HOW LEELA SCION SAMYUKTA NAIR IS QUIETLY BUILDING THE WORLD'S MOST EMOTIONAL RESTAURANTS

Born into the legendary Leela Hotels legacy, Samyukta Nair could have taken the conventional route.

- NUSRA

Instead, she's rewriting the hospitality playbook — building a culinary empire that spans continents, cuisines, and cultures. With Jamavar's Michelin-starred acclaim in London, MiMi Mei Fair's fantasy dining, and a growing portfolio under LSL Capital, Nair is crafting restaurants that are not just places to eat, but immersive, story-driven worlds.

"Hospitality has always been part of my DNA," says restaurateur Samyukta Nair. But instead of following the traditional route into the hotel business, she chose to carve out her own path—one where design, cuisine, and cultural narratives intersect in deeply personal ways.

At the heart of her journey is her father, Dinesh Nair. “His exacting standards for cuisine and service have fundamentally shaped how I see hospitality,” she reflects. She is equally drawn to peers who innovate while staying grounded—those reimagining Indian food for the world stage, with risk as their constant companion.

In this conversation with Restaurant India, Samyukta opens up about steering a multi-brand empire, the story behind LSL Capital (which she co-founded with her father), and how she approaches food, design, and expansion with sharp vision and emotional clarity.

Dining as a Narrative

“My goal has always been to create dining experiences that resonate — visually, emotionally, and gastronomically,” she says. With Jamavar, the objective was to showcase Indian cuisine beyond clichés — celebrating its complexity and unapologetic richness. As her portfolio grew, so did the need for each brand to carry its own soul.