Hon. Secretary, NRAI

Co-Founder & Director, Food Matters India

Gauri Devidayal is a law graduate from the University College Lonon and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales. She pursued her career as a tax consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London and Mumbai for 8 years.

After 8 years in London, Gauri returned to Mumbai where she was born and brought up. In early 2008, she met her husband, Jay Yousuf and was soon persuaded to leave the tax profession and to join him on his restaurant adventure. With no previous experience of the hospitality industry and having never dreamt of doing anything entrepreneurial, Gauri nevertheless supported Jay in creating The Table , a restaurant in South Mumbai, which has gone on to win many accolades and much recognition in the city as well as internationally. While planning the restaurant’s popular wine list, Gauri was encouraged to take on the WSET course and completed her Level III with a flying distinction. She has also been at the forefront of the farm to table initiative for the restaurant by setting up The Table Farm in Alibag, from where the restaurant gets much of its fresh produce.

Most recently, Gauri co-founded Magazine Street Kitchen, a culinary playground for intimate dinners, cooking workshops and more, housed in a restored heritage structure, in Byculla – a space that has already created an unparalleled buzz within the food community. The Kitchen is also the base for the newly launched bakery – Mag St Bread Co – helmed by Head Baker, Chef Rachelle Andrade.

Gauri, now 37 and currently living with her husband and 4 year old daughter, Dia, is a full time hands-on restaurateur and mother and handles both roles with equal enthusiasm. She was recently listed in GQ’s list of the 50 Most Influential Young Indians.