In an era of fast meals and fleeting interactions, Rajshri Gupta, founder of The Supperclub Mumbai, is bringing people back to the table in a way that feels deeply personal and memorable. Through thoughtfully curated dining experiences, she combines food, culture, storytelling, and human connection to create evenings that linger in the hearts of her guests long after the last course is served.
In this conversation with Women Fitness, Rajshri Gupta shares the inspiration behind her unique concept, her culinary philosophy, and why food remains one of the most powerful tools for bringing people together.
Creating a Space for Connection Through Food
What inspired you to create The Supperclub Mumbai, and what gap did you feel existed in the dining culture?
The idea behind The Supperclub Mumbai came from a desire to bring people back to meaningful dining experiences. I felt there was a gap between simply eating out and truly connecting over food. Restaurants often focus on speed and scale, but I wanted to create something intimate, immersive, and emotionally memorable.
For Rajshri, food has always been about storytelling, culture, nostalgia, and conversation. The Supperclub Mumbai became a space where strangers could sit together, slow down, share stories, and experience cuisine in a more personal and thoughtful way.
More Than a Meal: Crafting Memorable Experiences
Your supper club is described as more than just a meal. How would you define the experience you aim to create for guests?
I always say that guests may come for the food, but they leave remembering the feeling. The experience is designed to engage all the senses—from the table setting and music to the flow of conversation and the emotion behind every course.
I want people to feel welcomed, seen, and transported. Every gathering is curated like a story unfolding at the table. It’s not about fine dining in the traditional sense; it’s about creating warmth, connection, and moments people carry with them long after the evening ends.
Creativity with Purpose
Your menus often surprise diners with inventive presentations. How important is creativity in your culinary philosophy?
Creativity is extremely important to me, but it always has to serve a purpose. I don’t believe in presentation for the sake of spectacle. For me, creativity should deepen the experience and evoke curiosity, nostalgia, or emotion.
Indian cuisine is incredibly rich in history and flavour, and I enjoy presenting familiar ingredients in unexpected ways while still respecting their roots. I think diners today are looking for experiences that feel personal and memorable, and creativity allows me to tell those stories in a more immersive way.
A Dish That Tells Her Story
Which dish on your menu best represents your personality as a chef? And what is your signature ingredient?
A dish that best represents my personality as a chef is my North Karnataka Green Moong with Maharashtrian Thecha. The dish is deeply personal because it reflects my roots from the Maharashtra–North Karnataka border.
I use green moong, an ingredient widely loved in Karnataka, and reinterpret it as a textured dip-style preparation. It is paired with freshly made Maharashtrian green thecha, balanced with jaggery molasses for sweetness and depth, then finished with pomegranate for freshness and served with crisp cheese crackers.
The dish represents the way I cook—rooted in regional identity, layered with contrast, and presented in a contemporary yet emotionally familiar way.
If I had to choose a signature ingredient, it would be kokum. It’s vibrant, versatile, deeply coastal, and has a beautiful balance of warmth and sharpness. I find myself constantly drawn to it in both food and beverages.
Lessons Beyond the Kitchen by Rajshri Gupta
You’ve worked as a chef, consultant, editor, and experiential dining curator. Which role has taught you the most?
Curating experiential dining has taught me the most because it brings together every part of who I am. It requires creativity, emotional intelligence, hospitality, storytelling, adaptability, and an understanding of people beyond just food.
When you host intimate dining experiences, you learn that hospitality is deeply human. No two tables are ever the same, and that unpredictability teaches you empathy, observation, and presence in a way few other roles can.
Food as a Bridge Between Cultures and People
What message would you like to share with readers about food, culture, and human connection?
For Rajshri, food is one of the most powerful ways we preserve culture and create connection. A recipe is never just a recipe—it carries memories, migration, family history, and a sense of identity.
In today’s fast-paced world, I believe that sharing a meal has become even more important. It allows us to slow down, listen, celebrate differences, and connect genuinely. Some of the most meaningful conversations happen around a table, and I believe food still has the power to bring people together across generations and backgrounds.
The Dream Dinner Guest
If you could cook for any personality in the world, who would it be and what would you serve?
I would love to cook for Harsh Goenka because he has such an appreciation for regional Indian food stories and culinary heritage.
I would serve a thoughtfully curated Maharashtrian meal that travels from the Konkan coast to Kolhapur and Pune—something deeply rooted, seasonal, and nostalgic, but presented through a contemporary experiential lens.
I would want the meal to feel like a journey through India’s regional richness rather than just a dinner.
“Food is one of the few things that can transcend language, background, and geography. When people gather around a table, stories are shared, cultures are celebrated, and connections are formed. That’s the experience I hope to create every time someone joins us at The Supperclub Mumbai.” — Rajshri Gupta.