, recognition matters just as much for those who create the experience as for those who enjoy it.